I Never Told You What I Did for a Living
The Ex Factor
"Where is everyone?" I asked as I sat down at the lunch table with Kevin.
"There's a meeting for the grad class."
"So why aren't we there?"
"They'll tell us what happens. We're here to save the table."
"Everyone's scared of us, they're not going to steal the table."
Secretly, though, I was glad to have some time alone with Kevin. I was curious about my earlier conversation with Angela.
"What can you tell me about Angela's ex boyfriend?" What was the use in beating around the bush? I dove in headfirst.
"What do you want to know?"
"Well, I already know why they broke up, but that's about it. Tell me anything else you've got."
His eyes narrowed suspiciously, and I noticed for the first time how much eyeliner he was wearing. "Let me rephrase that. Why do you want to know?"
"Because I want to know if the same thing will happen to me and Gerard."
He sighed. "Okay, fine. He was a few years older than us, kind of quiet. He pretty much kept to himself, but he had a few close friends. Kind of the same deal we've got. I think they met at a rock show that one of Angela's friends was playing in," he paused thoughtfully. "Yeah, that was how they met. They didn't talk much at school, so most people never even knew they were dating. But outside of school they were always together."
"She said he lived far away and she couldn't see him when you guys moved here," I interrupted.
"Well, we moved here from Jersey. It was hard to keep in touch with everyone, but those two were on the phone every night. They were making plans to go to the same college and live together."
"So what happened?"
Kevin took a bite of his sandwich and chewed it thoroughly before swallowing and continuing his story.
"She says he cheated, but I honestly don't think the guy had it in him. He was really shy from what I knew of him. Angela made the first move, not him. I think the long distance thing just got too hard and he wanted things to be easier for her. That's the kind of guy he was, always putting her before himself."
I sipped my water and nodded. "Yeah, she thinks pretty highly of him. Do you know what happened to him since then?"
He shook his head. "I know he graduated, but that's about it. I imagine he got the hell out of that town. It was all anybody there ever dreamed of."
"So, you have no idea how to reach him?"
"Why would you want to do that?"
"Because if you think he didn't cheat, maybe there's a chance he still has feelings for Angela."
"Lily, don't get involved in this. It was a long time ago, I'm pretty sure they've both moved on."
I stared at him incredulously. "When's the last time Angela had a boyfriend?"
"What's your point? The guys around here aren't her type."
"She's not over him. And I don't think she ever will be."
"Look," he leaned back, giving up. "All I know is that he moved in with his brother a little while ago so he could find a job. I don't know where that is or how to get to him. If you think you can find him out of that information, I wish you all the best."
I arched an eyebrow. "A name might help."
"I really don't think you should do this," he persisted.
"His name?" I bit into my sandwich.
Kevin sighed, shaking his head. "I can't believe I'm doing this. His name is Mikey Way."
I coughed, choking on a chunk of turkey.
"You know him?" he sounded wary. I guess my reaction startled him.
"Know him? I lived with him. Not to mention I'm in love with his brother."
Kevin opened his mouth to say something else, but Angela and the others walked up. We exchanged shocked glances before greeting our friends and pretending that nothing was wrong.
"There's a meeting for the grad class."
"So why aren't we there?"
"They'll tell us what happens. We're here to save the table."
"Everyone's scared of us, they're not going to steal the table."
Secretly, though, I was glad to have some time alone with Kevin. I was curious about my earlier conversation with Angela.
"What can you tell me about Angela's ex boyfriend?" What was the use in beating around the bush? I dove in headfirst.
"What do you want to know?"
"Well, I already know why they broke up, but that's about it. Tell me anything else you've got."
His eyes narrowed suspiciously, and I noticed for the first time how much eyeliner he was wearing. "Let me rephrase that. Why do you want to know?"
"Because I want to know if the same thing will happen to me and Gerard."
He sighed. "Okay, fine. He was a few years older than us, kind of quiet. He pretty much kept to himself, but he had a few close friends. Kind of the same deal we've got. I think they met at a rock show that one of Angela's friends was playing in," he paused thoughtfully. "Yeah, that was how they met. They didn't talk much at school, so most people never even knew they were dating. But outside of school they were always together."
"She said he lived far away and she couldn't see him when you guys moved here," I interrupted.
"Well, we moved here from Jersey. It was hard to keep in touch with everyone, but those two were on the phone every night. They were making plans to go to the same college and live together."
"So what happened?"
Kevin took a bite of his sandwich and chewed it thoroughly before swallowing and continuing his story.
"She says he cheated, but I honestly don't think the guy had it in him. He was really shy from what I knew of him. Angela made the first move, not him. I think the long distance thing just got too hard and he wanted things to be easier for her. That's the kind of guy he was, always putting her before himself."
I sipped my water and nodded. "Yeah, she thinks pretty highly of him. Do you know what happened to him since then?"
He shook his head. "I know he graduated, but that's about it. I imagine he got the hell out of that town. It was all anybody there ever dreamed of."
"So, you have no idea how to reach him?"
"Why would you want to do that?"
"Because if you think he didn't cheat, maybe there's a chance he still has feelings for Angela."
"Lily, don't get involved in this. It was a long time ago, I'm pretty sure they've both moved on."
I stared at him incredulously. "When's the last time Angela had a boyfriend?"
"What's your point? The guys around here aren't her type."
"She's not over him. And I don't think she ever will be."
"Look," he leaned back, giving up. "All I know is that he moved in with his brother a little while ago so he could find a job. I don't know where that is or how to get to him. If you think you can find him out of that information, I wish you all the best."
I arched an eyebrow. "A name might help."
"I really don't think you should do this," he persisted.
"His name?" I bit into my sandwich.
Kevin sighed, shaking his head. "I can't believe I'm doing this. His name is Mikey Way."
I coughed, choking on a chunk of turkey.
"You know him?" he sounded wary. I guess my reaction startled him.
"Know him? I lived with him. Not to mention I'm in love with his brother."
Kevin opened his mouth to say something else, but Angela and the others walked up. We exchanged shocked glances before greeting our friends and pretending that nothing was wrong.