Breaking Hearts Has Never Looked So Cool

“So you and Drew got hot and heavy last night,” commented Annabelle the next day when we were all congregated on and around Frank’s couch.

“Was it Drew?” I asked, not caring if I sounded like a slut. For one thing, I was completely and utterly comfortable amongst my friends; for another, by general standards, it wasn’t exactly shocking to not be able to quite recall who’s lips you were locked with last night.

“Did you…” she began, and she did not need to finish. I shook my head, knowing it was impossible – I was keeping my virginity in tact for that someone special; I guessed though, that now Annabelle had gotten with Mikey, her virginity would be ravaged soon enough. The thought made me feel a little sad – when we were 13 we pledged that we would wait until we were both settled with boys we really loved. I shrugged inwardly – I would never ask her about it, I would just retreat into myself.

“I didn’t think you would have,” said Annabelle matter-of-factly, “you’re not that type,”

The guys around the room were hanging on to what we were saying seriously, and this time, I felt a little more uncomfortable. Discussing the state of your virginity with all of your friends when all but one of them is male is slightly embarrassing. At least, for me, anyway.
“Seriously, Drew?” asked Frank incredulously, “he’s on the soccer team!”

“So?” I said sarcastically, “not everyone looks on that as a bad thing, Frank,” I added in a mock patronising tone.

“Hey, shut up you,” he said, hitting me with a nearby cushion.

“What other news is there?” asked Annabelle, entwining her hand further with Mikey’s. It was like they couldn’t get close enough to each other; even though they had only been going out for nearly 3 months, they seemed to feed off of each other – they were like each other’s lifeblood. Annabelle needed Mikey, and he needed her. She would get so drunk at parties that she wouldn’t be able to see straight – and Mikey would always be there to pick her up and make sure she was ok. I inferred that he needed her to feel loved and desired by someone. Everyone needs to be needed.

“Other than the fact that you two are the most annoying couple I’ve ever met?” quipped Ray sarcastically, “no, I don’t think there is any news,”

We all sniggered and Annabelle looked affronted, “just because you’re incapable of having a serious relationship,” she said snottily.

I thought it was a bit much to label her and Mikey a ‘serious relationship’ – in my opinion, 3 months barely constituted a proper relationship; but then again, I had to remind myself, I had never felt anything remotely like love before.

“Actually, I have a piece of news,” said Mikey, his face suddenly becoming more animated, “my brother Gerard is coming back to live at home because he can’t afford to live in New York City any more, for college and stuff, so when he comes back for Christmas he’s staying home. For good.” He looked excited, and it was easy to tell that he was deeply close to his elder brother. I felt a shoot of regret that I hadn’t ever even seen his brother (outside of family photos) when I was allegedly such a close friend.
“Ooh!” said Annabelle with interest, shooting a winking look at me, “Me and C have never met him before!”

“He’s an awesome guy,” Frank assured both of us, and there was a murmur of assent amongst the boys.

I could see the crackpot scheme forming in Annabelle’s mind as clearly as if I had x ray vision to see the cogs working in her brain. She would try to push me and Mikey’s older brother together, so that I would finally be attached – so she wouldn’t feel so guilty about being attached – and so that we could be dating people as close to each other as we were. I could see she had it all worked out. To her mind, I guessed, there was no one more perfect for me than Mikey’s brother, and she hadn’t even met him yet!