Hard To Get

Chapter 1: Moving On (1)

This is the longest night of my entire life. I rolled over in bed for the millionth time, opened one eye, and squinted at my bed-side clock. 3:00 a.m. I groaned, kick off the blanket, and fanned some air under the sheet.  Just relax. Think nice thoughts. Okay, nice thoughts. Cookie-dough ice cream. Sunbathing. Road trips. Boys with green eyes. Kissing. Kissing!

"Arrgh!" I thrashed around as the image of Ron kissing Leah Kilburn flashed through my brain once more. I clawed at my pillow, wishing it were. Ron's face instead. Again the scenario from last week played itself out in my mind. It was like some grisly highway accident you can't help staring at, even though you know you really shouldn't look.

After coming home last monday, I realized I had forgotten my chem text and had to drive back to school late in the afternoon to get it. That's when I saw them. I remembered the bang of the metal door againts the brick wall of the high school. Myself emerging, squinting in the bright sunlight, text clutched in my arms. Ron's car parked in the middle of the empty parking lot. My heart leaping. I thought he had come to pick me up. My lifted hand wilting halfway through the wave as I recognized  two figures in the front seat. My feet rooted to the ground like weeds as I stared openmouthed at the heads bent close to each other. Ron's face turning toward me, his eyes wide. My frantic, stumbling retreat back into the deserted school.

Now, with one violent motion, I threw off the covers and climbed out if bed. I tugged at the window. The creaky wood stuck and then gave slowly with screech of protest. I leaned out into the cool night air. "You're a giant jerk, Ron!" I shouted into the silent suburban night.  "Do you hear me, you cheating stinkwad?" My voice echoed across the neatly fenced yard. Far away, a dog barked in response. I couldn't tell if he agreed.

I leaned my head on the window frame. How could I have been so wrong about Ron? I had totally misjudged him----and I never did that. And why  Leah? Former beauty pageant contestant who was never without her MAC foundation and plum lip liner? Did he actually like that kind of thing? Apparently so. I slowly rapped my forehead againts the glass. Judging from the way his face was mashed into hers, he liked that kind of thing a lot.

Ron and I had been together since last summer, my longest relationship so far. Everything had seemed perfect. He was smart, cute, athletic, funny----all the things I wanted in a boyfriend. It was true he'd been a little distant ever since we got back from skiing at his parents' cabin over spring break, but I'd assumed he was busy with classes, like me.

Oh yeah, he was busy. I slammed the window shut and climbed back into bed. Just not with classes. I pulled up the tangled sheet and stared at the clock.

3:25 a.m.

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The next morning I blearily inventoried the train wreck staring back at me in the mirror. Pasty skin. Dark circles under the eyes. Sleep wrinkles across one cheek. I took a few futile swipes at my hair, gave up, and threw it into messy bun on top of my head. Eyes still mostly closed, I plucked my favorite old jeans from the back of my desk chair, where I'd thrown them the night before, and pulled on a navy blue tank top. So what if I looked like a dog meat? It wasn't like I had a boyfriend to impress.

I grabbed my messenger bag and clattered down the back stairs. The yellow-painted kitchen was full of steam. Mom was standing at the stove, frying scrambled eggs with her glasses all fogged up.

"Oh, Val, is that you?" she said turning her head into the direction of the doorway. "I can't see a thing. You want toast?"

"Mom I actually don't have time. I'm late and---" I was interrupted by a familiar beep from outside.  "See, there's Eunice and Nicole." I grabbed the orange juice out of the fridge and took a quick chug from the cartoon. Luckily, Mom was still temporarily blind. I stuck the juice back into the fridge and bolted out the door and down the porch steps. "Bye!" I bellowed behind me.