Broken Hearts & Busted Stereos Ch. 03

Janey sighed heavily as she sat on the edge of her bed to slip out of her knee high boots. She loved the things to death, the tan wool weave moving up her leg, bunching in lines along the way to imitate a set of leg warmers. But they were so warm and getting out of them now was nearly better than sex, the air conditioning swirling between her toes. Getting home had been a bit heinous, she had forgotten how rough the walk up the hill could be. Even worse when you were on the verge of tears and half-drunk. It would be one thing if there was a reason for Ted just disappearing from her life the way he had,but to still have nothing to say, to offer no explanation, 3 years later was cruel and unusual punishment.

Everyone had begged her to stay after the incident, Steve and Jake and Charlie had chased her into the driveway and told her to stay, that they would make Ted apologize, that things would be alright. In truth, she simply couldn't stomach it. All she had done was make a simple request to talk at some point. His response had caught her offguard, and still echoed between her ears. "I don't have anything to say to you." She pulled open the lemon yellow accordian doors of her closet, standing on her tip toes before growling in frustration and hauling over her desk chair. Tiny hands wrapped around an oversized shoebox, carefully pulling it from the shelf and carrying it to her bed. She paged through it's contents, weepy-eyed. "I'm so friggin pathetic." The words were a harsh whisper. Plane, train, and show tickets lingered in the box, along with tags and pictures drawn on menus, placemats, napkins, and any other scrap Ted had gotten his hands on over the years of their friendship. Pictures of her and all the boys were disorganized and scattered between the pages. The handwriting of a sea of friends come and gone on notebook papers passed inbetween and during classes. Her first driver's license.

Sobs overtook her as she curled up in a ball on her side, arms wrapping around the teddy bear the girls had all given her sophmore year when she was in the hospital. Ted had sent her a funny comic strip of herself, recapping her tonsillitis, which she had spent a week playing off as laryngitis to avoid the doctor. She wiped at her eyes furiously, trying desperately to regain control. She wasn't going to cry anymore. She would leave at the end of the week and then only come back to see her family, this chapter was closing. It wasn't sad, it was just fucking fine with her.

Eyes fluttered shut as she reassured herself, falling asleep still fully clothed amidst the record of her life.

************

"Ya know, Ted, it's really not that much to ask to just give her reason. No one said you have to tell her the truth, Lord knows you haven't let any of us know. But she was never anything but a friend to you." Charlie sounded more like a father than a brother. Ted hated it when he got like this.

"Yeah, a friend who fucked my best friend and a kid I fucking hate."

"Is that what this is about?"

"No, this is about everything. She changed." Charlie shook his head, it wasn't worth fighting with Ted over, not until he was ready to be honest.

"No, really? You mean, she went to college and grew the fuck up? She didn't change, Ted, she's just not 16 anymore."

Ted growled, swinging open the back door and letting it slam behind him. He didn't want to talk to anyone right now. Hands dug in his pockets, recovering a pack of newports before sliding one between his lips and lighting it. This wasn't how this week was supposed to go. He didn't need the distraction of Janey. He was closing out on the East coast, why reopen old ties? She seemed just fine without his friendship, anyway. Better than ever judging by how she looked. Chocolate brown curls hung low on her back, those blue-green eyes wide and bright. And that body. In high school he didn't even think Janey was capable of looking like that. Not that she was America's next top model or anything. But she was well-proportioned, and that little extra chubbiness seemed to only add to it. Made her seem like she could bounce off anything. Resilience had long been one of his favorite qualities in the girl.

She was undoubtedly fucking someone. Janey was always fucking someone, or so he heard. If she didn't have anyone, there was always Matt to fall back on. He growled at the thought of it. Of all the people, she had to have picked his best friend. He was so wrapped up in his pacing that he didn't hear the door creak open and shut.

"Hey." The voice was feminine with a sultry rasp, which meant Michelle. He turned with a sigh.

"Hey."

"She just left." Michelle half-grinned at the relief on Ted's face. Janey might have sunken her claws into Matt, but she had lost Ted. It was at least somewhat comforting. "It's good to see you." Ted just nodded, taking a long drag off his cigarette. Had he been more observant, he might have noticed the way Michelle's eyes flared followed quickly by lips screwed in determination before she forced a smile. She didn't understand how that little chubby thing had everyone's attention. They had once been friends, sure, Janey was a nice girl, but she wasn't exactly a sexpot. Michelle had never imagined that she might grow into the role that was her own. Michelle was the leggy blonde tomboy who could hang out and smoke blunts and then go home with the boy of her choice, Janey was supposed to remain the obnoxious younger sister. Worse yet, Janey acted all innocent in the situation, claiming ignorance.

"So how have you been?" Ted was looking at her now, she stepped closer, the alcohol in her blood exaggerating the sway of her hips.

"I've been okay, how about you?"

"Alright. You don't have any trees on ya, do ya?" She chuckled and shook her head.

"Come on, Ted. Let's walk back over my place and smoke a blunt." He nodded, offering his arm and stepping off the porch. There was no need to say good bye, they'd be back soon enough.

"Lead the way, m'lady." Michelle grinned, excepting the arm to walk beside him. Despite the three inches height she had on him, Ted was an attractive guy. She would put Janey Abramowitz back in her place. On the sidelines.