Author's note: A big thank you to all my fans.
*****
I was looking forward to the weekend. It had been a hard week at school. Finals week was hard enough, but in the middle of the week I caught my boyfriend Roy making out with another girl. I decided to meet him after one of his finals and as I headed to the building I saw him pressed up against some chick. I was angry, very angry.
I walked up behind him, "Having fun?"
He spun so fast he knocked the chick to the ground.
"Michelle," he said. "What are you doing here?"
"Well," I replied. "I was coming to surprise you, but I guess you surprised me. Asshole." I turned and walked away.
"Wait, Michelle," he yelled as I walked away.
As I left I heard the girl yelling at him, "You fucking asshole. You have a girlfriend?"
I didn't turn around. I just kept walking. I was mad, I was hurt, and I was crying. It was time to leave school and head home. I couldn't wait. I had two more finals and then I was done.
My boyfriend called like 20 times the next day, ex, boyfriend. He tried to catch up with me. Once walking through campus he grabbed my arm. I pulled away and told him next time he touched me I'd call the cops. The calls stopped after that.
I struggled through my last two finals trying to focus on that and not Roy. I'd finally finished and was on my way home for the summer. I knew mom and dad were gone for two weeks. They had planned a vacation. Initially I was going to visit with Roy and his family and then head home but now that that was out but they'd still had plans.
My brother Barry was going to be home. His college break started a week before. At 19 he was a year older than me. He was a great guy and a great brother. I was kind of glad he'd be there. He'd be sympathetic about Roy.
The drive home was four hours. Not bad but still boring. It gave me time to think about Roy and me. I met Roy my first week at school. He was handsome and confident. Within a month we were dating. By six weeks I was no longer a virgin. He could be a bit arrogant. Thinking more about it, I realized there were times he was missing when he shouldn't have been. Could he have been seeing someone else then?
Then there was the self doubt. Was she prettier than me? I knew I was cute. Everyone said so. At 5'2", 130lbs, I wasn't a skinny minnie, but I looked nice in jeans. With my brown hair in a pixie cut people would say I looked like some kind of fairy. I spent the drive home between seething mad and crying.
When I got home my brother's car was in the driveway and there was another car in front of the house. I wasn't in the mood to face anyone. I knew my eyes were red from crying. I snuffled up and tried to compose myself, then I went in.
The first thing I saw was my brother. He and a friend were playing a video game. He paused it and jumped up.
"Hey sis, I was wondering what time you'd get home."
He saw the bag I was carrying. He took it from me, put it on the floor and gave me a big hug. It felt good to be wrapped in the arms of someone who I knew loved me. I just leaned against him.
"Is there more stuff in the car?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Cool, let me help," he said.
As he headed out the door, his friend Jim stood up and said, "I'll help too."
I'd always liked Jim. He was Barry's best friend. In reality I liked all my brothers friends. Barry was a great guy and hung around with nice people. The two of them helped me bring all my stuff in.
It wasn't till we were done that Barry noticed my face.
"Have you been crying?" he asked with concern in his voice. Jim looked on with the same look of concern.
"I'm sorry," I said. Does it show?
"What happened?" Barry asked.
"It's stupid," I replied.
"If it made you cry, it's not stupid," he answered.
I took a deep breath. "I saw Roy kissing another girl," I said, and then burst into tears again.
Barry had never met Roy. He scooped me in his arms and hugged me. "I'm sorry sis," he said. "What an ass."
I leaned my head against his chest and cried. As I did he stroked my hair and told me the guy was crazy and that he didn't deserve me. I was comforted by his strong arms. Barry was 6' about 180. He hit the gym 2-3 times a week. He wasn't crazy but he had strong arms and a muscled chest. I felt protected.
Jim, for his part, also tried to comfort me with words.
"Geese, what a jerk. He has the perfect girl and he wants someone else? What kind of moron is he? It's like having the Mona Lisa and trading it in for dogs playing poker."
That made me laugh. I snuffled a bit more and said I was going upstairs to clean up and change. Barry kissed the top of my head and said, "Ok, we'll be here."
He walked me to the stairs. "Jim was going to spend the weekend, but if you'd rather he didn't we'd understand," he said quietly.
That was sweet, but I liked Jim. Jim and Barry had been friends forever and he was like another brother to me. Once, I was on a date and the guy was pushing too hard. I called Barry to come get me but Barry was too far away. Instead, Jim showed up in minutes. When I was younger Jim would help me with my homework. He was a great guy. Besides, I really didn't want to be alone so having company would be nice. I told my brother it was fine and headed up the stairs.
As I headed up the stairs Barry asked if I'd eaten. I told him I hadn't.
"Would you like anything?" he asked.
"Ice cream," I quipped, followed by "Whatever is ok with me." I continued upstairs.
I got to my room and sat on my bed. I wasn't really sad about losing Roy, I was more mad at myself for being fooled. I also again started worrying about if I was pretty. I started to cry again.