Life on Banana Street

Birthday Party

A week later, things weren’t the same between me and Gabe. He always looked ashamed; as if he did it on purpose.

“Gabe, you have to let it go.”

“Let what go?”

“You know what I’m talking about.”

He looked at the ground, like he was before I spoke.

“Oh come on, I know what would cheer you up.”

“Yeah. Nothing will cheer me up. Not even that.”

“Jolly Ranchers won’t cheer you up?”

“Oh. Yeah those will. I thought you were talking about…something else…”

“Psh. I’m not ready for that yet.”

“Yeah me neither.”

“Well good because it’s not going to happen for a very long time.”

“Oh we’ll see about that.”

“What does that suppose to mean?”

“Nothing…Nothing at all.”

I jumped in his lap and put my arms around his neck.

“Tell me.” I quickly kissed him.

“I can’t explain it, but…let’s just say chicks can’t resist me.”

“Well of course they can.”

His face of gloat went away with the look of confusion replacing it.

“I’m kidding, baby! I can’t resist you, but I can resist sex.”

“Well I’m glad you’re just kidding.” He kissed me romantically and after that, I went in the kitchen and fixed dinner.

“Baby, what do you want for dinner?”

“Um…Spaghetti.”

“Okie Dokie.”

-June 25, At Night-

“Addie! You’ll be 22 tomorrow! How do you feel?”

“Old.”

He laughed at me and kissed me softly.

“That’s what I love about you, baby,” he said putting his arms around me waist, holding me tight.

We fell on the bed exactly like that and fell silently asleep.

-The Next Morning-

I woke up expecting to see Gabe in front of me, but he wasn’t there. I rose up quickly.

“Baby?”

No answer.

“Baby?!” I said getting up and walking to the open door.

I walked down the hall and about shit myself because as soon as I got there, everyone yelled, “SURPRISE!!”

“Oh fuck!” I said smiling. I saw almost everyone I ever knew: Billie, Canada, Mike, Jeff, Mitzi, Jeremy, Carly, and…someone I didn’t recognize that looked familiar. I went to him first.

“Hey, who are you?”

“Pete. Remember from graduation?”

“Um…yeah I think I do!! How have you been?”

“Really good, but I’ve been thinking about you.”

“What? I only met you once.”

“You know what they say about love at first sight.”

“Um excuse me, but I’m taken.”

“Not for long.” He kissed me and Gabe’s tension was like ants coming out of a ant hill after it’s been stepped on my a mean kid with a magnifying glass.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM DUDE?” He pushed him off of me with a nice thud against the wall behind him.

“What? I was just wishing her a happy birthday. Besides, she likes me more than you.”

“Pete! I don’t even know you.”

“Oh come on, don’t tell me that after the times we shared.”

“What times? I only said hi!!”

“I felt something between us there.”

Gabe couldn’t control himself anymore. He grabbed Pete by his jacket and literally threw him out of the apartment.

He turned around with his veins pumping and said, “Who’s up for punch?”

Everyone stared at him for a split second then said, “Me.” All at different times.

“Ah. I need a drink,” I said.

“Punch or milk?”

“Come on, Gabe. Tequila Rose!”

“Uh ok. Since you know, I am a bartender.”

“Right. I forgot about that.”

My party was so awesome. I met up with everyone. Something I wondered was how Gabe knew about all my friends. Some I’ve never mentioned. Like Pete. I spent what? 5 minutes with him? How could he have known who he was? I barely knew.

“Hey Gabe baby.”

“Yes Sugar Bun?”

I smiled. I loved it when he called me names like that.

“How did you know…about Pete?”

He looked at me, as if stalling.

“Well…How did you know?”

“I asked Canada.”

My insides burned. How did he know about Canada? I’ve never talked about her before.

“How do you Canada?”

“I asked Mike.”

This was a never ending chain.

“How do you know Mike?”

“We were good friends in kindergarten.”

Oh. Yeah, because he went to school with Mitzi. Oh ok.

“Oh. That’s all I needed to know.”

“Ok.”

I walked into the main room and some people were making out. *cough* Mitzi and Jeremy.

“Alright you two. Break it up.”

They quickly pulled apart.

“Yeah? Did you need us Ad?”

“No, there are young children here.”

She looked at me puzzled. “Where?”

I looked at Mike and she laughed.

“What?” Mike asked.

“Nothing. Just nothing.”

And he went back to talking to Canada. More like flirting even though they were already going out.

-A Wee Bit Later-

“Hey Addie? I gotta tell you something,” Canada said.

“What is it?” I asked leaving Gabe and he went into the kitchen area.

“I kinda did something bad.”

“Oh my god. You’re pregnant.”

“No. No. Not that. I got…”

“High? Drunk?”

“No. Not those either.”

“Then what the fuck did you do?”

“I got married.”

“To who?” I asked then smiling after she looked at me funny. “Just kidding.”

“But aren’t you mad?”

“Why would I be mad? It’s your life…It’s not like I’m your mom or anything.”

After what I just said, I paused and almost fainted. In fact, I did faint.

I woke up confused. God! Everyone left. I cried.

“Addie are you ok?”

“Yeah I’m fine.” Who was talking to me? The voice didn’t sound familiar. I couldn’t see yet. My eyes were still closed and I was afraid to open them.

“Ok good.”

“Um who are you?”

“Oh come on. Open your eyes.”

I was afraid. I was so scared.

“Open up.”

That sounded so wrong on so many levels.

“Why? Just tell me who you are.”

He touched my hand and suddenly brought back memories.

“Billie?”

“Yeah. How did you know?”

“Your touch.”

I opened my eyes and could see that he was smiling.

His smile always made me smile. No matter how shitty our relationship was.

“So Addie…how’s Gabe?”

“Good. We’ve already-”

“Ew!”

I laughed. “No. Not that. we’ve already said ’I love you’. Oh and grow up.” I said, pushing his head away playfully.

“Hey!”

I smiled at him and it got really quiet. Kinda like the first time he asked me out.

I laid back down with my arms as my pillow.

“Oh man, I miss the good old days.”

“What do you mean?” Billie asked.

“When we didn’t have a care in the world! No bills to pay…No adult drama…Being an adult sucks.”

“Yeah it does.”

“So Billie. Where you living these days?”

“Oakland. I got an apartment over there. It’s pretty sweet I guess.”

“Nothing’s sweet if you live alone.”

“Oh I don’t live alone.”

“That doesn’t count your mom.”

“Dang it! But no. She doesn’t live with me.”

“Who does?”

“My girlfriend. I don’t really like her that much. She has issues.”

“Then why are you going out with her?”

“She’s one of those girls who if you break up with her, she might kill you.”

“Oh I see. That sucks.”

“Yeah. I’m afraid of my own girlfriend.”

We laughed and fell on the floor.

“Oh that’s nice Billie. I really like your ass in my face.”

“Ha Ha.” He was wiggling it around in my face.

“Come on! Stop it! Stop it!”

I pushed him off of me and we stared at each other.

“I miss you, Billie.”

He looked at me with wide eyes.

“Seriously? I’ve never heard you say that before. It’s always me saying that.”

“No, I mean it. I really do. We always had so much fun together. I’m glad you decided not to be an ass and come to my party.”

“Yeah no problem. I’d be happy to do it.”

I heard Gabe come in the apartment door.

“Where did he go?” I mouthed.

He shrugged.

He came back in the room and saw me and Billie sitting on the floor.

“So, are you two done having sex?”

“We weren’t having sex…”

“Yeah. Uh huh.” I could tell he was joking. “I’m just kidding baby. You know I could trust you.”

“Yeah. You sure can.” Can he?