Unthinkable

May***Part 11

As my brother and I are devouring some dino-nuggets and crinkle cut fries, a perfectly balanced meal, the phone rings. Shiv. She's on house arrest. Or more likely she's in the middle of a "COPS" marathon with Bob O., her dad, and can't peel herself away from the television. She loves her some Bad Boys. I guess I'm chilling with Patrick for the night.

No phone call from Jake.

I don't know when I'm going to see him. It's grad week, so Jake won't be at school, not like I'll be running into him the hall.

***

"So who's the guy?" Allison's chasing after me down the hallway. I pretend not to hear her. I'm not in the mood today.

"Jake told me everything. I called him yesterday to congratulate him on the set at Springfest. He was just so upset. We started talking, but then I had to go to church."

I must be off my game. She's clearly not picking up what I'm putting down. A quick glance at my reflection in the trophy case, shows me the 'shut the fuck up' face, but somehow it's not translating.

"We're meeting at the Dome after school. He wants to talk some more."

I know she's just trying to get a rise out of me. But I can't help feeling annoyed and frustrated. I mean he won't talk to me, but he'll tell all our problems to her. Of all people.

"Don't worry, Sammy, I've got your back. I'll set him straight."

You've got my back. You've got something alright, but it's not my back. The only part of my back you've got is where you stuck the knife into it.

She's still talking. At least it'll be all over the school by the end of the day. That'll save me some time.

***

Dairy Dome: Town landmark. Ice cream shop in the summer. Christmas tree shop in the winter. Common meeting point for all of us teens with too much time on our hands. Only the cool kids get jobs at 'the Dome.' I do not work at the Dome.