Abercrombie & Bitch

Friday, April 17, 7:05pm – Balcony of Rob’s apartment above Second Chance

“Cheers,” Rob announced gaily, holding up his glass of beer, “to Pookie!”

I rolled my eyes but clinked my glass (containing Dr. Pepper, not alcohol) with his. Apparently, a new guinea pig had come into Second Chance today. Rob and I were sitting on the balcony of the second story – also known as Rob’s apartment. It was our tradition, I guess. Unfailing tradition. Every time a new animal came into Second Chance, Rob and I had dinner together. Even if it was a guinea pig.

“Pookie?” I questioned, taking a bite of my hamburger. Rob’s specialty.

He grinned, flashing me a pretty smile. I never really understood how, but Rob’s been working here since he was fifteen – about five years. His parents owned it previously, I think, but when they left he refused to go with them. They figured since he was eighteen, he could figure it out on his own. He dropped out of his senior year of high school and kept Second Chance running, all on his own.

But that was two years ago. He made it about a month before he placed the Help Wanted ad, and a week later he hired me. It was a little strange, having an employer who was a senior I’d seen every day at school. After a while, it didn’t matter. Rob became one of my best friends, all strangeness considered.

He nodded and took a French fry in his mouth. “I had a hamster named Pookie when I was little. I liked the name, okay?”

I laughed. “I wasn’t criticizing the name, dude! Pookie’s awesome.”

“Oh.” He grinned sheepishly and stared at the table.

“So,” I started, taking another swig of my soda, “Twenty tomorrow, huh?”

I was proud of myself. I’d remembered that tomorrow was Rob’s twentieth birthday, something that was rare of me. I barely remembered my sister’s birthday, let alone my boss’s. But maybe because Rob and I were such close friends, it was easier.

I subconsciously moved my hand to the tiny bulge in my pocket, the one that contained Rob’s birthday present.

He smiled at me over his glass. “You remembered.” It wasn’t a question. It was almost like he knew I was going to remember. Which is, you know, strange. I didn’t remember it last year…

“Yeah.” I pulled out the item from my pocket and placed it on the table, sliding it across to him. “Happy birthday.”

He smiled like a kid on Christmas morning as he took the tiny package and ripped the paper off. His smile widened as he saw what was inside. “How did you get these?!”

Inside were tags for all of the animals in the shelter, made out of metal, put painted all different colors and patterns. Well, there one for every animal except Pookie, of course. But I’d get one for him (her?) later. I picked up Mowgli’s and called him over. He bounded up the stairs and into my lap within five seconds, and I clipped it onto his collar.

“I made them,” I muttered, hiding my face behind my chin-length brown hair. “I’m taking Art this semester, remember? That was my final project.” Then I blushed at how retarded that sounded.

Rob just beamed at me. “Of course I remember. I’m the one who told you to take Art, wasn’t I?” He shuffled through the little pieces of metal. I liked the sound they made when they clinked together. “These really are amazing, Mandy. Thank you.”

I cringed as a reflex reaction. Rob was the only one who was allowed to call me Mandy, mainly because he signed my paycheck… “You’re welcome.” I jumped as my phone vibrated in my pocket. I took it out and blinked at the screen.

Where are you? –Bryce

“Crap.” I picked up my bag. “Sorry, Rob. Boyfriend calls.”

He smiled, but for some reason it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Oh. You’d better go, then.”

I gave him a quick birthday hug before rushing out of the building. Different thoughts whizzed through my head, mostly about the upcoming break-up and the fact that Scotch wouldn’t stop gnawing at his paw, but there was something else. Something strange for me to be thinking about.

Rob smells nice.

-[-]-

Friday, April 20, 7:59pm – Park down the street
“I think we should see other people.”

Well, okay, I certainly hadn’t been expecting that.

I’d met Bryce at the little tiny park by the bay, where we almost always met, since it was so close a walk from our houses. I’d been late, of course, because of stupid Friday night traffic going downtown. But when I got there, I was greeted with a sour-looking Bryce.

My jaw fell open. “Excuse me?!”

No. Freaking. Way. Is. This. Happening.

It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. I was supposed to break up with him. Not the other way around. He was supposed to be feeling like crap. I was supposed to feel on top of the world.

Bryce sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know, Miranda, I just-”

“Wait a second,” I cut him off, holding up my hand to stop him. “You’re breaking up with me?!”

I didn’t know what was happening. My lungs started heaving in air on their own accord, my head was spinning like crazy, and my throat felt tight. I could just barely feel the tears threatening to spill at the back of my eyes, but I fought them back. No way was I going to cry because of this. Hell, wasn’t I the one that wanted to break up with him in the first place?

He looked at me with a worried expression. “I’m sorry. Really, I am, Miranda. It’s not you, it’s me.” Then he winced, probably because of using such a cheesy break-up line.

I took a few breaths to calm myself down. It worked surprisingly well. I’m used to this, I guess. “Okay.” And then I started to walk toward the fountain in the middle of the park.

Bryce followed me, just like I knew he would. I kept my mind focused on the tinkling sound of water flowing into the tiny pool, and not the heavy breathing in my ear. “Okay? That’s it?”

This really isn’t the best place for a break-up, let me tell you. All the trees were bunched in little groups of three or four, but you could easily find your way through them. It was nighttime, and everything was bathed in a purplish-blue tint, punctuated only by the stars shining overhead. I made a mental note to come here some time with another guy, even if it was only to make Bryce jealous.

I nodded curtly. “That’s it.” Walking up to the fountain, I took out my cell phone and glanced at it. “Can I see your phone for one second?”

His eyebrows furrowed as he walked in front of me, his back to the water, but he pulled out his own sleek, silver phone. Such a boy phone. “What do you need it for?”

“This.”

And then I shoved him in the water.

He landed with a gigantic splash and a strangled cry, but I was already too busy going through his phone. As I looked through the text messages, I saw that the most recent ones were from a girl. A girl who Wasn’t. Me.

The latest one?

Ashley<3: Have you broken up with that slut yet?

I clenched my fists in anger. So he’d been cheating on me. I should’ve known.

“What the hell is wrong with you?!” he roared, shaking out his hair. “Why would you-” But then he cut himself off when he noticed I was looking at his inbox. His eyes widened in fear. “Crap. Miranda, I-”

“My dirty little secret... Who has to know?”

Bryce was the only person in the world I knew that would give someone an All-American Rejects ringtone. That was my ringtone, by the way, but my phone was securely in my pocket. I glanced at the screen.

Call From: Ashley<3

My face remained impassive. Bryce became more and more anxious. “Please, Miranda, say something.”

I didn’t. Without a second thought, I threw his phone into the water and walked away. Bryce didn’t follow. Instead, he swore loudly.

“Why do you have to be such a bitch?”

I smirked at him over his shoulder. “You say that like it’s a bad thing."