Chapter 2 - A Twist In The Road
*** JORDAN ***
"Hey John, I'm out of class now, so if you wanna meet up, give me a call back. See ya."
I tucked my phone back into my jeans as I walked across campus. He did say he needed to tell me something - but knowing him it was either dumb or lame. But still I thought I should call him back. My other friend, Eli, had his phone off - like usual. I don't really get people who have cell phones yet keep them off most of the time.
Well school was only into its second week and already I had a list of things I needed to get done. I also had a number of school activities that were starting this week - volleyball practice tomorrow and then swimming the day after. And to top it off, I had a weekend part time job at a local grocery story. I know it doesn't pay much but I need to keep some money for my daily expenses. See, I don't really come from a rich family. My parents spilt when I was 4 and so it's been me and mom ever since. And yeah money has been tight around the house, but I know my mom tries her best. I don't have any other siblings - I guess I was too much to handle for my parents. So since I was young I got involved in sports and made a group of friends to hang out with. They've been the only family I have ever really known.
Seeing how its only 4 in the afternoon, I decide to go back to my dorm room for now. I don't have to share with anyone but it's basically just a room with nothing else in it. A bed, a desk, a closet and that's about it. The washrooms and kitchen area is shared among a few other people. It's not a bad arrangement - it allows me to keep my privacy - though the walls are kind of thin and I can hear what's going on around me pretty easily.
After surfing the net for a few hours, chatting on MSN with some highschool friends back home, I realise it's time to go meet Kate. I decide to add on a hoodie before I go out because it gets a bit colder out at night now. We had already decided from before to meet at a local pizza place for dinner. After that who knows where we would go. Before summer, we would go back to my place, or hers if her roommate wasn't around, and fool around for a bit. But ever since school start we haven't gotten together even once. But one can hope that tonight would be different.
I'm the first one to arrive and grab a seat in the corner. For some reason today everyone just wants to keep me waiting. Starting to piss me off kind of. Not that I don't have patience, but common if you say you will be somewhere at a certain time than be there. After about 20 minutes I see her enter and wave her over to the table.
"Hey Kate," I say getting up from the table.
"Hi, Jordan, sorry I'm late."
"Don't worry it's okay." I am pissed but whatever. "So how was school?"
"Oh, it was fine," she says while taking a seat in front of me. "Have you talked to John or Eli today?"
"I saw them earlier in the day - they said they needed to talk but I had class so I had to take off."
"Oh, okay. Yeah, I sort of needed to talk to you about something."
Well it looks like a lot of people need to talk to me today. And for some reason I have a feeling its not good.
"What's on your mind?" I ask.
"I think we should break up." She says it not directly to me but staring down at the table. I can see her glancing downwards, trying not to meet me in the eyes. It's almost the look of guilt.
"I'm not sure what to say. I know we've been having some problems recently but I thought we could work it out. We've been seeing each other for a year now." I respond.
"I know and that's why this is so much harder," she says. "But I think it's best for us to move on start seeing other people now."
"Are you seeing someone else right now?"
"Jordan, I don't think this is the time ... "
I interrupt her. Glaring right at her, I ask her again. "Are you seeing someone right now?"
I know the answer before she even opens her mouth. It's in the way she shifts her eyes down, the way her lip quivers and she tries to bite it down.
"Yes."
Neither of us say anything for a few moments. I'm not surprised by all of this. It explains everything that happened in the summer. But still I feel angry. She could have told me earlier and ended things.
"How long has it been?" I ask her.
"2 months now."
"2 months! And you tell me now. What were you waiting for?"
"It was summer, I had gone back home and I decided to get back together with my old boyfriend. I didn't mean to but I just, I saw him and it got complicated and ... "
"And so you decided not to say anything." There is a force in my voice that isn't exactly anger, but she can tell I'm borderline pissed. "You know what, I don't have much of an appetite anymore. I think I'm going to go."
"Jordan, wait ... I don't want to leave things off like this with you ... "
"Well I don't know what to tell you. Let's be friends? You know maybe if you'd told me this in the summer I would have thought about it - but you lied to me for two months. You called me at night and we would talk for hours on the phone. Not once did you mention anything ... instead you were sleeping around ... " I trail off. While saying this I realise my voice has started to rise and our private conversation is no longer private anymore. "Whatever." If I wasn't mad before, now I was. I quickly walk out of the restaurant while I can hear her calling my name. Once outside the cold wind feels like a slap across the face. It's a harsh reminder of reality.
