New Ties, Old Ways

Wanted

The next day is Saturday.

What to do?

Read a book?

Help mom at the store?

Color-code my socks?

Think about him?

No

Scratch

That last one.

I can't

Think of him.

Can't say his name.

Or I'll hope

More.

Can't do that.

Thankfully, I'm

Interrupted.

Ring, Ring.

It's the telephone.

Telephone?

Nobody calls me.

Nobody calls me or my mom.

Except relatives on

Holidays.

I pick up.

"Yeah?"

"Hey is... Eye-dee-leen-ah Carrol home?"

It's an unfamiliar voice.

High and girly.

Confident.

"Um..." I'm

Unsure

"Yes, I'm Idy."

Real smooth.

"Oh, okay," the

Voice

Continues,

"Hi Idy. Remember me? Lorissa May?"

Lorissa?

Head cheerleader Lorissa?

Slutty Lorissa?

Snobby Lorissa?

How'd she even get my

Number?

"Yeah. Er, what's up?"

"Oh nothing much.

Hey, uh, I was, like

Wondering...

If you got any plans tonight?"

Huh?

Lorissa is asking

Me

About my plans?

Lorissa May?

What is the

World

Coming to?

"No, I'm free," I

Reply

Warily.

"Oh yeah sure. So I was

Thinking

That maybe you'd wanna

Come

To my pool party

Tonight."

Pool party?

Now I'm

Speechless.

What is she up to?

"Why are you asking

Me?"

I say.

"'Cause, well we haven't hung

Out much

Before - "

She didn't know who

I

Was before.

" - And I thought we

Could

You know, rekindle."

Good Golly.

This day

Cannot

Get stranger.

She's got to be

Planning

Something.

Maybe I should

Deny.

But deny Lorissa?

I'd never hear the

End

Of that.

"Okay I'll

Be there."

"Great. You know where

My house is, right?"

Uh... who doesn't

Know

Where the

Mayor's

Daughter

Lives?

"Yup."

"Okay and, oh yeah bring that

Hot

New

Guy

You were sitting with at

Lunch

With you.

Is he your

Cousin or something? Anyway

Be there.

With

Him."

All the pieces

Finally

Click

As the

Dial tone

Resounds

in my ringing ears.

She wants him.

I try not to feel

Dejected.

After all why would

Lorissa

Invite me for

Me?

Nobody wants me.

Still don't get why

Luke

Tries.

I'm just a worthless

Nobody.

A deliverer.

Someone to bring

The real

Package

They want.

Used and abused.

That's it.

I'm not wanted.

I just bring what is

Wanted.