Chapter 7 - Where Are You Going To Punch Me?
When I went to bed that night, it took a long time to get to sleep. I was angry. I blamed Kelly for that, but I was mad at myself, too. I was disappointed that I let myself get so worked up over her in the first place. Sure, I was angry that she was telling Timmy she could go out with him this weekend, but I was also angry at myself for blowing up at my friends over it. Why am I sticking up for her? If she wants to find a new 'special friend' every weekend, then why was I putting my friendships through stress to defend her?
Eventually my anger burned itself out and I got about four hours of sleep. Not my usual. I suffered through my work shift, then went home and napped until taking Kristy to open gym.
"Ani?" Kristy knocked on my door, waking me up. "Are you going to take me to volleyball?"
I raised my head and looked at the clock.
"Yeah, of course." I dragged myself out of bed.
On the way to the school, Kristy kept looking at me with her eyes narrowed slightly and a little pout on her face.
"What's up?" I asked her.
"That's what I was wondering. You've been acting kind of, depressed, or angry, or something since last weekend. I was wondering why?"
I considered the look on her face.
"You already know something, don't you?"
"I keep telling you not to underestimate Pixie. She's smarter than she seems. I know you and Kelly were kissing, but that doesn't tell me why you're upset about it."
I didn't want to tell her that her friend basically used me and moved on to a friend of mine. I wasn't going to be the type of person to turn girls against each other just because I had my feelings hurt.
"It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have been making out with your friend in the first place."
"So it was 'making out,' huh?" She smirked. When she saw that I wasn't impressed, her smile quickly dropped. "Seriously, I don't care about that. It's not like you forced yourself on her, right?"
"Of course not! But, that doesn't matter. If I heard about some guy making out with his younger sister's friends during a sleepover, I would think he was a total scuzzball. Why should I get special treatment? I'm sorry it happened, Kristy. I should have known better. We've never talked about it before, but I promise you, your friends are off limits from now on."
"I don't want you to make that promise. Kelly is perfectly capable of making her own decisions. You're an amazing person. If she likes girls, why shouldn't she be attracted to you?"
"Thanks, Kristy, but it still feels like I shouldn't be...'targeting' the friends of my little sister. I accept full responsibility."
"Just because a girl makes out with an older...person, doesn't mean they're being taken advantage of." When I didn't say anything, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and continued. "Remember Darian?"
"DJ's cousin from Milwaukee? What about him?" I narrowed my eyes, taking them off the road for a second to look at her.
"Remember when he came up for a couple weeks earlier this summer?"
"Yes," I said slowly, not liking where this was going.
"Remember when I slept over DJ's house while he was-"
"Kristy! What did he do to you? I'll kill him!"
"Wow, live in a glass house, much? We didn't do everything, but I'm guessing a little more than you and Kelly did. I knew he wasn't going to be here more than another week, and I knew it wasn't going to be a relationship. He was a nice guy, we were having fun...and stuff happened. I chose to do it. He called the next day to make sure I was cool with everything. He was actually really sweet about it. We still talk."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I want you to know I don't think you and Kelly making out is a big deal, and if you guys are into each other, then don't stay away from her because of me." I turned into the school parking lot, "Kelly's obviously upset about it, too. My sister and my friend are hurting, and I can't see why. I have no idea how to be a good friend or a good sister. Both of you are acting weird about it. If that's all it is, that you think you shouldn't have been kissing my friend, then that's no reason to blow her off."
I scoffed. I so wanted to tell her the whole situation, but like I said, I wasn't going to be that girl.
"Kristy...I just don't think Kelly and I were on the same page. I thought she was really nice and really into me. She wasn't. It's not her fault. I'm the older one. If I go around making out with people I don't know very well, then I have only myself to blame for misunderstandings and hurt feelings. I'm not going to cry about it, but I'm not going to let it happen again, either. Lesson learned."
She gave me a sad look and stepped out of the car.
"Maybe you should talk to her about this. Maybe you guys aren't as far apart as you think."
"Trust me," I said. "We're pretty far apart. Oh, by the way, tell Darian I'm going to punch him in the crotch the next time I see him."
Kristy slumped and gave a defiant/sassy look.
"Where are you going to punch me? I started it." She shut the door and headed for the school.
* * *
Fortunately for me, my best friend Cindy came back into town that same day. That meant I had a distraction over the weekend, and an excuse to get out of the house. We did lunch, filled each other in on our summers, etc. I was able to put Kelly out of my mind, and stop wondering if she and Timmy were hanging out at that very moment. That is, I could forget about it until I tried to go to sleep, but watching Netflix until I was exhausted helped with that.
My work week came, and that gave me another distraction. Monday and Tuesday flew by, then Wednesday came, and so did another band practice. I had received a short text from Tommy on Tuesday asking if I was coming, and promising that he and Timmy would be total gentlemen. I said I'd be there. So, after dropping Kristy off, I headed to Tommy's.
I pulled into his driveway a little later than usual, and the guys were already set up. I figured by showing up late, they could talk about whatever they wanted to without me around. The usual hello's were more hesitant than normal. I think Timmy and Tommy (TnT as they referred to themselves collectively) were afraid I was still on edge. They were right.
