The Physics of Love

Chapter 19

Another sleepless night. Another lazy Saturday. I'm staggering around the house aimlessly, pretending I have things to do. I get out in the yard because it's stuffy inside, then I rush back to the house because it's cold in the fresh air. I open the fridge looking for something nice to eat, but then the mere glance at food kills my appetite. My mom must have noticed something's going on with me, maybe even my dad did, but they both stay out my way without questioning me. I turned into one of those pathetic girls whose lives revolve around a guy. My weekends have always been packed with activities, those I love the most. They were my school-free zone, my mental spa. And look at me now. What did he say? What did he think? When is he coming? Three hours and twelve minutes from now is the exact answer. Three hours and eleven minutes...Three hours and ten minutes...

I decide to ring Annie and talk about what her guy said and thought instead. I expected her call by now, anyway.

'Hey!' I say when she picks up.

'Hey...' she mumbles.

'Are you sleeping?'

'Well, not any more...'

'It's almost one.'

'Really? I didn't know that...'

'Why are you still in bed? Are you sick?'

'No, I just went to bed really late. Noah and I were sitting on the porch till 2 am.'

'You're kidding me?'

'Nope. All true.' I hear a yawn from another side.

'What did your folks say?'

'They couldn't care less. As usual...'

'So, what did you talk about?'

'I don't know...Everything...'

'And? Do you like him?'

'I do.' She doesn't sound too persuasive.

'But? Not as much as you like Derek?'

'Well, if you think about it, Derek is a little more muscly in the upper trunk.'

'Get serious.'

'He's great. Okay?'

'Does he like you?'

'Well, he seems to like being harassed by my humor.'

'Nicely put.'

'Thank you, Professor Hughes.' She yawns again. 'What happened to you last night?

'Nothing. Ted got jealous because he thought I was on a date with Luke.'

'Wait, Ted?? When did you talk to Ted?'

'He dragged me outside. Never mind.'

'So, what did he want from you?'

'He wanted to keep me away from Luke.'

'Hmm, didn't he say he doesn't want you because you're a kid?'

'He did. But now he doesn't want that kid to play with other...kids.'

'You mean college guys?'

'Right.'

'Hmm...Ted Anderson feels threatened by someone.'

'Finally.'

'Did he clench his teeth?'

'How do you know?'

'That's what guys do when things don't go their way.'

'He did seem pretty angry.'

'Is he coming today?'