The last thing I wanted to do is upset Drew and now I’m upset. I didn’t want Kim anywhere near Drew and now she’s going to the dance with him. This is the second time he’s done this to me.
Keeping him here isn’t going to help our situation so I let him go. I sat down on the couch next to Trisha who’s due in a few months. Her belly button looks like an oven timer.
“You okay?”
“Not really.”
“What happened?”
“The spring dance is coming up so I started talking about what colors I was thinking we should wear and he told me he promised Kim he’d go with her. I got upset because I feel like now that we’re back together he should be going with me but he doesn’t want to go back on his word. And let’s not forget he took Courtney to the last dance. I guess I’m just wondering when we are gonna go to a dance together.”
“Wow. Honestly, I can see where you’re both coming from. Drew’s the type of guy who feels like his word means everything. On the other hand, if he shows up to the dance with Kim it’ll be the second time he’s passed you over for someone else.”
“Exactly. I tried telling him that and he got mad at me. It doesn’t help that he knows how to manipulate me. My first reaction is always to give in to make everything better.”
“He’s young Sid, and he’s a guy, so he’s going to do a lot of stupid things and make a lot of stupid mistakes that you’re going to have to live with.”
“I just hate feeling this way. I don’t understand why he can’t just tell her he’s going with me so we can go together. I’ve been looking forward to this dance for months now and…” I can’t finish my sentence because I’m getting too upset.
“Welcome to the world of dating. It’s where heartache is a part of everyday life. Oh, and let’s not forget heartache’s ugly sisters…disappointment, betrayal, and unfaithfulness, Trisha jokes, counting them off on her fingers.
I laugh and Trisha reaches out to hold my hand. I squeeze her hand glad to have this moment with my BFF. Sometimes I don’t know what I’d do without her.
“You know, I don’t know Drew, but the Sidney I know would go buy a fabulous dress to accentuate her already perfect body and make a certain someone regret even thinking about taking another girl to the dance.”
My lips curl up into a smirk. She knows me so well. “You want to come help me pick out my dress?”
“I’d love to.”
I asked mom if we could go to the mall to pick out a dress for the spring dance and she said yes. We couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
When we finally got to the mall it didn’t take long for me to find the perfect dress. It’s a cute red dress that went down to my knees. I accentuated it with a silver and rhinestone belt. We found some shoes to go with it and Trisha said she knew the perfect hairstyle to go with my dress.
Drew wanting to go with Kim instead of me really hurt me. When I went to school the next day he was sitting out front with his friends talking to her AGAIN. I got halfway to where he was and stopped. I didn’t want to pretend like I was okay with it when I wasn’t. I didn’t want to get into an argument with him in front of his friends either.
I decided just to head to class and went to my locker to put away some of my books first. When I closed my locker Quincy nearly gives me a heart attack. He’s just standing there.
“Jesus Christ Quincy, don’t do that!” I gasp.
“My bad, I just saw you walking and thought you might want company.”
“No offense, but if I did want company you’d be the last person on earth I’d ask.”
“Ouch,” he clasps his hand over his heart.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized for snapping at him, “its just…Drew is getting on my nerves and talking to him isn’t an option because he’s not listening to me.”
“I thought you and Drew were good.”
“We are…I guess.”
“Well whatever the issue is, you don’t strike me as the type to give in. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
“Give in to what?” Asked Drew, walking up behind us with his friends.
Anything that happened right now had the potential for disaster. If Quincy knew what was good for him he’d just shut up and walk away.
“I was just saying how if I were you I’d take better care of my things.”
“Or what?” Drew got in his face.
“Or someone else will.”
“Like who? Like you?” Asked Drew. He shoved Quincy backwards and almost made him fall.
“Don’t,” I placed myself between them, “Quincy, just go.”
Quincy left and Drew turned his focus to me. I really wasn’t in the mood to get into yet another argument, but that’s exactly what I can sense is about to happen.
“Hanging out with the guy you cheated on me with is not a good move.”
“We were just talking Drew. He’s my lab partner.”
“See, this is why I don’t trust you. It hasn’t even been a month and you’re already back in his face.”
