Julian

III. March, Ch. 33

     Shelley and Debbie ran laps in their gym shorts and t-shirts.

     "So, what do you think?" asked Shelley. "Am I brilliant or what?"

     Debbie struggled to get air into her lungs. "Yeah, I guess."

     Shelley stopped and placed her hands on her hips. "You guess? You don't think I can do it?"

     Debbie stopped in front of Shelley and turned around. "That's not what I said. He's just one of the most popular boys in school, so it'll be hard to turn people against him."

     Shelley signed. "I just want to do something to get back at him."

     "I know. And trust me, karma will get him if you don't."

     Shelley nodded in agreement as she returned to her jogging pace.

     "Besides," said Debbie "If you want revenge, you've got to be bad. And you don't know the first thing about that."

     The sun rays stung Shelley's eyeballs, and she squinted to hide from the glare. "Can we take a break?"

     "Uh huh."

     The girls found refuge under the wooden bleachers. Despite having been constructed three months ago, the cave underneath was already collecting spider webs and initials of visiting lovers.

     Shelley studied the markings. This could have been us, Douglas, but you ruined it all.

     No matter what she told herself, she still loved him. Even if he led her on for nothing, even if he was arrogant during rehearsals, no other human being made her feel as beautiful as he did, not even her father.

     She cried less and less at the memories. This time, it was just a sniffle and a moist eye.

     Debbie picked up on her friends' sadness. She didn't say a word. She just wrapped her arms around her.

     Without warning, three pairs of large feet stomped on the bleachers above, making a thundering noise.

     Shelley and Debbie gasped and looked up.

     Through the spaces between the steps, Shelley saw three boys standing in the middle of the flight. She couldn't make out their faces.

     One of the boys placed his hands on his knees and panted. "I tell you, the only reason we have these bleachers is to torture us during gym. It sure isn't to see the teams play."

     Another boy put his hands on top of his head and spit at the ground, away from the girls. "What do you care about sports, Doug? You're too busy doing theater."

     "Did he say 'Doug'?" Debbie whispered.

     Shelley shushed her.

     Although she couldn't see his face, she recognized that pompous voice anywhere.

     "Don't forget his girlfriend," said the other boy. "She keeps him busy, too."

     "Not anymore," said Douglas. "Mitch and I are through."

     "Damn. And that was your longest relationship yet. You went steady a whole three weeks."

     "Three and a half."

     "Was she jealous that you were sharing the stage with your ex?"

     Shelley's ears perked up.

     Douglas groaned. "Shelley Stone's not my ex."

     Her skin tingled at the sound of his voice saying her name. She found his power over her unfair.