CHAPTER 5: BLANE'S FIRST VISIT TO THE ROSENTHAL'S
As Blane and I approached the door, Bennie opened it with a smirk on his face.
“Hey Bennie.”
“Ooohhh. You’re in troouuble!”
“Ugh, what now?”
“You’re late, lil missy… and its cause of a boy! Double trouble! Can’t wait to see this…”
As Blane and I entered the house, Katie came out of the kitchen eating cookie dough in her sports bra and soccer shorts. When Katie saw Blane, she dropped her spoon, which Stan eagerly took, and ran back into the kitchen.
“MOM! OH MY GOD MOM!” she screamed.
“What, Katie?! What happened?”
“Carter brought home a boy! A really really really hot boy!”
As my mother approached where we were, her eyes widened.
“Hello!” she exclaimed.
“Sorry for being late, mom. I…”
“No worries, darling. Who is your new friend?”
“I’m Blane, Mrs. Rosenthal,” he interjected.
“Well, Blane, would you like to stay for dinner?”
“He actually has to go home…”
“No I don’t! I would looove to stay! Thank you so much!”
“I thought you had to be home” I asked him when my mother went back into the kitchen.
“I lied so you would let me walk you home” he said with that half grin that made my heart flip.
Shit, Carter. Stop with the fucking heart flips.
As we sat down, I couldn’t help but notice Katie staring at Blane. It made me feel uncomfortable, yes, but a bit jealous. Katie was the beautiful one out of the two of us. When she wanted a boy, any boy, she got him with the snap of her fingers. I mean I had Abe. It would be a good thing if Katie took Blane off my hands… but I felt kind of like Blane was mine. Of course he wasn’t mine mine, but he was my friend and I didn’t want her to take him away from me.
“So if guys looked like your friend Blane, I would want to go to smart school too, Carter,” Katie said after a very obvious wink.
“Shut up Katie.”
For the first time, I was very glad when Blane interrupted and said, “Mrs. Rosenthal, I can see where Carter gets her looks from. You look fantastic! How old are you? Late twenties?”
If anyone else had said this, Mom would have eaten him alive. But it was Blane. To say the very least, my mother gushed.
“Oh Blane! That is so sweet! You are so well mannered!” she said nudging me.
“Mom, did Abe call?”
“Huh? Who’s Abe?”
“Mom! Only my best friend since birth!” “And current boyfriend!” I said as I got up from the table and ran to my room.
As I ran up the stairs, I heard Katie excuse my behavior and follow me upstairs.
“Carter…”
“Shut up, Katie. Your new target is downstairs. Just take him like you do everyone else! Abe was the only one who looked beyond appearances and didn’t fall for you. He was and is mine. I’m not going to give that up… give up true love… for a guy I just met off the streets yesterday with toned muscles and a good smile. So leave me alone, Katie.”
“Carter, Abe called,” she said desperately.
“Well, why didn’t you say something! What’d he say? When does he want me to call?…”
“Carter shut up for one second,” Katie said gravely.
I did as I was told.
“Carter, he wants to break up with you. He said that everything was a mistake. He said that he was in love with a Rosenthal, but it wasn’t you. It was me all along, Carter. I’m so sorry” she said as tears came down her cheek.
I was shocked. I didn’t know what to do or say but when I saw her beautiful porcelain face being cracked by unnatural tears of imperfection I couldn’t help but feel some sort of satisfaction. I only had enough energy for one word. I had to make it count. And I did.
“Whore.”
That is what I chose to say. Out of everything I could have called her, I chose that word.
As I silently closed the door to my room, I heard her stay there like the statue she physically was. I sat on my bed for a few minutes, then dialed the number that I had been waiting to dial all day.
