Even though I just got all squeaky clean, I think I’ll go running. I haven’t done that in a while either. It usually helps me clear my head. I get my tunes in, grab my phone, my pepper spray, and Big Brutus. Let’s see if this dude likes to run. We get going and he’s doing okay keeping up. He seems to be enjoying it. Before I know it, I’m standing in front of Oliver’s house.
What the flippin’ farfegnugen. There in my boyfriend’s driveway is Livvy’s Honda Pilot. Why is this happening to me? I tell myself there’s a logical explanation and that my boyfriend wouldn’t be so blatant if he was messin’ around on me. That he wouldn’t be so stupid as to have her car parked in his front driveway for all the natural world to see! But it’s too late. An irreversible switch just flipped. Florida baller gangsta girl’s comin’ on hard and strong.
I pick up a blunt object and whale away on her car. I take a knife and slash her tires. Open up that can of gasoline and toss me a lighter. This Pilot’s about to crash and burn! Incineration time! She’s going up in ashes.
“Get a hold of yourself, Katie. Wow,” I whisper as I cross the yard.
I step up to the door and ring the doorbell. I cringe at the pitch of Livvy’s grating vocal cords comin’ through the front door. At least she’s downstairs and not up in his room. Oliver opens the door, looking all sheepish. His eyes plead with me. This is so not cool. “Um, now is not a good time, could you please come back later?”
“Let me think. No. I think now is the perfect time. Yeah. In fact, I think I’ll just come right in.” I don’t wait for an answer from Oliver. I hand Big Brutus over and march inside like I have every right to be there.
There sits Red, on the couch, crying her pathetic little eyeballs out. I narrow my eyes in her direction. “Someone oughta give you an Oscar,” I growl.
She’s stunned for a minute, and I see hesitation in her pitiful look, but then there’s a little spite thrown my way. Hmmm. She looks back at Oliver’s mom, all sad. Whatever. I plop down on the couch beside Red, splay my knees wide like I’m exhausted from all my running. I crowd Red’s space while I totally try to look like I’m not.
Two can play at this game of making each other as uncomfortable as wearing underwear made out of sandpaper. Oliver’s mom sits on the other side of Livvy, holding her hand? “You were saying, Livvy?” Red turns away from me. She has something in her other hands. I recognize it. What the F?
“Um” Her voice is all shaky. “I was in class and um, she, Katie, threw these pictures at me. And, um, I was just so scared. And I didn’t know what to do. So I thought I’d bring them to you. I mean, since Oliver is dating her and everything.”
Wow. Just Wow. I clench and unclench my fists and focus on breathing deep. Get a hold of yourself, Katie. Don’t flip out. That’s what Livvy wants.
I glance over at Oliver’s mom’s face. She’s in an incredibly awkward position, but I’m not going to take this sitting down. I stand up and pace. I can’t seem to stop just like I can’t seem to stop my hands waving around. “Yes. Mrs. Baker, that did happen. I had, um, some fake pictures in my desk that I wasn’t going to use, and they were in an envelope. Today I opened them, and there was red writing on them. I thought someone (I nod my head in Livvy’s direction) might have drawn on them, so I like, threw them across the room. That much did happen. As to who drew on them, I have no idea, other than to say it wasn’t me.”
Livvy’s hides her head and wails. I know that I should try to comfort her or something, but there’s no way. I shoot Oliver a murderous look when he goes to step toward Livvy. I hope it says, ‘You lay one finger on her and I’ll axe you’. I think it worked, because he stands here awkwardly between the two of us, wringing his hands.
This goes on for way too long—Livvy crying—the rest of us sitting there like frozen popsicles. I don’t know how much more I can take before my fist meets her lips. I bring out the big guns as I sit down beside Livvy and speak in what I hope is a comforting manner. “Livvy, I can call your mom if you would like me to.”
She jumps up and wipes her eyes with her hands. “No. That isn’t necessary. I guess I’ll just be going home now. Oli, walk me out?” I stick to Livvy like glue. She’s not taking my boyfriend anywhere. I link her arm with mine.
“I’ll take you out, Livvy. I feel just awful about this.” She looks at me with a look of pure venom. I smile back at her and hold tight as she tries to jerk away from me while walking out the door, sniffling. She turns once more to look back at Oliver, but I tower over her.
As soon as she’s on his front porch. I let her go, and she stomps off to her car. I walk back in. I feel so surreal as I stand in his living room with his parents and him standing there, staring at me like I’m a monster. “I’d like a moment with you on the front porch, Oliver, if you can spare one,” I say in a voice of my own that I hardly recognize. I go outside and wait. Just about the time I think he’s not coming out, he does. He sits down beside me, but he doesn’t touch me. I can’t believe how much this tears at me.
He looks at me, like he’s trying to see inside my head. I’m trying to say the right words without sounding like I want to nail stupid Red to a stupid wall. “Um, so that was interesting. I didn’t know she was such an actress.”
He jumps up. “How can you be so unfeeling? She was crying! She was upset!”
I can’t believe this. “Did you see any tears, Oliver? It’s all a ploy. The girl has no shame! She’s trying to get between us, and it’s working. I came over to see if you are still taking me to the dance this weekend. But maybe I’ll just go by myself. You can take Crazy, or you can take me.” I grab Brutus’s leash. “Just let me know.”