Tragic Love Friday

In the last week, I've fallen into bed past midnight almost every night after laboring over the creating and burning and addressing and mailing of seventeen super-delicious cheddar-cheesy CDs, avoided resuming regular healthful activity, inhaled half a Pizzeria Uno deep dish, and suffered from one nightmare in which the ghost of a little girl visits me in my dead grandmother's apartment to warn me about the end of the world. Good times!

And yet, YET, Tragic Love Friday awaits us. The antics of a teenage boy who possesses the ability to make female infatuation junkies fall madly in love with him even though he works behind the cash register of a Mickey D's must go on.

Spelling errors remain intact, commentary in brackets, yadda yadda yadda.

-------

CHAPTER TWO - DAVID (CONTINUED)

Talking with Cassie had made me late. My shift began at 9:00, and I arrived at 9:15. My boss, Mr. Steiner, was not a happy camper about this. He pointed to the clock. "You're late, David, and we've been real busy the last couple of hours."

"I'm sorry, sir," I said, hanging my head. "It won't happen again."

"That's what you said yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that. It's getting old."

"I'm sorry," I repeated. "But I work late everyday, and I'm just so tired, and--"

"I know," he said, rolling his eyes. "You already told me the sob story about your pregnant girlfriend."

[Slamma!]

I felt my face grow hot.

"I want to make sure this won't happen again, so--"

"It won't," I interrupted. He glared at me. "Just to make sure, I'm docking you an hour's pay." [Is that even legal?]

"An hour? But--"

"Hey!" he yelled. "If you've got a problem, the door's over there."

I sighed. [The sighing returns!] "No sir."

"Then get to work."

[Doesn't this scene make a great argument for abstinence until marriage?]

I went to my register quickly. Damn him, I thought. He knew I needed every cent I made. He knows how bad I need this crappy job. I'd only lose about $5.00 from my pay, but I NEEDED that $5 dollars.

I kept busy at the register for a couple of hours with no problems from Steiner. But then I got a phone call.

"David!" My boss sounded mad. "Phone for you!" He thrust the phone in my hand, whispering, "every minute you're on the phone, you lose 10 minutes pay. [Pre-marital sex literally doesn't pay!] I'm timin' ya, kid."

Sighing [!], I picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"David, it's Jenna."

"Jenna, I can't talk right now. This place is too busy."

"But it's about the baby!"

Tapping my foot, I said, "What's going on?"

"You were supposed to the doctor a half an hour ago. Today is the day I have an ultrasound."

"Oh, Jenna," I moaned, "I'm sorry. I forgot. Steiner offered me some work, and I couldn't say no." I felt like kicking myself.

"Well," she replied, sighing [three sighs and counting!], "we're not too late. Just come pick me up and--"

"You don't understand! Steiner's in a bad mood. I can't leave."

"How am I supposed to get there?" she wailed.

"I don't know!" I cried. I did NOT have time for this today. "Take the bus."

"The Bus?!?!"

"Yeah. I'll call you later." I hung up before she could reply.

[At the time I wrote this, I was fourteen and thought Jenna was a big fat baby. Now? OMG, I would've been so pissed. So pissed!]

A few hours later, my shift was over. I cleaned up and headed for Jenna's house. She let me in without saying a word. She slowly sat down.

I joined her, & for a few minutes there was silence. I knew I had to make the first move. I cleared my throat.

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so cold to you on the phone. And I didn't mean to forget about the appointment, either. It's just that I've been so busy with work, and I had school to worry about until yesterday. When Steiner told me about some extra work last night, all I thought was, 'great. That's more money for Jenna and the baby. That's the only thought that keeps me going when I want to collapse from lack of sleep. Can you understand?" I knew that she did when she hugged me tight and I felt the bulge of her belly press against me. It gave me a warm feeling. [No, not THAT kind of feeling, you sick perverts.]

[Also, I worked for McDonald's once, too, also in high school. For two months. I never collapsed from exhaustion, but I did eat a lot of free sundaes. Plus, if we worked the closing shift, we could take home the extra burgers and fries. That was fun.]

"I'm sorry, too," she whispered. "I didn't know I sounded so whiny on the phone. My hormones are acting crazy, and I took it out on you. I know that was wrong, too. You work so hard." Then Jenna's face lit up. "I've got news about our baby. Doctor Foremann did the ultrasound. Our little GIRL'S doing just fine!"