I can feel my jeans vibrating. I grab my phone and look at the display: John.
Flipping open the phone, "What do you want?"
My head is spinning. I keep my eyes closed, my face in the pillow. The blanket is pulled over my head so I can block out the light. I know I need to check the time but I don't want to leave my shell. It's easier being inside - hidden. I lift my head up and look at the time. "Fuck!" It's 1 p.m. I had already missed my first class of the day - not to mention my early morning workout.
Last night hadn't been a good one. Even though I knew my relationship with Kate was on thin ice I didn't think she was cheating. After I left the restaurant John called. He wanted to meet up but I told him I wasn't in the mood and went home. So the guy comes over to my place - and he's like its really important. I hesitated to open the door for a moment but let him in. Well he was kind of late - he wanted to tell me he saw Kate with another guy. That's why Eli and him were late in the morning. On their way to meet me they ran into Kate with her new boyfriend - he had come from out of town to surprise her. She tried to convince them at first it was nothing but John isn't dumb - he figured out what was going on. But now none of that mattered anyway.
I grab my phone from the table which is now vibrating to tell me I have missed calls. Kate ... Kate ... John ... and John. Right now I don't want to talk to anyone - especially not Kate. But even John. I know he was trying to be helpful - but last night didn't help. He kept saying, "Oh you will find someone better .... there are so many girls here way hotter ... " but none of it helped.
It was too late to go to my next class - it had started half an hour ago. Instead I grabbed my gym bag and head out.
*** NOAH ***
I always say I want to get into better shape. I'm tall - 6'1 and pretty thin - with not much muscle. I always try to work on toning my body but I always end up going one day to the gym and then not returnign for a month. Well today was one of those rare gym appearances. I had finished classes for the day and I thought getting a nice long workout would get my energy flowing - and hopefully get me tiired enough to sleep at night.
After changing, I start to run for a bit. Nice and easy and slow - more to just get my heart rate going. I start to fidget with my headphones - they're tangled which kind of bugs me. While looking down I notice from the corner of my eye the guy beside me is really going at it. The way his feet are slamming against the tread mill it seems like something was about to break. I look up at his face and he has this blank stare - and then I realise it's my new english partner - what was his name .... I'm horrible with them ...
I guess I'm staring at him for too long and he glances over to me.
"Oh, hey it's you ... wow."
Slam.
Ouch.
When he turned to look at me his foot went on top of his other foot and the world was pulled from under his feet. He went straight down and slammed intot he belt. I quickly jump off and kneel down near him.
"Shit, are you okay."
By now a group of people have come around us. Someone has turned off his machine which was still speeding away.
"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine. Just a bit sore that's all. Nothing broken."
I can tell he seems a bit embarrassed. After reassuring the crowd he is fine - they start to disperse.
He tries to get up but seems to struggle a bit. I grab his arm and help him up on to his feet.
"Dude, don't worry I'm fine. I'll be okay."
Judging by the way he is walking - I can tell he hit his legs pretty hard. "Don't worry man, I would rather make sure you don't fall again."
We walk over to a chair and I let him sit down. "Shit, that was embarrassing." He says.
"Nah, don't worry about it. I'm sure it happens all the time to people."
"Really, how many people have you seen fall off of a treadmill?"
"Um, well ... " I was thinking of lying to spare his feelings.
"You've seen none, it's okay."
"But I'm sorry I made you fall."
"No it's not your fault, I just saw you and was like that guy looks familiar and just wasn't paying attention and then, well you know the rest."
"Yeah you were getting no where pretty fast." I say.
"Yeah my mind is just somewhere else today."
"Everything okay?" I say in a hesitant voice. "Sorry I don't mean to pry."
"Nothing really man - just my girlfriend broke up with me last night."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." I actually didn't expect him to say anything.
"Well I think I'm going to head home and just take it easy for the rest of the day ... and I don't want to ruin your workout."
"Oh, okay. Get some rest and take care of yourself."
I went back to the treadmill and he started to limp his way to the change rooms.
"Jordan!" That's his name. Oh I didn't say that in my head did I?
He turns around and looks at me.
Nope I yelled it out. I nod back at him and give him a wave.
Great, real smooth dork.
I hope to continue this story and start to move it on ... I don't want to be fake and rush things though. But I always want to know what you think. mr_e08@hotmail.com. Thanks. Ethan.