I Know The Way You've Been Living

I can’t believe that I’m finally in my senior year; I finally got my life back on track by focusing on the important stuff, my future. Since my first day in high school my mom has been relentless in reminding me of how important a college degree is and how much she would be proud if I could get into Yale’s law major. Since then, I have been busting my ass off trying to get the best GPA and the highest score in class, except for Math. I hate that class more than I hate Mondays.

It has been almost a month or two after the whole incident, so far I’ve been doing better than I expected. I’ve been focusing more on my work, my transcripts and redoing all my unfinished work from freshman year. I haven’t seen Brian as much as I used to, we would still randomly run into each other in the kitchen or by the pool but other than that, we don’t see each other anymore.

He tried calling me one day, I didn’t mean to ignore it but at the time I was taking a shower so it went to voicemail. I tried calling him back but he didn’t answer and he hasn’t called me ever since. Some part of me are relieved that he finally gave up and move on, but another part of me died because I know that he had given up and moved on.

“Knock – knock” I turned around and saw Zacky standing there holding a bottle of beer.

“What’s up Zack? Shouldn’t you be practicing or something?” I shut my laptop and turned around on my chair.

“Yeah, we’re practicing downstairs, come on down they guys are asking about you. Stop studying so hard Mel, or you’re gonna blow up soon” He chuckled, he’s so not funny.

I hesitated, the guys are asking for me… Or Brian?

“Fine, but I don’t want to play those tickling game that Jimmy always forced me to… I don’t wanna piss my pants again this time” I stood up and walked towards Zacky.

He laughed. “Okay, promise!”

Zacky bounced down the stairs like a 5 year old having a sugar rush and by the time I reached the last step of the stairs, Jimmy was waiting for me with his arms stretch as if he was trying to catch me.

“NOOOOO!!! FUCK NO JIMMY NOT AGAIN!” I ran towards the backdoor and out to the swimming pool, Jimmy was chasing me around the pool and back into the house. The last time this happened, Jimmy and Matt tickled me until I literally pissed my pants.

“Come here you little pigeon, come to Jimmy” He put his hands up, imitating a giant on the run.

“Jimmy! Please stop it my stomach is hurting!” I said laughing so hard; my stomach is starting to hurt from all the running and the laughing at the same time.

“Okay guys! Time out” Zacky jumped between Jimmy and I. “stop running around or I’ll tell mom!”

Jimmy’s face fell and he sat down right that second, he’s kind of scared of my mom for some reason. I laughed at his reaction and sat down next to him, he patted my head, “Good game Baker, good game”

“You’re not so bad yourself Sullivan” I shook his hand and the guys went back to whatever they were doing. Matt and Brian went back to their game of Call of Duty team death match, Zacky went back to polishing his guitar, and Jimmy and I just sat down and watch Brian and Matt played.

That went on for about an hour until Matt stood up and smashed the joystick into pieces.

“FUCK! I fucking hate this game” He threw his hands in the air and walked to the kitchen. We all stared at him and burst out laughing, this is the third time he broke Zacky’s PS3 joystick because he lost the team death match. He always replaced it though.

“I need a smoke, I’m gonna go out back” Matt grabbed a beer from the fridge and walked out back to the pool. As if on cue, all the guys dropped everything and followed Matt to the backyard after grabbing a bottle of beer from the fridge as well.

I wanted to get back upstairs since none of the guys asked me, just when I turned around towards the stairs, I felt a hand grabbing me by the arms.

“Melanie, can I talk to you for a minute?” Brian was staring down at me; I’ve never seen him so serious. I hesitated but I figured it wont hurt, I kinda miss him anyway.

“Yeah, sure. What’s up?” I leaned back to the couch.

“I wanted to apologize about what happened the last time we talked, you didn’t give me enough time to think and I was just kind of taken aback with your question. I just wanted to sort things out and give you an explanation.”

I nodded

“ever since that time you forced me to the mall to get a new phone, there’s something in me that I really can’t explain. I feel things that I shouldn’t have and I thought by ignoring you those feelings would go away. But they don’t, Melanie, they only grew stronger and-“

He was cut off by the sound of the front door slamming shut. We both turned our attention to the door and we both saw steaming angry Michelle barging in and stomping towards Brian.

“Michelle? What are you doing here?” Brian looked more frightened than surprised.

“You don’t get to ask questions you fucking asshole! You’re done here; you’re coming with me. NOW!” She screamed to Brian’s ears. “And you can kiss my ass you little bitch!” She pointed at me, yanked his arms and dragged him out of the house and into his car. Leaving me here sitting with my mouth hanging open.

Suddenly Matt and Jimmy slide the door open, “What happened?” He asked

One minute we were talking about Brian’s feelings and the next he was being dragged out by his demon-screaming girlfriend.

Yeah, what the fuck did just happen?



Brian’s POV

Michelle drove the car as if somebody was going to give birth right this second. I was still shocked that Michelle showed up barging into Melanie’s house screaming like that. When we got home, Michelle went straight inside and slammed the car door, I flinched, she knows damn well I hate it when someone slammed my car door.

“Michelle! Come back here!” I yelled throughout the house, she was about to go up the stairs.

“What?” She retorted

“Would you mind explaining what the fuck is going on?! You can’t just go into people’s home and scream like a lunatic like that. What the hell is going on with you?” I raised my voice at her. I was exasperated.

“Fuck, YOU are the one who’s got some explaining to do you son of a bitch! Yeah, I heard your little conversation with that little bitch; I also heard what she said to you weeks ago when she came here. Would you mind explaining THAT?!” She shoved me back to the wall, I groaned. I didn’t see that coming at all.

“Don’t talk like that about Melanie! She didn’t do anything to you Michelle”

“Oh so you’re on her side now? Fuck you Brian! Admit you have feelings for her, admit it!” She stared at me with her piercing brown eyes, I have never seen her so… venomous.

I know I have gone past busted, so there’s no point on lying to her.

“Yes, I do” I looked down to my shoes, now I feel bad for doing this to Michelle. I could just tell her that I’m not in love with her anymore, but instead I did this to her.

I looked up and saw her eyes filled up with tears. “Michelle, I’m sorry” I moved closer to touch her face, but she took a step back and shook her head.

“I’m going to give you a choice, mostly because I still love you even though you just broke my heart into a million pieces”

I stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

“You’re going to have to choose, either be with me and never see Melanie again, or you can choose Melanie but we are done, Brian”

Shit.