"Welcome back to Ask a Bitch! On 79.6 FM, with your host Sharpay Evans."
A station that had once been playing the top 40's had now switched over to some talk show he'd never heard of before. Deciding to indulge he reached to turn up the volume as he shifted in his seat. Troy looked at the radio clock for a quick second before looking back at the empty road his Ford Windstar was traveling along. It had been seven hours since his last stop and the drive was making it hard to stay up. Until his station got redirected to this talk show.
"So let me get this straight you have this boyfriend and he got a hair cut which now makes him look like you hot history teacher?"
"Does that count as cheating, is it even right?"
"Are you kidding no, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to live out a fantasy and not cheat."
"You think so?"
"If my boyfriend wakes up tomorrow looking like Brad Pit trust me I'm not going to be pissed and expect this show to be canceled!"
Laughter filled the air waves.
Troy chuckled himself and looked at the sign that said Albuquerque 5 miles. "Oh my god," He mumbled reaching down for his cold coffee and lifting it to his lips. Wincing he felt the grimy texture of the coffee slide down his throat as he placed it back in the cup holder. He needed to get more coffee.
"So our next topic is called I sleep with my son's friends. Let's talk about your freaky stuff? I know there are cougars out there in Albuquerque. Just the other day Gabi here, was flirting with a high school student."
"Hey, I didn't know he was in high school."
This voice wasn't like the caller before; this voice came in clear and smooth. She was in the studio as well. Troy squinted as he saw a sign in the distance for a Dunkin Doughnuts. Coffee.
"Don't tell me, I know what kind of freak you are. Talk to the people; tell them about your experience."
"Hey, I swear he looked at least 27."
"Tell everyone how old he really was."
"God I hate you. He was 18."
"So he was a high school senior, not to bad and legal so why not?"
"I'm 30 years old I am not dating a high school boy."
"But you would have settled for a 27 year old ass. Huh?"
"I have limits."
Troy turned off the car and got out as he walked towards the entrance with a smirk. The radio show was if anything else at least amusing. Coming into the empty restaurant he walked up to the counter and was surprise to hear the show continue. The was a two girls behind the counter listening to it on a small radio both hovered around it like it had all the answers to life.
For a moment he debated turning around, he thought about avoiding them altogether. Looking around he spotted a camera in the left corner of the counter watching him with judgment. Two years ago walking into a room with two teenage girls had been an everyday occurrence, something he hadn't thought twice about. Now he hesitated, he stalled, he waited for the pointed looks and fearful glazes.
When nothing happened his shoulders loosened just bit as he decided to walk up to the counter. He had to remember he wasn't in Miami anymore. It wasn't still in his old hometown where everyone had known who he was. He had to get himself accustom to the fact that he was now the only one in the room who knew about the past. He was only one who felt the tension and fear.
Many would say that returning back to teaching was a horrible idea after what he'd been through. There was no way he'd be able to trust his judgment, know when things were crossing a line, or even be able to provide the one on one that some students may need. The bottom line was that Troy was a teacher, he'd been teaching for almost 12 years, and before last year he absolutely loved it. It was a habit he couldn't break, the only lifestyle he knew and he used to be great at it.
"Excuse me?" Troy held up a hand to catch the girl's attention, "Can I have a medium coffee, two creams, and one sugar?"
"I'll do it," The girl with green stripes in her hair stood up from her worshipping position by the radio and walked over to the coffee pot.
"Thanks," Troy said politely as he reached in his back pocket for his wallet. The restaurant was quiet except for the voice coming from the radio.
"I bet our girl Cathy here wouldn't mind tapping some 18 year old booty. Would you?"
"I can't believe I'm on the air, I love you guys!"
"Awww, thanks, and trust me we love you too, so tell us about your dirty little secret."
"Well, I love meeting my son's friends. They have all this energy and curiosity about things. I love answering their questions."
"Well hand Cathy here a ruler! Now you have to tell us do you ever role play?"
"Oh god yes, why not. The great thing about the young guys is that they're still in shape!"
"How old is your son."
"22 years old"
"And if you don't mind me asking how old are you my naughty little Cathy?"
"Oh god… I'm 45 years old!"
"Are you a sexy hot momma?"
"Hell yea I am! I keep myself in shape ever since the divorce, I look better, I feel better and my sex drive is through the roof."
"That is sexy."
Troy let out a breath as he shrugged his shoulders. "Where was she when I was 22?" he joked stiffly, trying to relax as he waited for his coffee. When he turned back to see the girl coming to the counter with his cup he got anxious to be out of there.
