Hey You

23

“He’s just going to use you, like he did me.” She said to me with hate in her eyes, thunder crashing overhead.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I said to her, I was not in the mood for jealous ex-girlfriend games.

“The second a new girl comes around, he’ll toss you to the side too.”

Is this girl nuts? I thought to myself. I stood up, Katie and Roxanne followed suit. 

“I’m not you, I’m not going to cheat on him.” I said to her bluntly.

“It was a stupid mistake, one I’ll regret forever. But that doesn’t change anything. Either he leaves you for another girl, or he leaves you at the end of summer” She yelled.

“What do you mean at the end of summer?” I asked her.

“Oh, so he hasn’t told you his plans?” She took another step forward.

“No…”

She laughed, “Goes to show how much he cares about you.” Using her fingers to signal quotation marks when she said cares.

Before I could say anything else the sliding glass door behind me opened and three sets of footsteps walked towards us. I didn’t have to turn around to see who it was. Steven stepped in front of me, protectively as he spoke to her.

“Crystal, this is f*****g crazy. It’s insane. First you show up at my house and act all buddy buddy with my parents. Now you’re stalking my girlfriend, hiding out in the rain.” I lost track of what he was saying the second he called me his girlfriend.

We had been seeing each other for almost three weeks now, but this was the first time he said I was his girlfriend to anyone else.

His voice got louder and I took his hand. He turned his head to me and his body softened.

“I warned you, it will happen one day. So don’t be surprised when it does” She said, the only way I knew she was about to cry was from her shaky voice.

She turned around and walked away, heading towards her car. Slamming her door shut and driving off.

"Are you okay?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, we're totally fine. She's just nuts." Roxanne responded.

Nodding, Steven turned to me and wrapped me in his arms. I was fine, I felt more than fine actually. I felt like I was on a high, he told her I was his girlfriend. But there was a small part of me that still wondered what she meant, that he’d be gone by the end of summer. I wanted to ask, but I didn’t think now was the time.

Craig disappeared and returned with a case of Smirnoff. Placing it on the patio table we all sat down in the chairs that were scattered on the patio, forming a circle.

"Well, that was entertaining." Craig said after a few minutes of silence as he scooted closer to Roxanne to hold her hand.

By the look on Katie's face I realized Roxanne hadn't told her. I gave Roxanne a oops look and she just shrugged.

"Really? When did this happen?" Matt said sounding suddenly interested in our relationship status’.

"The boys were showing us how to play lacrosse." I started

"You mean how to hold their sticks" Matt laughed.

Roxanne and I both blushed..."Apparently we both did very well" I blurted out, now even more embarrassed.

Steven snaked his arm around my waist "I’d say", then laughed and kissed my cheek.

"ANYWHO" I continued "While Steven and I were, sitting at the picnic table" giving Steven a side smirk "these two retreated back into the house."

"And he kissed me" Roxanne voiced in.

"Huh? What? Me? No I seem to remember you kissed me." Craig said smiling at her.

"Those two were doing a lot more than just sitting" Roxanne said point towards Steven and I, trying to get the attention off of her.

Laughing, "Let’s go inside, we can do this when it’s just us. Right now let’s party!" I said standing up.

Everyone agreed and went back into the party.

Roxanne and I were staying at my house tonight and didn’t have a curfew, since my parents were out of town. We danced and played beer pong late into the night, leaving Matt's house in the early Sunday hours.

Instead of going right to the boys’ house though, we went to get some food at Denny's. We had eaten snacks throughout the party, but our last real meal was earlier at lunch.

I slid into the booth with Steven by my side, his arm around my shoulders.

"What are your plans today?" he asked as the waitress put our food down in front of us. 

I looked at her as she smiled a little too friendly at Steven. He didn’t seem to notice though, his eyes were on me.

"Hmm, well I need to sleep" I started to say

"I need a hot shower" Roxanne injected "I have mop head from the rain and I need to finish the math homework."

I looked at her, "s**t, yeah I need to do that too. And make sure my house is cleaned up before my parents get home."

"Before your parents are home?!" Craig asked raising his eyebrows up and down.

"Yeah, they're gone almost every weekend," I started, "How about, instead of coming to Matt’s next Saturday. You two can come to my house and Roxanne and I can make you dinner?"

Steven quickly said "yes" then looked to Craig. Who was nodding his head in approval.

"Are you allergic to anything?" I asked.

They both said "no" in unison.

"Okay, then one more thing" Roxanne added "you bring a movie, anyone you want. So it’s dinner and a movie"

"A perfect date" I said as I took a sip of my chocolate milkshake.

When the bill arrived I grabbed it before they could get their hands on it. 

"We agreed it’d be our turn earlier"

"Yeah, but that was before you guys decided to make us dinner. It’s only fair" Steven said trying to get the bill from my hands. Roxanne grabbed it first though, handing it back to the waitress along with both of our debit cards.

"This just means that the next date is on you" I smiled up to him.

His arm fall onto my shoulders and tightened around me.

"So then you'll go on another date with me this week?" Steven asked.

"Well, I hope so. You did say I was your girlfriend now…I expect more than one date" I laughed.

"Well we have practice and work all week, but our next game is Wednesday at 8." Craig looked to Roxanne.

"Yeah, you two are coming" Steven announced. “And I’ll give you my spare jersey to wear.”

"Okay" I replied smiling up at him.

"Ok, then I want yours too" Roxanne surprisingly said to Craig. The shock on her face made it clear that she didn’t mean to say it outloud.

He nodded and stole a couple of her French fries.

The waitress came back with the bill for us to sign the receipts. Scooting out of the booth Steven took my hand in his.

"I’m exhausted, sit in the back with me." I asked him.

"Of course." He replied.