This is the first time Drew has ever mentioned not trusting me and I’m dumbfounded. He sees and screws anyone he wants and I just take it, but I’m the one who can’t be trusted?
“You know what, screw you. You’ve screwed the entire student body of females and maybe even some of the staff. You don’t get to judge me for just talking to Quincy. I’m an amazing girlfriend and Quincy’s right…you better start appreciating me Drew. I love you, but I really don’t like you right now.”
“Who do you think you’re talking to?”
“YOU. I’m talking to you,” I stood my ground, “you need to start treating me better.”
“All this because I want to keep my word to Kim and take her to the dance?”
“You should be going to the dance with me, not her.”
“If I’m such a horrible boyfriend, why are we even together Sid? Why are you sweating me? Maybe we should just cut our losses and walk away.”
My heart slams into my chest. Why would he say this to me? Why is it so easy for him to just drop me like a bad habit when the thought of losing him is enough to render me paralyzed? I can’t breathe and it feels like the walls are closing in on me. Closing my eyes, I calm myself down so my tone is even. Why do relationships have to be so complicated and why is Drew such a colossal jerkwad?
“I don’t want to break up, I just want you to treat me better Drew.”
“I wasn’t aware I’d done anything wrong. If I’m hurting you, then maybe we should just end this now.”
God I hate him…he knows it’s not what I want he’s just being a jerk…FML
“I don’t want to end it.”
“Then stop riding me. We have an open relationship, which means I’m free to do what I want when I want. If you have a problem with it, or you can’t handle it…let me know and I’ll let you go.”
“Because it’s that easy for you, right?” Tears form in my eyes.
Drew’s expression softens and he motions for his friends to go to lunch without him. “What’s wrong with you.” He asks.
“You’re an jerk, that’s what’s wrong with me.”
“Seriously Sid, I’ve never seen you like this before.”
I walked away from him and he stepped in front of me to stop me. He grasped my head between his hands to force me to look at him and I pushed him away.
“Look, what ever I did I’m sorry,” he apologizes.
“Now you’re sorry,” I roll my eyes, “I feel like you’re purposely trying to drive me crazy, you know that.”
“And why would I do that?”
“Because you like screwing around with my head.”
“I’m worried about you,” he told me.
“I’m worried about me to.”
“I’m serious. You’re acting real weird right now.”
“I’m just coming to the realization that you and I being together is probably never going to happen. Between all the girls and the way you treat me…I don’t know…do you even really love me?”
“How can you even fix your mouth to ask me that?”
“Did you know your brother and Josh put Quincy up to kissing me? No one wants us together and now that you’re taking that door knob Kim to the spring dance I can’t help but ask myself if I’m setting myself up to get my heart broken.”
“Doorknob?” He frowns, “I don’t get it.”
“You know…everybody’s had a turn,” I explain.
Drew starts laughing and his laugh makes me laugh too. Kim is such a hooker and she plays Drew like a fiddle.
“Who told you my brother had something to do with that video?”
“Quincy.”
“And you believe him?”
“Why would he lie? He has nothing to gain either way.”
“Look I’m sorry, okay.”
“I’ll believe you when you start acting like it.”
“Are you planning to stay mad at me forever?”
“That depends, are you still taking Kim to the dance?”
“Sid…”
“I love you. Do you have any idea what seeing you with all these girls do to me?”
“Let’s change the subject. I’ll walk you to lunch,” Drew slips his hand into mine. I’m a little apprehensive about giving in to him.
Come time for practice, Drew finally stopped being a jerk to me. He invited me to go kayaking with his family this weekend. At least this is one area I had Kim beat. I’m the only girl he brought around his family like that.
“You ready for the game tonight?” I asked.
“I was born ready, you should know that.”
There’s another big game tonight and even more scouts are coming to check Drew out. Now that he’s being good I’m determined not to let all the hype go to his head. Spanking him on the basketball court usually humbles him pretty quick.
“It’s hot today. Let’s go get some yogurt.”
“Let me ask my dad first.”
“Do you have to check with him to go to the bathroom too?” He snaps, “I’m dating you, not your father.”
“I know but...”
“But nothing,” he sighs, “let’s go, you can call him from the road.”
