The Lunacy Fringe

Sixty-Three

Later that day, I was sitting on the couch, biting my fingernails while waiting for my dad to get home. The phone rang, and I went to pick it up.

"Hello?" I answered nervously.

"Hey," Felix said on the other line. I let out a sigh of relief. I didn't know what I was so nervous about.

"Hey, how's it going?"

"Good, I just wanted to talk to you before your dad got home or Billie got ahold of you."

"What's up?"

"I think we should probably wait before we tell anyone we got back together." My heart dropped for a moment. Did this mean he didn't want anyone to know? Was this a mistake? Were we going to keep this secret? Maybe he didn't break up with Candy after all.

"Oh—why?"

"Well, for one, I think everyone is already very suspicious about the way we both disappeared from the dance last night. And how you asked Billie to cover for you without explaining why. I think if we just outright told them we got back together, everyone would put two-and-two together and I kind of want to keep my fingers." Then I laughed. That sounded reasonable enough. It wasn't that he didn't want anyone to know. It was that he didn't want anyone to suspect us.

"That's understandable."

"Plus—I think my mom may also suspect I had someone over last night," he continued.

"Why?"

"She uh—well, I mean—I didn't really get a chance to clean my room. And everything in it." I took a second.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Gross."

"I mean...."

"Did she say anything?"

"She's just been asking a lot of questions. But it's not something we should worry about. I just wanted to give you a heads up just in case someone tried to back you into a corner and you weren't prepared."

"Alright, I'll be vigilant." I went back to biting my nails. He sighed heavily.

"Is it stupid that I already miss you?" I dropped my head on the wall. My heart was fluttering with happiness.

"No, because I miss you already too."

"I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Alright."

"Bye, Ruby. God, I wish I could kiss you right now." I gushed.

"You could—if you snuck over here."

"Tempting. But my mom is watching me like a hawk." He went silent for a second. "Actually, she might be listening in on this conversation."

"We should probably end the call then."

"Probably a good idea. Talk to you later."

"Bye, Felix."

We hung up, and I went back to the couch, flopping over onto the cushions so I could gush alone. My inner thighs were sore. My body ached as if I'd had a steady workout the day before. And I was the happiest I'd been in ages.

When my dad got home, I was still sitting on the couch, half lying and watching TV. He stepped in and nodded toward me.

"Hey, Kid," he said. I sat up nervously.

"Hi."

"How you feeling?" He set some stuff down by the stairs and came to sit down so we could talk.

"Fine."

"I thought you were upset about the Jake thing." Oh right. I shrugged and looked away.

"I don't know. I had a feeling it was coming. I'm better now."

"So what happened? He didn't—he didn't put his hands on you, did he?" I shook my head quickly.

"No, nothing like that. Well...." His eyes went wide.

"Ruby."

"I mean—there was a sort of incident at school the other day."

"What kind of incident?"

"I mean—we were kissing—and he was getting really touchy-feely. And I asked him to stop, and we sort of got into an argument about it." There was a crunch from the chair as he began to grind his teeth. "But then," I continued, testing the waters carefully. "Felix kind of intervened."

"Felix?"

"He just happened to come down the hall with his girlfriend when we were fighting, and he sort of—well, he punched Jake in the face."

"I see."

"And I tried to separate them. But then I took Jake to the nurse, and I don't know where Felix went. But we didn't exactly have a chance to talk about it until the dance last night. When he sort of—accused me of having feelings for Felix."

"Oh, I see."

"So we got into another argument, and then he stormed off, and I just went home with Billie."

"Do you still have feelings for Felix?" I had thousands of feelings for Felix.

"I don't—I don't know. Maybe." He nodded to himself.

"Can I give you my honest opinion?" he asked.

"Sure." I braced myself.

"I think Jake might be smarter than I gave him credit for."

"What do you mean?"

"Ruby—you've had it bad for that boy since the first time you met him. He may have broken your heart, but you are definitely not over it. I've been aware of that for a long, long time. I just wasn't sure how long it would take you both to figure it out."

"Am I really that obvious?" He laughed and kicked off his work boots.

"You both are."

"Who?"

"Felix too. The boy has it just as bad. I work with the band, remember? He asks a lot of questions. Perks up whenever anyone talks about you. Practically sighs over you whenever you do cross paths."

"He does?" He glanced at me, probably hearing the hopeful lovesick tone of my voice. His eyebrow rose.

