"Doing what?"
He smiles. "Getting a girl's number."
"Who?" Eve demands. "It better not be Heather. You'll get a disease. That girl can't keep her panties on."
"It's not Heather," he says, getting in the car.
Eve gets in on the passenger side, still lecturing Evan, her hands flying around.
"They're funny," I say as we watch them leave.
"Yeah, Eve is always making me laugh."
"So, about the game. Are you going tomorrow?"
"Yeah, but I'm working the concession stand. I could find you someone else to go with. Do you know Delia?"
"No. I haven't met many people yet. Just Eve and her brother, and now you. Oh, and Dean, but I'm not counting him."
She takes a moment to think. "Would you be open to going with a guy? Aaron's friend, Tate, will be there. Tate's really sweet, and he's not that into football. You could actually talk to him during the game."
"Thanks, but I don't think my boyfriend would like me going out with another guy."
As soon as I say it I remember that Chad's going to the game with Tamara. If he sees nothing wrong with going out with another girl, he should be okay with me going to the game with a guy.
"Tate's gay," Janelle says. "Your boyfriend has nothing to worry about. And it won't just be him. Aaron and his friends will be there too. It's a whole group of guys going. Some have girlfriends, some don't. What do you think? If you want to go with him, I'll tell Aaron and he can connect you guys."
"Maybe. I'll think about it and get back to you."
"Okay." She walks off. "See you tomorrow."
Should I do it? It'd be better than sitting home alone on a Friday night, and I'd like to see Dean play, even though I'm mad at him.
Back at the apartment, I'm in my room when my phone rings. When I see who it is, I almost don't answer but then I think about what my mom said and pick up.
"Hey, Dad," I say, with no emotion in my voice.
"Hey, honey!" He sounds all happy and cheery, which pisses me off. After what he did, he should be suffering, not living it up in California with a beach house, expensive car, and country club membership. "You finally answered."
"Yeah. What do you need?"
"I just wanted to talk. It's been awhile. How's the new school?"
Do I tell him I hate it to make him feel guilty? Or should I tell him it's good so we don't end up fighting? If I want his financial support for college, I need to play nice. It's sad I have to do this to get my own father to support my education but if that's what it takes, I'll do it.
"School is okay. I've already made some friends. I'll probably go to the football game tomorrow night. Mom has to work."
I should've left that last part out. He'll think I said it to make him feel guilty, and I did, but saying that stuff isn't going to get me what I want.
"You're not seeing Chad tomorrow?"
"No, he's going out with his friends. And I don't have a way to get there."
Damn, I did it again. I guilt-tripped him, but I didn't mean to. I was just stating a fact. Mom had to sell my car to help pay her legal bills during the divorce. Even if I'd kept it, we wouldn't be able to pay the insurance on it. It was a BMW. The insurance on it cost a fortune, especially for someone my age. I got it as a gift for my sixteenth birthday and sold it the day after my seventeenth. I loved that car. I miss it, but try not to think about it. I try not to think about any of the stuff I had in my old life. That was the past, and I need to focus on the future.
The phone is silent and I check to make sure he didn't hang up.
"So how's Madison?" I ask, using a fake happy tone. I'd rather say her name in a tone that expresses my disgust and anger at the bitch who married my dad, but that would just cause an argument.