"$4.65" she said with a smirk as rung him up. "You passing through or moving in?"
Troy raised a brow as he handed her the money, "I'm sorry," he hadn't been prepared for conversation. He'd been prepared to take his coffee and hightail it out of there.
"Your Van's packed with crap," she said motioning to his car outside, "You didn't drive all this was in the middle of the night for a cup of coffee. You're going somewhere."
Troy let out a small laugh, "Yea, my grandmother left me a house here, so figured I'd move in for a bit and fix it up."
"Sounds like something on TLC," she said handing him his cup.
"Yeah," Troy let out a sigh, "It does, doesn't it," reaching for a napkin he looked over at the other girl who was still entranced by the show she was listening to.
"Sharpay Evans is a big deal down here," the girl with the green stripes said.
"Her radio show is …amusing."
"Well, it's totally inappropriate and it's run by three girls. It gets a lot of attention," she said placing a hand on her hip before speaking again, "good and bad."
"I see that," Troy said as he picked up his coffee from the counter, "Well, you girls have a safe night."
"You too," she said with a small smile.
Troy turned and headed back to his car, a girl like that had to be in high school. His brows shot up as he turned to look back at the girls as they gathered by the radio once more. They had to be no more that 17 or 18. Working this late on the side of the road, listening to that show, it all kinds of bad influences. Fishing his keys out of his pocket he opened the door and got in. His Albuquerque adventure was off to a strange start.
"Is it time to go home yet?" Gabriella looked down at her clip board as she watched Sharpay reading over her notes and sipping her coffee cup. They were on a commercial break and Taylor was rounding up calls as Sharpay leaned back and flipped through the page in her notebook. Producing Sharpay's show wasn't exactly what she saw herself doing with her college education in communications but she enjoyed it and she wouldn't have had it any other way. Although, her parents on the other hand, would have preferred if she done something a little more tasteful with her life, something that included a husband, a white picket fence and a couple of grandchildren. Looking down at the switch board in front of her she let out a sigh as she tried to push all her personal family drama to the dark corners of her mind.
"What's up girly?" Sharpay said looking over at Gabriella. The whole show was done in a studio with a big round machine in the middle of the room. They called it Betty, after their idol Betty White. Betty was covered with computer screens and switch boards everywhere. Sharpay sat in front of the mic and currently her head phones were on the table in front of her as watched Gabriella with concern. Taylor was busy talking to callers and flipping between phone lines to notice their conversation.
"Tired I guess," Gabriella said, she sat in front of four computer screens and main switch board. Her job was to make sure everything went off without fault.
Sharpay frowned as she looked at Gabriella. "Well on the plus side at least it's Friday," she said with a smile.
"Tell me about it," Gabriella rolled her eyes as she sat up in an effort to stretch out her back. "Do you have plans for this weekend?"
"Party here, party there same old public relations bullshit," she said with a shrug.
Gabriella offered a soft smile; Sharpay was the star of the show, without her there wouldn't be a show. She was also one of Gabriella's best friends from high school. Her parents had also forbid them from hanging out together, but Sharpay was the kind of girl who didn't let a little thing like authority get in her way. Looking down at her phone that rested on the table she had three missed calls from her mother. Looking back up at Sharpay she shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I will be reading a book this weekend."
Sharpay let out a laugh as she looked at Gabriella endearingly. Reaching up she picked up one of her golden blond strands and began twirling it between her fingers. "Man I miss being able to just read a book."
"I rarely get to do it anymore either," Gabriella shrugged as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Ready?" Taylor asked with a smiled as she pulled a headset down.
"Bring it," Sharpay said picking up her head phones and placing them on her head. It was an effortless and flawless transition in her demeanor. Like a flip in of switch everything changed and Sharpay went from small town girl to sexy air wave kitten."Welcome back to Ask a Bitch! On 79.6 FM, with your host Sharpay Evans. You got questions, I got answers call in at 1-800-779-6209 and I'll hook you up because I got your crazy right here, baby!"
Troy sighed in relief as he flipped on his turning signal he finally reach his turn. He needed a rest stop but he knew as soon as he got to his Grandmother's house he could just set up a small bed and knock out for night. His cell began to buzz again and he looked down at it for second and decided he would return the call in the morning.
"So what is your question Tammy?"
The voice from the radio was back and Troy adjusted the knob once more so he could hear.