I grinned. "You mean it's a girl?"

She nodded. [Jenna's "urge" was right! She is so psychic!]

"That's great!!" I felt like I was on Cloud 9. "We should start choosing some names for her."

"OK. I'll go get a pen and some paper." She went into the kitchen, and when she returned, both items were in her hand. She sat on the floor so she could write on the coffee table. "Shoot."

"Candy," I offered. Jenna wrinkled her nose in distaste. "That's a name for girls with zero brain cells."

"Just put it down." Reluctantly she wrote it down. "I think the name Michelle is beautiful." She wrote it on the paper, even though I shook my head. "It's too common."

For a half an hour we came up with names, but nothing we could actually name our daughter. I wanted names that were cool but not common.

"How about Mary?" I asked. [Because nobody in the world is named Mary.]

My girlfriend looked thoughtful. "Mary. That's nice. A lot of girls are named Mary, though."

"That's OK. We'll just add another name to it. How about Mary Ellen?"

She shook her head. "Mary Anne?" [My Baby-sitters Club obsession is showing here.]

"Nah." We were quiet for a minute.

"I know." Jenna looked pleased. "Mary Katherine."

I smiled. "That's not half bad, Jen. It's even kinda pretty."

She clapped her hands and threw her arms around my neck. "Then Mary Katherine it is. Oh, David! We're gonna be so happy!" She tried to kiss me, but it was interrupted by a huge yawn from me. "Sorry. I guess I'm just tired."

"You work too hard," Jenna complained.

"Well, momma, that's life."

"Yeah, well, sometimes you need to rest, and spend some time with the people who love you, who need you." She was sounding like a spoiled child!

I took deep breaths. Her hormones are crazy, she's tired, and she's at an emotional time, I told myself. Then I sighed out loud [number four!], and got up. "I'm exhausted, momma. I've gotta get some sleep."

"Fine." She went and opened the door for me. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah." I hurried to my car and drove home before I fell asleep at the wheel. I didn't fall asleep right away, though, so I had the chance to mull over a few things. Like my relationship with Jenna.

All our friends thought we were doing great, and even Jenna and I hadn't talked about it, but I knew there were problems with us. We didn't have a lot of time for each other anymore, and when we WERE together, we often fought or argued about little things. Even though I'd never say it to anyone, I was beginning to doubt that things would be OK. I mean, any couple faced with our situation would have problems. But I told Jenna I wanted to marry her! How can I? Things are changing so fast, and I hate change. But the fact is that I don't love Jenna the same way anymore. A few times, I'd considered leaving Jenna and working child custody arrangements out with her.

But my daughter deserved better. She deserved a mother and father who were MARRIED. And in my own way, I did love Jenna. She would never know how many doubts I had.

Life sucks, I thought to myself before my eyelids closed.

***

When I woke up, it was already eight-thirty at night. I got out of bed, feeling better than I had in days. I guess getting sleep helps.

In the kitchen on the refridgerator, there were 2 notes. The first was from Cassie:

DAVID,

MICHAEL CALLED AT FIVE. YOUR BOSS CALLED TOO AND SAID SOMETHING ABOUT GETTING OVERTIME. - Cassie

The other one was from Mom:

DAVEY,

I'M GOING TO BE SPENDING TIME WITH a FRIEND FOR 2 WEEKS IN HAWAII. I'LL CALL YOU IN A FEW DAYS. Some grocery MONEY is in MY top DRAWER. CASSIE KNOWS. SMOOCHES! - MOM

[Yes, I really alternated between sentence and upper case.]

I scowled. Screw you, Mr. Steiner. You, too, Mom. In her drawer, there was $200. I took 50 of it and called Michael. He answered on the first ring. "David?" [Another psychic!]

"Yeah, it's me. Listen, do you want to do something tonight? I've got a full wallet and nothing to do."

"Sure. What do you have in mind?" [I don't think straight men should say this line to other straight men.]

"I'll tell you when I see you. I'll pick you up in 10 minutes."

It took me 20 minutes because I stopped at 'LARRY'S LIQUORS' on the way. Michael grinned as he climbed in and saw 3 6-packs of beer. "How'd you get it?" he asked. "I didn't know you had a phony ID."

