The Life and Times of Bonnie Chance

Love Hurts

"Nothing much," Bonnie replied tightly. "I just thought I'd call to check up on you, see how you were doing. Make any new friends lately?"

"... Crap," Jerry cursed when he realized the jig was up. "I guess they ratted me out, huh? Yasmin and Raz?"

"Of course," Bonnie said angrily through gritted teeth. "They're my friends, not yours. Why did you do it, Jerry? And why Mandy, of all people?"

"Because, unlike you, she makes time for me!" he snapped. "It's your fault, you know! Ever since Carol disappeared, all you ever do is look for her. Whenever I want to go somewhere or hang out, you're off looking for her! Who's more important to you, her or me?"

"Between my beloved cousin who's in serious danger and a guy who cheats on me the moment I turn my back, of course it's going to be my cousin," Bonnie retorted pointedly with a frown. "If you were feeling neglected or lonely, you should have just said so instead of trying to hurt me. I never knew you were such an ass. I've got to say, you hid it well. Thanks for finally showing me who you really are. It's over now—feel free to date Mandy as much you want, because we're done."

"Wait, you're dumping me!?" Jerry exclaimed incredulously. "You can't—you're never gonna find another man like me!"

"That's the point," Bonnie responded coolly. "Goodbye, Jerry." And with that, she hung up the phone and ended the painful conversation without another word. Very carefully, Bonnie replaced the phone's headset. Then she reached down, removed one of her shoes, and threw it across the room.

"..." Raz and Yasmin stared at her, wondering if it was safe for them to speak.

"You okay?" Raz asked after few minutes of silence.

"..." Bonnie just glared at the floor.

"Don't ask stupid questions, Raz," Yasmin said, sweat-dropping. Of course she wasn't. "Do you want to be alone?" she asked Bonnie gently. Bonnie nodded. "Okay... Call us if you need us. We're here for you." Bonnie stood and waited quietly for them to leave before retrieving her shoe so she could march over to the freezer and grab a gallon of ice cream before heading to her room.

Ryan looked up from the paperwork on his desk when the Nazareth rendition of Love Hurts started playing loudly on the floor above. He let out a sigh of annoyance and got up to tell Bonnie to turn it down, but he froze when he opened the door to her room and was greeted by the sight of a crying Bonnie curled up in her sheets, already half way through devouring a whole gallon of ice cream.

"... What are you doing?" he asked, at a loss for better words. He had never seen her like this before.

"Eating my feelings," Bonnie said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand before taking another bite.

"Translation?"

"I just broke up with Jerry, because I found out he was cheating on me, and he said it was my fault because I was a terrible girlfriend, and it really hurts, so I'm trying to drown my sorrows in ice cream..."

"Oh," Ryan said awkwardly, once again at a loss for better words. "Do you want me to get Mother or Nanny for you?" he asked sympathetically. If only Carol was there...

"Thanks, but I'd rather be alone right now," she replied sadly. She didn't want everyone making a fuss, and she could really use some space right now.

"You know he's not worth it, right?" Ryan said with a frown. "Any guy who would break your heart like this doesn't deserve you." That scruffy hack artist had better hope their paths never crossed again, or else.

"I know..." Bonnie sniffed, tightening her grip on the bucket of ice cream, "but, right now, I just want to listen to my records while I cry and stuff my face with ice cream."