"I rest my case," he said. "Maybe you should talk to him. He made a mistake. He's a teenager. He's stupid. Forgive him and get over it."

"I thought you didn't like him."

"Of course I like him. He seems like a decent kid. He's talented. He's going places. But whether I like him or not, it doesn't matter. All that matters is that you like him. And I could see how unhappy you've both been. Not to mention—Quinn tells me things."

"Like what?"

"Like how you spent your birthday party crying in the guest room because Felix tried to talk to you."

"Blabbermouth," I ground out. He just laughed.

"If you really, genuinely, truly like each other, I see no reason to dislike you being together. Maybe I was wrong about him. His heart seems to be in the right place. Talk to him. Try and work things out. At least you can't say you didn't try." I nodded slowly.

"Okay—I'll try." He shrugged and leaned back in his chair to watch TV. The phone rang, so I got up to get it. "Hello?"

"Are you home yet?" Billie asked.

"Yes."

"I'm on my way."

"Okie Dokie." I put the phone back on the hook and returned to the living room. "Billie's coming over."

"Can't you guys be away from each other for one day?" he asked.

"Apparently not."

"Why didn't she just stay when she dropped you off?" Crap. I shrugged.

"Wanted to see Quinn, I think. They're gross and in love or whatever."

"She's a kooky kid."

"Yeah, but that's why I love her."

When Billie finally showed up, she barely said hello to my dad before dragging me up the stairs to my room.

"Tell me everything," she said once I closed the door.

"What's everything?" I asked. It was obvious I hadn't slept in my bed the night before, but she didn't seem to notice. She sat on my chair, and I plopped down onto my bed. Her eyes were wide.

"You just disappeared last night. Did you run off with Jake?"

"What? No, I told you. We broke up."

"So that wasn't the lie."

"No."

"Is that why you left?"

"Yes."

"Where'd you go?"

"I'm not telling. I just had to get out of there. I'll tell you another time."

"That's stupid. I tell you everything."

"I know, but it's important. Just trust me. I'll tell you when the time is right." She groaned dramatically, flopping back onto the chair.

"Fine, then I just won't tell you what I heard in the bathroom last night." She gave me a triumphant look. I shrugged.

"Fine. Don't then."

"Damn it, Ruby! Just tell me!"

"I will later, okay! I have to process things."

"So why did you and Jake break up?"

"He thinks I'm in love with Felix."

"Well, he's not wrong." I shrugged because I didn't want to give too much away.

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Do you still have feelings for him? Even now?"

"I don't know if they ever stopped, Bill." Then the hopeless romantic in her seemed to take over. Her eyes got all dewy, and she looked like a cartoon character.

"Awwwwww," she drew out. "Do you think you guys will get back together now that you're both single?"

"What?"

"Oh, shit," she said. "Well, the cat's out of the bag. That's what I was going to tell you. I overheard her crying in the bathroom last night. I guess they were dancing, and he just suddenly blurted out, 'Hey, so I'm breaking up with you. I don't want to be with you anymore.' Or something. And then he just stranded her there."

"She was crying?" I found that hard to believe.

"Yeah, but I don't believe she was actually heartbroken. Mad as hell, more like it. Maybe a little bit embarrassed. I don't think she actually liked him."

"Probably not. Sucks for her, though."

"So you didn't run off with him last night?"

"Who?"

"Felix, stupid!"

"No."

"Are you kidding me? I was so sure you guys ran off together. It would have been so romantic." I laughed.

"Whatever. Can I ask you a weird question that has absolutely nothing to do with anything we're talking about?"

"Sure, of course."

"What's it like—to—you know? Don't even mention my brother. I just want to know. Is it weird?"

"Well—kind of. At first. I mean, it isn't exactly comfortable, but it gets better." I nodded slowly. I'd always been told it would hurt. And okay yeah, it definitely did there at first. But afterward? I don't know. Maybe Felix and I really did just fit each other. Or he knew my body well enough to know which buttons to push.

"Okay—I don't want to know anymore," I decided, since her only experience with sex was with my stupid brother.

"So do you think you're going to try and talk to Felix now that you're both single again?" she asked, leaning on her knees. I was staring up at the plastic stars on my ceiling.

"I think—maybe I'm ready to talk to him. I'm over it."

"Yay! I really hope you guys get back together." And then I was gushing again.

"Me too," I admitted. Because the truth was—he still hadn't asked me to be his girlfriend.