Drew’s frustration with the way my father micromanaged my life was the new drama in our relationship. It irritated him that I couldn’t even go to the corner store without asking for permission. And my restrictions made date nights impossible.
I climbed into his car and we headed to Tops Yogurt for some ice-cold yogurt. It was my favorite place to go for yogurt and a lot of kids hung out there.
“I’m jealous.”
“Of what?” Drew frowns.
“Your car. It’s so clean. My car looks like a garbage dump compared to yours.”
“I’ve seen the inside of your car. It’s a death trap,” he teases.
My phone went off and Drew picked it up before I could even reach it. The instant look of irritation let me know that it was my dad. He handed me the phone and I answered it.
“Hello?”
“Where are you?” Asked Dad.
“Drew took me to get some yogurt.”
“I don’t recall you asking me if you can go.”
“I’ll be back soon dad, I promise.”
“Sid, don’t make me regret letting you date him.”
“Come on dad, I’m not too far from the house. I promise I’ll be home soon.”
My dad started to give me a lecture, which bothered me as much as it bothered Drew. A few seconds later Drew snatched the phone out of my hand and hung up on him.
“Your father is a control freak.”
“Hanging up on him is only going to make things worse.”
“You’re on my time right now. He can yell at you later.”
When we pulled into the parking lot for Top Yogurt some of Drew’s friends are sitting outside.
“Hoop star!” They chant as we walked.
“What’s up guys?” Drew gave them all dap, “Go inside and get us some yogurt. You know what I like.”
He handed me a twenty-dollar bill and I went inside to make our cups of yogurt. Drew always got the same thing each time-a cup of Vanilla with gummy bears on top. I paid for our yogurt then headed outside to join him and his friends.
I sat on Drew’s lap and listened to him and his friends talk about tonight’s game. It made me think about my own game and how yogurt probably wasn’t good to eat before the game. My phone was going off incessantly at this point, so Drew powered it off. It was probably dad calling back to yell at me for hanging up on him. This is getting out of hand.
“You hit that yet?” Asked Xerxes.
“I’m sitting right here loser,” I narrow my eyes at him.
“I know but I’m talking to you.”
“I’m gonna go sit in the car. Give me your keys.”
“Uh-uh,” Drew shook his head, “nobody handles my ride but me.”
Drew said goodbye to his friends and we headed home. He wouldn’t let me eat my yogurt in his car so I had to wait until we got back. It was halfway melted.
“Sidney,” Dad called out to me from our front porch, “I need to talk to you.”
“I’ll be right there,” I shouted back.
“NOW.”
“I guess I’ll be seeing you later,” Drew kissed me goodbye.
“Yeah, unless I get grounded.”
Drew headed home and I went inside to get yelled at. Dad was so I angry I could practically feel the heat coming from his skin as I walked by. “Do you remember when you and Drew sat down at our dinner table and told me you were going to follow my rules?” Asked Dad.
“Yes,” I nod.
“You lied to me.”
“No,” I shook my head, “I didn’t lie to you. Drew and I aren’t having sex and I’m always in by curfew.”
“And what about asking me before you go somewhere with him?”
“Why do you have to be so damn smothering?” I snapped.
As quickly as the words left my mouth I felt his hand across my face. He struck me with enough momentum to make me stumble backwards a couple of steps.
“You watch your mouth when you talk to me, I will not be disrespected do you understand?” I told him.
“Yes sir,” I nodded, quickly coming to my senses.
“I gave you the benefit of the doubt and decided to trust you to follow the rules Sid. Right now you’re making me regret my decision. How dare you hang up on me?”
“I didn’t.”
“Well if you didn’t then who did?”
I couldn’t tell my dad Drew was the one who hung up on him. He’s already starting not to like him. “Never mind,” I sighed, “I’m sorry I disobeyed you. I just wanted to get some yogurt.”
That seemed to calm him down. Now he stood there catching his breath and staring at me. I excused myself from the room and headed upstairs to my bedroom to get ready for my game.
When I looked in the mirror I realized that my nose was bleeding. After I cleaned my nose my and changed into my basketball uniform my entire family headed out to my basketball game.
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