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I open the stockroom door and flip on the light, standing in the center and looking around. Should I go completely old school or do an updated version of this? A giant boombox sitting atop one of the shelves, covered in dust, catches my attention. I pull it down, checking to see if it has batteries, and it works.
‘Hello?’ Mom says.
‘I’ve got to do something for a girl. And I need some supplies. I’ll bring everything back. Promise.’
‘You need a 1989 tape player for a girl?’ she questions. Right then, it hits her. ‘Riv, are you talking about Jade?’
‘That’s none of your business.’
‘You like her, don’t you?’
I laugh. ‘Understatement of the year. But yeah, I like the shit out of her.’
‘And you need to do something for her…’ she says, following me back into the shop and watching me dig through cassette tapes. Suddenly she gasps. ‘Are you doing the John Cusack thing?’
‘Perhaps,’ I say, finally finding the tape I want and heading to the front door.
Of course I’m doing the Cusack thing. It’s her favorite movie, and he’s my favorite actor. How could I not? It’s pretty much guaranteed to work. If she realized what I wanted her to last night and finally dumped Conner, this will work like a charm. My gut tells me she has, or is, or hell, I don’t even care anymore. I’ll dump him for her if I must. I just can’t wait for one more second to tell this girl I’m falling for her. Hard.
‘Good luck!’ Mom yells from the front door as I speed to my next stop. Red Robin. Where I’ve ordered that pie I promised her, for pick up.
I’ve got no idea how I’ll get into her courtyard, considering it takes a code I don’t know. Could I have asked for it? Yes. But I didn’t want to warn her I was coming because I wanted this to have the romantic punch I’m going for.
When I pull up to the curb in front of her building, I see Laney headed down the sidewalk. I duck, hoping she doesn’t notice me, and blow this. I wait around ten minutes, psyching myself up that she will love this, and when I feel like the moment is right, I get out of my car, unload the boombox and take-out bag, and head to the gate. Here goes nothing.
27
JADE
I’m now back home, awaiting my sister, whose support I need to call Conner and tell him he’s not the man for me. Love may have blinded me for a while, but more than likely, he’s expecting this. He had to know I’d see my worth at some point.
‘Cool down,’ Spike says as I pace in front of his enclosure, which he’s sitting on top of. ‘You mad? You mad? Cool down.’ His Ls aren’t perfect, and it’s as cute as him struggling with his Rs.
‘I am mad, Spike; you’re right. But I can’t cool down because I’ll lose my nerve.’
‘She’s mad. She’s mad. She’s mad. She’s maaaad,’ he sings, somehow lightening the mood. Like I’ve got a cheerleader to urge me onward.
‘Do you remember how to say fuck off?’
‘Fuck off!’ he squeals, proving he does.
‘I want you to say that as much as you can while I’m on the phone in a minute. Okay?’
‘Okay!’ he screams back. Who knows if he’ll follow orders, but if he does, River will totally enjoy this story.
‘Fuck off! Fuck off!’ Spike screams, bobbing up and down as he walks around his cage top.
My front door suddenly opens, and Laney walks in. ‘What’s with all the fuck offs, Spike?’
‘I’m dumping Conner.’
She breathes a sigh of relief as she drops her bag near the front door. ‘Final-fucking-ly. Where is he?’
‘Uh, Boston, remember.’
‘Damn it! He deserves at least a bit of bodily harm for what he’s done to you, but I can’t do that from across the country now, can I?’ she moans. Suddenly she throws a finger into the air. ‘You got his address?’
‘Yeah…’