When Cullen needed his first smoke break, he motioned to me, asking if I wanted to join him. I shook my head. I didn't want to admit that I hadn't taken his advice. Unfortunately for me, the other two took the chance to talk about Timmy's love life.
"So how was this weekend with the new girl?" Tommy asked Timmy with a sly smile.
"Let's just say, it couldn't have gone any better, if you know what I mean. Very eventful."
I rolled my eyes as a wave of disgust rolled through me and settled in my stomach. I knew it wasn't going away anytime soon. They both glanced at me, and must have noticed my reaction.
"Hey," Tommy said quickly, "So...I need to ask you about the chord change in the AC/DC song."
I forced myself through the rest of practice, then went home and watched Netflix until three in the morning.
* * *
"Are you sure they're still having volleyball today?" I asked, looking out the window. "It's Friday anyway. Shouldn't they just cancel it?" My weather channel app said severe thunderstorms with hail were moving into the area.
"As far as I know, it's still on," said Kristy. "I didn't get anything from the coaches."
"Ugh. If there's a tornado and you die in it, I'm going to kill your coaches."
"That's fair."
We got in the jeep and headed to the school.
"So, about you and Kelly-"
"Kristy," I interrupted, "I really don't want to talk about her anymore."
"I know, but I asked her if she might have done something to make you angry, and she said she has no idea why you're upset. It seems like it's bothering her, too."
"If she really has no idea, she's either clueless or heartless. Maybe she's used to casual intimacy. I'm not. It's not her problem, I guess. It's definitely not your problem, though. So, stop worrying about it, okay?"
"Okay," she said sadly.
"Look, Kristy, I'm pretty sure that, no matter what you say, making out with one of your friends was crossing a line. I have no doubt, however, that not making out with your friends is completely okay. So, if I choose not to be around Kelly, that's my business. Alright?"
"Alright," she sulked.
* * *
Two hours later I pulled up in front of the school with torrential rain, strong winds, and intermittent hail battering my Jeep. Kristy ran out with her gym bag over her head for protection. She jumped in and shut the door, but before I could back out she put her hand on the gear shift.
"Wait, can you give someone a ride? I don't want to let them walk in this. It's just a few blocks, but still..."
"Of course." What kind of heartless jerk would let somebody walk twenty feet in this, much less a few blocks?
Kristy ran back into the building, and came back out with Kelly. Kristy jumped in the front seat, and Kelly sat in the back. I made sure my face was devoid of emotion as Kristy looked at me. I just put the Jeep in reverse, and started to back out.
"Oh!" Kristy exclaimed. "I left my phone charging in the locker room!"
I pulled back in and parked. Kristy jumped back out and ran in.
Awkward silence ensued. I could see Kelly in the rear view mirror. She was staring out the window. She looked completely uncomfortable. I guess I would be, too, if I was suddenly stuck alone in a car with someone I made out with, then hooked up with their friend a week later.
"What is taking her so long?" I asked out loud after about ten minutes. Hail and rain kept pounding my Jeep, making the interior rather noisy.
"She probably had to track down someone to unlock the locker room for her," Kelly offered quietly. "The coaches lock it up after practice."
"Oh."
Another couple of minutes passed in silence. I couldn't take it anymore.
"Look, Kelly, I promised myself I'd be cool around you for Kristy's sake, but seriously, where do you get off telling Kristy you have no idea why I might be upset?"
She looked at me directly for the first time in nearly two weeks. By the gods of mesmerism, those eyes...
"Because I don't," she said defensively. "I thought we had a great time, then you suddenly started cold shouldering me. You never called..." she cut herself off, looking away again. She continued softly, but bitterly, "Never mind. Whatever. I've made mistakes with girls like you before. I'll get over it."
Now I was ticked off! Girls like me? Girls like her!
"Listen, I don't know what kind of things you're used to, but I don't exactly have experience being...intimate, with a girl, then having her move on to someone else the next day. Forgive me if I'm not going to put up with that!"
She looked genuinely confused. I saw her slowly tuck her wet hair back behind her ears.
"What?"
"Timmy?" I said the name like an accusation. "I mean seriously, you had to pick a friend of mine? He said you guys had a pretty eventful weekend," I made sure to emphasize 'eventful.'
"I-" she started, but the door flew open and Kristy jumped in.
She held up her phone victoriously and said, "Got it!" with a big smile. When she saw our faces, her mouth closed and her look of triumph faded. She sat back in her seat and got buckled.
Kelly kept glancing at me on the ride home, but didn't say anything. When we pulled up in front of Nurse Annie's house to drop her off, she hesitated before opening the door.
"See you Kristy. Analee...thank you for the ride." I could feel Kristy's eyes on me.
"Sure."
"Are you guys doing anything this weekend?" Kelly asked. Then, almost a little too meaningfully she added, "Because I don't have any plans with anybody."
"We'll have to hang out," Kristy said.
"Okay. Well, see you." Kelly gave me a timid smile, then got out and put her gym bag over her head for protection as she ran to her door.