"I don't. I slipped him a 20, and he sold it to me." [Ah, the good old days...]

I drove us to Lookout Hill, a place where people get screwed, drunk, and do anything else that adults tell us to say no to. [I totally stole this hill from Sweet Valley High's Miller Point, where Todd and Elizabeth went to kiss each other on the cheek and talk about The Oracle.]

We stayed there for an hour, and in that time I had 4 beers, while Michael only had 2.

I was already high-strung that night; the beer didn't help any. I got drunk real fast. That's probably why I told Michael, in great detail and using hand motions, all about my problems with Jenna. [Way to keep the drama to yourself, buddy.] When I was done, I slumped in the driver's seat. Michael let out a low whistle. "Wow. I didn't realize that things with you and Jenna were so bad."

I closed my eyes and shrugged my shoulders. [What, no sighing?] "I don't know what what went wrong." [The condom, David. The condom is what went wrong.]

"Maybe it's less complicated than you think."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...maybe you're still in love with Kayla," he answered softly.

"What?!" Michael was confusing me.

"Maybe you still love Kayla," he repeated.

"You spent a year and a half with her, and you're STILL not sure why you broke up with her." He lapsed into silence.

My thoughts were spinning, and my mind went back to a time when everything I ever wanted was in Kayla. She used to be my life; my love. Her smile could melt my heart. We were so happy.

[Nothing says "I love you" like breaking up with your soul mate and boinking her BFF.]

You're with Jenna, now, I told myself, but my old emotions were brought up when Mike mentioned Kayla's name. Her image was now burned on my brain. Her long golden hair being slightly blown by the cool breeze. Her deep blue eyes so clear it was like looking into the ocean. Her small, petite frame.

I took a deep breath. "I think I better drop you off now, Mike."

He nodded understandingly. "Me, too." [Oh, tricky Michael!]

After I took him home [these innuendos just get pervier and pervier, don't they?], I drove around for a while, feeling guilty because I knew where I'd end up.

-------

Well, friends, there you have it; the "baby names, coveting, and underage drinking" I promised you last week. This segment was way long but necessary to properly set you up for next week, when David and Kayla...well...you'll just have to wait and see.

Comments

[Squisita]

I know where he'll end up, in a tree. What's his blood alcohol content?

Somebody totally called this one - Michael has the hots for Jenna and is scheming his way in.

The kiss attempt greeted with a yawn - that was cold.

I've been waiting for this all week.

[Fraulein N]

"The condom, David. The condom is what went wrong." Heh, that's awesome.

[Anonymous]

This is better than crack. (Not that I know what crack is like.) More I say. More!
I totally called it from the beginning. Mikey has the hots for Jenna and he's going to be her shoulder to cry on when David leaves her high and dry (or wet if her water breaks...hehe).
I can't believe you wrote this when you were 14! Why in the hell have you not been published yet? Teenagers across the country would love this shit. (As well as a few cheesy adults like myself.)

-Me :-)

[Angela]

I really feel the need to dig out my old Sweet Valley Highs now... wow, this is so fantastically hilarious!

My favorite line: "She was sounding like a spoiled child!" Or, you know, the exhausted mother of your child whose ultrasound you missed and that somehow continues to love you despite the fact that you probably smell like frying grease all the time. Or, yeah, spoiled child!

Team Jenna!! (I think we need t-shirts to fully articulate our positions.)

[Lost A Sock]

I have no idea how I could have missed this installment (last week). I hope dear David doesn't go back to Kayla, but things aren't looking good.

Also, slipping the cashier $20, then downing four beers that hit pretty quickly, and finally, ahem, taking your friend home and driving around (drunk?) for a few hours? The insanity!

I seriously love this story.

[Luke]

I want you to know that I will not forget to take you to the doctor when you have your first ultrasound, but hopefully our lives won't take such a turn that I need to work at McDonald's either.

[Isabel]

I love the mention of Liz (I call her that) and Todd kissing each other on the cheek. Rereading the SVH books that you sent me reminded me how PURE they were. Dude!

I LOVE THIS!

(and for the record, I totally took the bus to most of my prenatal visits. Does that make me a baby or tough? I think it makes me tough!)