Life on Banana Street

Well, it’s been about a week and I’ve had about all I can stand of Miss Texas over there. She was a stalker, really. Whenever I’d come in late, she’d say something like, “Did y’all ya know, do it?” So immature. I’ve called Billie every day this week and I still haven’t told him about Jeff. I’ll just wait it out. A knock on my door signaled it was that time of night that Jeff came around and we went out for dinner.

“Later,” I said to Mary Sue.

“Y’all come back now!” Jeff and I walked to his car outside and he said the worst thing you could ever say to another woman.

“Addie, have you gained weight?” I almost slapped that boy.

“No! I barely eat!”

“Anorexic much?”

“No, not really.”

“Because you seem to be getting bigger every day.” I felt really bad. That was the first time someone ever called me fat.

“Thanks, Jeff.” I didn’t look at him.

“But it’s not regular fatness…”

“Jeff, just shut up.”

“Ok.” I got in the car and thought about what Jeff said. It hurt my feelings a little. “I’m sorry, Ad. You just looked a little fat.”

“Now that you mention it, I do feel kind of fat.”

“See! I’m not a liar!”

“Shut up Jeff.” He banged(yes Jeff, banged) his head on the steering wheel.

“What the-”

“I was right Addie! Every time I’m right, I hit my head on something.”

“Oh, no wonder there’s not any bruises on your head.” He looked at me with blank facial expression.

“What? I have a right to be funny.” He gave me the same look.

“Jesus Christ man.” When we got back to campus a little while later, I didn’t feel so good, so I tried to make it to my bed, but fell on the floor beside my bed. I woke up and Mary Whatsername was staring at me intensively. “May I help you?”

“No, ma’am just wonderin’ why you’re not in your bed.”

“Long story.” I said the wrong thing.

“Tell me everything.”

“No, I think I’m going to go down to the cafeteria and get some lunch.”

“Lunch? Silly goose, it’s midnight you shouldn’t be up this late.”

“I-” I stopped myself before I hurt her feelings. I imagined all the bad things she could have done to me. “Can I get to bed now?”

“I don’t know, can you?” She laughed at her stupid joke. I forced out a laugh and grabbed the bed and climbed aboard. “Oh, your little boyfriend stopped by,” she said. I turned on my side facing the opposite direction of her. “Oh really? What did he say?” I sounded like a girl hiding a party from her mom.

“He told me to tell you,” she chuckled. “That he loves you. Oh doesn’t it just give you goosebumps?!”

“Oh, yes. It does.” I’m not the emo type but I will be if she’s so happy all the time.

“I remember when I had my first love. We’re over.”

“Oh, what happened?” Why was I talking to her? She burst out crying. “I don’t like to talk about it ok?!” Jesus Christ.

“Ok…Night.” I turned out my table lamp and lie there thinking about Billie. What was he doing? Was he thinking of me? Where ever he is, I hope he’s ok. I guess somewhere in the night I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to someone beating on the door. “Come in!” I yelled into my pillow. Jeff came in the room and sat on my bed. “Yes Jeff?” I said still in my pillow.

“Addie, I got some bad news.”

“What is it?”

“Ok, well Tre called-” I raised up and gave him a dirty look.

“No, let me finish. He called me and told me something bad.”

“What? He’s going to stalk me?”

“No, Addie this isn’t a time for joking around.”

“Well shit Jeff tell me already.”

He held my hands and said, “Addie, Billie’s dead.”