Strawberries
Standing Up For Glamour
Alex
Amy
Andrew
Connor
Carmax
Crestwood High
Dad
Jake
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Kevin
Madison
Matt
Mandy
Mom
Mr. Dave
Nick J
Nick M
Rory
Work
I quickly scroll through your contact list. I don’t see any girls’ names except for the ones I know are just your friends - but I still check every name to see if there’s any false numbers. Then I go through your texts. There’s nothing in them that shows any indication of you setting up a date. Though I’m surprised you still have Rory’s number in here.
My mind drifts back to Rory and the bruises she left on your arm. You did actually break up with her, right? She has no right to treat you like that.
I raise an eyebrow as I scroll over her name. You won’t be home for a few hours - you’re out looking for a job. And this time, you’re actually trying. Although, suspiciously, I type a text message to her. Just one word ‘Hey’, but whatever she responds with might get me some information.
Violation of privacy?
Suck it.
A simple hello is all I get in response. No smiley faces, no ‘baby’s or ‘sweetheart’s, so I take that as a good sign. Maybe I should start trusting you. But there’s still one thing I want.
Payback.
Not from you - from her.
I quickly type out ‘come over.’
‘Now?’
‘Yeahh.’
‘Um, alright. I’ll be there soon.’
I sigh and delete the text history, and flip the phone closed. So I guess you’ve been behaving lately. Although I get a bad vibe from Rory. I don’t trust her. And she won’t get away with hurting you.
I wait anxiously on the couch, stuffing your phone in my pocket. When the doorbell rings, I’m ready. I stalk towards the door, swallowing the lump in my throat, and open it slowly - to face Rory.
“Hello,” I say flatly.
“Hi,” Rory mutters awkwardly. “Where’s Joe?”
“He’s not at home.” My eyes narrow.
“He told me to come over…?”
“Did he?” I tilt my head. “That’s funny.” I look straight at her, my tone going cold. “Look, we need to talk.”
“Is Joe here or not?” she asks indignantly, putting her hands on her hips. I hold my frustration back, biting my lip.
“No. Joe is not here,” I say bluntly. “But we need to talk.”
She narrows her eyes. “What is it?”
I step towards her, clenching and unclenching my fist. “You stay the fuck away from my brother, do you hear me?” I ask loudly.
“Aw..” she coos, unfazed, smiling and tilting her head. “Standing up for your brother?”
I growl under my breath, feeling my blood boil. “Stay away from him.”
“Or else?”
I clench my fist, raising it slightly. “Do you want to find out?”
“Are you threatening me?” she asks, her voice in a sarcastic laugh. I let out a deep breath.
“Listen. I don’t appreciate what you did to him and-”
And then, a punch in the jaw. I gasp, cupping my chin as the searing pain shoots through my face. “I think, you should stay out of my way, Little Nicky.” She smirked at me, speaking cruelly sweetly. I glare at her with the angriest look I can muster, veer backwards and swing a carefully aimed fist. It hits her square in the jaw.
“Stay, The fuck. Away from us,” I seethe, breathing heavily. Before she has time to react, I slam the door, locking it. Half expecting her to pound it down, I wait in silence, panting, cupping my jaw. But nothing happens.
I walk into the living room, where there’s a window looking outside, and see her stalking down the porch steps and towards her car. I’ve never seen a girl that looked so ugly when she was pissed.
You sure do know how to pick them…
I stagger to the bathroom and look at my chin. My jaw is crooked, and it hurts to open my mouth too wide. There’s going to be a bruise there. Great, it’ll match my black eye. You’re a lot of trouble sometimes.
I don’t have much time to recover, because in just a few minutes I hear you coming home again. There’s no bruise there yet, so I’ll be okay until tomorrow. I place your phone back on the counter before you come inside. I walk over to the counter and rub my chin as I open up the fridge. You stride into the room, a proud smirk on your face. Someone got a job?
“Guess who got a job?”
Yep.
“The hobo who lives in the neighbors backyard?” I ask, no hint of joking in my voice at all.
“No!” you laugh. “I did!” you hug me, as I just stand stiffly in your embrace.
“That’s awesome, Joe… but don’t… touch me.”
You flinch away immediately, but I catch the hurt look that flashes in your eye.
“Sorry…”
“It’s fine.”
You tilt your head and look at me. “Are you okay? You look like… something’s bothering you.”
Is it that obvious? “Uh, no. I’m fine.”
“Nick…”
“I’m fine. Really.” I rub my chin once, then put my hand at my side. “What job did you get?”
“I’m working the register at a music store.”
Oh. That’s… glamorous.
“I know it’s not the most amazing job, but the pay’s good. How’s the movie coming?”
You wouldn’t know, Joe. I’d be surprised if you knew the name of it.
“Uh, great.” I look down at the floor, the tension in the room bearing down on my shoulders. “I’m, uh, proud of you.”
Brief silence.
“...Are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’m fine!” I say quickly. “I just have a headache… I’m going to go lie down.”
