“Are you breaking up with me?”
Cassidy grabbed her and dragged her into the bathroom before I could answer. Jim wanted to talk about anything but what had just happened.
“What are we doing tomorrow afternoon?” he asked.
“We’re going to get organized so that we can win state next year. We’re also going to start working on getting people scholarships. I want to help you become a leader. I think you have a lot of untapped potential.”
“Okay, I guess I thought you were going to lead us.”
“I will, but you’re a leader in your own right.”
We were quiet for a minute.
“So, should I break up with her?” I asked.
“I don’t think she gets how lucky she is. I know for a fact that my sister would kill to be a freshman and dating you. I hear it from a lot of girls. I know Cassidy would go out with you in a heartbeat if her dad would let her.”
“You know I’d never do that, right? I’d never go out with her now that she’s gone out with you. You’re my friend, and I wouldn’t do that to you.”
“Yeah, I know, and yet I did that to you.”
“Hey, we weren’t friends at the time. Don’t beat yourself up.”
We were silent for another few minutes.
“I don’t really feel like going out now,” Jim said.
“Why’s that?”
“I feel guilty about knowing what April was up to tonight. I should have told you.”
“Is she meeting someone?”
“Yeah, Luke.”
“Thanks. That makes it easier,” I said. “I feel bad for her. She has no idea that Luke’s just out to bang her and leave her. He’s just trying to get at me through her. Hell, Cassidy had to kick his butt last time to keep her from losing her virtue.”
“Yeah, both Cassidy and I have tried to tell her.”
“Some stuff just has to be learned the hard way.”
“Like what?” April asked.
I gave Jim a hard look, but could tell he hadn’t seen her either. I took a deep breath and turned toward the girls.
“Let me count the ways,” I said, and pointed out four or five people who had dated Luke. “I’ll bet you haven’t even talked to them. If you had, you’d find out why none of them are dating Luke now. He’s an insecure jerk who’s only interested in himself. Right now, he’s pissed at me. He’s trying everything he can to stab me in the back. His latest gambit is to try to date anyone I’m interested in. Guess what, you’re it.
“If you talked to any of them, you’d have heard about his shortcomings. After your second date tonight, you can call me and we can compare notes.
“Okay, the last part was uncalled for. I apologize. Before Cassidy pulled you away, you asked a question. I think it’s obvious you’ve already made your choice. Go have fun tonight,” I told April.
“Okay, I will,” she said defiantly.
Well, poor April didn’t know that Cassidy liked me better than she liked her. When we got into the car, she leaned over to Jim and whispered something to him. He got a big grin on his face and nodded. We soon found ourselves at April’s house and Cassidy was walking up to the front door. She walked in like she owned the place. April scrambled out of the back seat and followed her in. We soon heard yelling and then crying coming from the house. Cassidy came back to the car with a smile on her face.
“Jim, drive.”
“Where to?”
“I don’t care, but we need to leave.”
“What did you do?” Jim asked.
“I told her parents what she did last weekend and that she all but lost her virginity in a drunken haze. I told them that we had all warned her that Luke was a snake. I explained that David broke up with her and why. I told them that she planned to go get drunk and get laid tonight. That seemed to have the effect of her being grounded for life, again. When I left, her dad was calling Luke’s parents. I’m sure that’s going to go over well.”
“Holy shit, Cassidy, don’t ever get mad at me,” I begged.
“David, I’d just kick your butt.”
“Okay, deal. I’d rather have the butt-kicking.”
Jim just nodded in agreement.
“So, you want to get laid?” Cassidy asked.
Jim just about hit a parked car on the side of the road.
“Sure, you have any candidates in mind?”
“Yep, we can still go to the party. I think you know Kim Sun, Luke’s ex. She’ll be there, as will her friends Mona and Sammie. I know you like cheerleaders. All three’ve said they’d do you at one time or another, no strings attached.”
Tonight was looking up. The only problem was Kevin was my friend.
“I thought Mona was going out with Kevin,” I said
“Nope, they broke up over Christmas break,” Jim told me.
“I wouldn’t mind doing all three of them,” I thought aloud.
“I like how you think. Let me see if I can set that up,” my best buddy Cassidy told me.
Jim burst out laughing. I just shook my head. What craziness would Cassidy think up next?
THE PARTY WAS AT MONA Wingman’s house. It was a big Victorian, like my house. I could see that Jim and Cassidy were eyeing each other.
“You kids go have fun. I think I can get into trouble on my own.”
I walked through the downstairs and found they had a keg set up out back. It was in the mid-twenties, making me wonder at what temperature a keg froze. A cold beer sounded tempting, but I decided to be good. I found a cooler full of Mountain Dew and grabbed one.
“I must be special. You don’t ever come to these parties.”
I turned to find Mona smiling at me.
“When I heard it was your party, wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”
She looked around.
“Who did you come with?”
“No one, I just broke up with April tonight.”
“Thank God!” she exclaimed.
“Not a fan?” I asked.
“It’s not that. You were being wasted on her! She wouldn’t know what to do with someone like you.”
I arched my eyebrows.
“I take it you would?”
“Well, now that you mention it, I might have an idea or three.”
“Speaking of three, where are Kim and Sammie?”
She smacked me.
“I’m not letting those greedy girls get their claws into you. I, for once, am in the right place at the right time.”
I could tell she was a little drunk. I didn’t want her doing anything she would regret later.
“Are you sure about this? You’ve been drinking, and I don’t want to do anything you wouldn’t do sober.”
She checked to see where my other head was.
“You’re so sweet,” she said, and she ran her hand up my thigh and cupped my package. “I know what I’m getting into. Tracy’s told me about your other girls. I’m fine with that. I really am not looking for a steady boyfriend. Some fun, yes.”
Mr. Happy was voting a big ‘yes.’ She wanted to make sure everyone knew I was here and she was with me tonight. She took me around the party. Her best friends Kim and Sammie were flirting with some seniors. When they saw Mona with me, they made a beeline over. The guys looked confused.
“Hi, David, is Mona showing you around?” Kim flirted.
“Back off, I found him first,” Mona joked with her friends.
That got their attention.
“So, where’s April?” asked Sammie.
“We broke up.”
“So you’re at a party, and single?” asked Kim.
“That would be correct,” I said as I smiled at her.
“This is like finding Bigfoot: David Dawson, attending a party and single. We should alert the media,” Sammie said.
Mona and Kim gave her a dirty look.
“Are you crazy? You do that and he’ll be off the market by tomorrow,” Kim scolded.
Then they noticed the big smile that came across Mona’s face. They put two and two together.
“You skank,” Kim moaned.
“Hey, you snooze, you lose,” Mona giggled, then she pulled me upstairs.