Georgia Peaches and Other Rotten Fruits

Chapter Two

Thursday afternoon I go to Tess’s house so she can change the oil in the 4Runner. I have to stop at AutoZone to get the oil and the filter, so Tess beats me home. When I pull in the driveway, she’s sitting on the front steps in an old pair of jeans and faded SnapOn hoodie. She’s got an open can of beer in her hand and another one sitting on the porch beside her. 

I sit down and take the unopened beer. 

“I think Luke’s into you,” is the first thing she says. 

I choke on my sip of beer, shooting some out my nose and down the front of my shirt. “What? Why?” I scrub my face. My nose is burning and my eyes are watering. 

“He seems to want you to go to that party pretty bad.”

He sat with us at lunch today, something that he does occasionally. He has a lot of friends and he rarely spends two lunch periods in a row with the same group of people. He wanted to make sure that we were 'for real coming,' as he put it.

Apparently, it just wouldn’t be the same without us. I guess all of Weston’s other parties are lame, because we rarely show up. 

“So?” I ask. “That’s because we’re friends, Tess.” 

“I’m his friend too, but you didn’t see him drop to his knees and beg me to come, did you?”

“He didn’t beg. And he definitely wasn’t on his knees.”

“You know what I mean,” she says, taking another sip. 

“He invited you too,” I argue.

“Yeah, but he only really invited you. It’s just common knowledge that we’re a package deal. He barely even looked at me.”

“Does that bother you?” I ask. “That he barely looked at you?”

“No,” she snorts. “I’m just saying, he makes it pretty obvious that he’s into you.”

“So what if he is?” I ask.

“I just wish he wouldn’t be so obvious about it in front of Hannah. I know she notices. She doesn’t deserve that.”

Tess is right. Hannah doesn’t deserve that. She’s such a sweet and trusting person. She deserves somebody who loves her with their whole heart, somebody who will treat her right. Not that Luke doesn’t, as far as I know, but what Tess is saying is starting to make me wonder. 

“You think he’d cheat on her?” I just really can’t see Luke doing it. He’s always been a really good guy.

“Won’t most people?” Tess says bitterly. 

“I don’t know. Maybe.” Do most people cheat? I’ve never considered myself to be the type to, but then again, I’ve never really dated anybody. It’s a scary thought, though, that anybody is capable of cheating, no matter how happy you think you are together. “Would you?”

“Of course. No point in being loyal to somebody who isn’t loyal to you.” She stands up and hands me her empty can. “Go get me another beer. I’ll start on the oil.” 

I drain my beer and head into the house. I pull open the fridge and the shelves are lined with beer cans, water bottles, and an assortment of Tess’s favorites foods, all categorized by type and color. I grab two cans off the top shelf. I push the door shut a little too hard and a couple boxes of cereal fall off the top of the fridge.

By the time I get back outside, Tess has already crawled under the 4Runner and oil is draining into the pan. I sit down on the ground and watch her. The 4Runner is lifted with bigger tires, so it’s not hard to see under it.