Amy
Andrew
Connor
Carmax
Crestwood High
Dad
Jake
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Kevin
Madison
Matt
Mandy
Mom
Mr. Dave
Nick J
Nick M
Rory
Work
I quickly scroll through your contact list. I don’t see any girls’ names except for the ones I know are just your friends - but I still check every name to see if there’s any false numbers. Then I go through your texts. There’s nothing in them that shows any indication of you setting up a date. Though I’m surprised you still have Rory’s number in here.
My mind drifts back to Rory and the bruises she left on your arm. You did actually break up with her, right? She has no right to treat you like that.
I raise an eyebrow as I scroll over her name. You won’t be home for a few hours - you’re out looking for a job. And this time, you’re actually trying. Although, suspiciously, I type a text message to her. Just one word ‘Hey’, but whatever she responds with might get me some information.
Violation of privacy?
Suck it.
A simple hello is all I get in response. No smiley faces, no ‘baby’s or ‘sweetheart’s, so I take that as a good sign. Maybe I should start trusting you. But there’s still one thing I want.
Payback.
Not from you - from her.
I quickly type out ‘come over.’
‘Now?’
‘Yeahh.’
‘Um, alright. I’ll be there soon.’
I sigh and delete the text history, and flip the phone closed. So I guess you’ve been behaving lately. Although I get a bad vibe from Rory. I don’t trust her. And she won’t get away with hurting you.
I wait anxiously on the couch, stuffing your phone in my pocket. When the doorbell rings, I’m ready. I stalk towards the door, swallowing the lump in my throat, and open it slowly - to face Rory.
“Hello,” I say flatly.
“Hi,” Rory mutters awkwardly. “Where’s Joe?”
“He’s not at home.” My eyes narrow.
“He told me to come over…?”
“Did he?” I tilt my head. “That’s funny.” I look straight at her, my tone going cold. “Look, we need to talk.”
“Is Joe here or not?” she asks indignantly, putting her hands on her hips. I hold my frustration back, biting my lip.
“No. Joe is not here,” I say bluntly. “But we need to talk.”
She narrows her eyes. “What is it?”
I step towards her, clenching and unclenching my fist. “You stay the fuck away from my brother, do you hear me?” I ask loudly.
“Aw..” she coos, unfazed, smiling and tilting her head. “Standing up for your brother?”
I growl under my breath, feeling my blood boil. “Stay away from him.”
“Or else?”
I clench my fist, raising it slightly. “Do you want to find out?”
“Are you threatening me?” she asks, her voice in a sarcastic laugh. I let out a deep breath.
“Listen. I don’t appreciate what you did to him and-”
And then, a punch in the jaw. I gasp, cupping my chin as the searing pain shoots through my face. “I think, you should stay out of my way, Little Nicky.” She smirked at me, speaking cruelly sweetly. I glare at her with the angriest look I can muster, veer backwards and swing a carefully aimed fist. It hits her square in the jaw.
“Stay, The fuck. Away from us,” I seethe, breathing heavily. Before she has time to react, I slam the door, locking it. Half expecting her to pound it down, I wait in silence, panting, cupping my jaw. But nothing happens.
I walk into the living room, where there’s a window looking outside, and see her stalking down the porch steps and towards her car. I’ve never seen a girl that looked so ugly when she was pissed.
You sure do know how to pick them…
I stagger to the bathroom and look at my chin. My jaw is crooked, and it hurts to open my mouth too wide. There’s going to be a bruise there. Great, it’ll match my black eye. You’re a lot of trouble sometimes.
I don’t have much time to recover, because in just a few minutes I hear you coming home again. There’s no bruise there yet, so I’ll be okay until tomorrow. I place your phone back on the counter before you come inside. I walk over to the counter and rub my chin as I open up the fridge. You stride into the room, a proud smirk on your face. Someone got a job?
“Guess who got a job?”
Yep.
“The hobo who lives in the neighbors backyard?” I ask, no hint of joking in my voice at all.
“No!” you laugh. “I did!” you hug me, as I just stand stiffly in your embrace.
“That’s awesome, Joe… but don’t… touch me.”
You flinch away immediately, but I catch the hurt look that flashes in your eye.
“Sorry…”
“It’s fine.”
You tilt your head and look at me. “Are you okay? You look like… something’s bothering you.”
Is it that obvious? “Uh, no. I’m fine.”
“Nick…”
“I’m fine. Really.” I rub my chin once, then put my hand at my side. “What job did you get?”
“I’m working the register at a music store.”
Oh. That’s… glamorous.
“I know it’s not the most amazing job, but the pay’s good. How’s the movie coming?”
You wouldn’t know, Joe. I’d be surprised if you knew the name of it.
“Uh, great.” I look down at the floor, the tension in the room bearing down on my shoulders. “I’m, uh, proud of you.”
Brief silence.
“...Are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’m fine!” I say quickly. “I just have a headache… I’m going to go lie down.”