"What is up with the fade way? I've been dating this guy for one year and all of a sudden he just stops call contact and it's been a month since I've seen him. Like, seriously, do I move on or do I give him some space?"
"Girl, I hate to break it to you but it might be time move on. As soon as someone in the relationship starts to pull away there is no going back. You can't fix it. Save you self the struggle call him directly and break it off. Trust me on this."
"Why do I have to call him?"
"When it comes to men you have to remember three things Tammy. One, men cannot change their ways unless they make that step themselves. Two, men suck at starting relationships, and three men suck at break ups."
"Oh god that's so true."
"Men are always going to take the easy way out because they don't know how else to end it and they're hoping you'll end it and at this point if you just get this break up over with. You can move on, get closure and you risk being a cheater or a slut."
"So make the break up official."
"As harsh as it sounds yes my love you gotta break him off."
Turning off the radio Troy drove in silence not interested to hear the aftermath of this conversation with Tammy. All he had to do was find his new house and set up for the night. Pulling into a side street he looked at the written address on a slip of paper and slowly pulled up to a small grey house that seemed to be genially in good shape. Parking the car he got out and opened the back for a few of his things. Tomorrow the movers would be here with the rest of his stuff and he would be able to get more settled in. Tonight however all he needed was a goodnights rest.
Stretching his arms over his head, Troy grabbed his duffle bag from the rear. He had placed the keys to the house in the duffle bag, now standing on the dark porch he realized that had been a poor choice on his part. Miracles of miracles his hand closed over them on the second dip. Moments later he was inside, walking around flickering on lights and opening windows to relieve the stuffy, musty smell. He passed quickly through the living room filled with heavy old fashion furniture, the two bedrooms with their stripped bare beds and his tour in the kitchen.
He walked to the back door and stepped onto a broad porch that overlooked a yard thick with grass, overgrown garden beds. A shed huddled in the left hand corner. He considered it briefly, and then decided he would inspect it later. Maybe tomorrow during the day just in case anything living with claws or fang was sleeping there.
His grandmother had died over a year ago now, but neither his parents nor his aunt had gotten around to doing anything about it until now. It seemed like everyone agreed that Troy needed the time away, needed the new start and he took it. After all it was an opportunity, a new adventure. He'd make some friends, try to forget about his life back in Miami and who know maybe he'd meet new people. People who didn't know about him, or judge him based on lies and rumors. He just needed a fresh start and he was going to enjoy this 2nd chance and try to make the most of it. A chance to be a different man, a man who wasn't so good, or careful, or treated like a door mat, this was his chance to change that.
The thought of being a good man caused nausea to boil in his stomach. He'd been guilty of being a people pleaser all his life. He'd disappointed people to such a great extent recently that he didn't know who he was anymore. He wasn't sure he could call himself a good man; he wasn't an atheist necessarily, but he wasn't sure he could classify as a Christian either. These days the only things he had to define him was the fact that he loved Golden Oreos, developed a mad addiction to Breaking Bad, and he was insanely disappointed in himself and approximately half of the people who used to be in his life.
Looking around the house he let out a long sigh, he was a different man now, someone he hardly recognized in the mirror. Without needing to meet anyone he already knew he liked it here, most of all because no one knew who he was. No one would know about how royally he screwed up. He had gained firsthand knowledge about the domino effect of bad decisions. One wrong move could make everything around you tumble downward.
It was nearly two in the morning after the show was done and put to rest before Gabriella made it to her home. When she got there she was annoyed by a blue van parked in her normal spot causing her to have to circle the block. "Dick," She muttered as she found a new spot two blocks down. "I produce one of the best late night radio talk shows on air. You'd think the least I could get is a decent parking spot," she muttered in annoyance as she removed her heals and proceed to walk home. With two bags over her shoulder a sleepy Gabriella made her way up the walk to her home which was a small green heaven of neat and well paid for kept maintenance.
Whereas the grey thumb sore next door had over grown weeds and had been abandoned for some time. It was falling apart; it smelled and was a complete eye sore. A time or two she even thought the place was haunted. With a small shiver she looked back at the blue van she shook her head. "May you have four flat tires and not a spare in the trunk, asshole," she muttered as she took the steps up to her front door. Before she stepped inside a light caught her eye and she walked over to the edge of her porch to see a light on in the ugly house on the second floor. "They must have sold it," she whispered to herself, that or there was a ghost up there who needed the light on to their ghostly bidding. Gabriella frowned as she looked down at her keys and decided it was time to go inside. It was also time for a glass of wine.