I usually never like to post a new fic while I'm still working on another. But seeing as though tomorrow is Iwait4theRain's birthday, I couldn't resist. This is a pre-movie fic, spun off of a detail from Romeo and Juliet that West Side Story lacks: the idea that Tony had a previous love interest before he met Maria. Hope you enjoy and happy birthday to my buddy! :3
"What…what do you mean break up?"
"Angie, it's not you, it's…"
"It's me, I know! And to think you waited until afterwards to tell me this! Now I feel like…a…a…whore!"
Tony watched his girlfriend of almost a year whip a brush through her hair. She then began straightening out her blouse, staying focused on the tiny buttons and not meeting Tony's eyes. Tony didn't want this to become a huge scene, which is why he'd gone over exactly what he was going to tell Angie for about a week. Unfortunately, he didn't take into account when he was going to tell her. The words just sort of came out…at a very inconvenient time none the less.
"Angie, don't say that. You're a great girl, I just…I think we should see other people."
"Other people? Other people? Tony, I gave you the best year of your life and you want to get rid of that?"
Tony slammed a fist down onto his bed. "No, Angie, I've loved all the wonderful times we've shared, but…but it's time for us to go our separate ways."
"Fine. Fine Tony! Fine! You wanna call it quits? Then go right ahead! Try to find another girl who's as wonderful as I am!" Angie grabbed her purse off of the dresser and opened up the bedroom door.
"Angie, at least let me walk you to the door," Tony offered. Angie shot him a less than desirable look.
"No thank you Tony."
Tony listened as the apartment door slammed shut. As Angie stomped down the stairs, she passed Riff on his way back up.
"Hey Angie. Leavin' kinda early, ain't ya? What, ya didn't like the suggestion I gave ta Tony?"
"Oh stuff it Riff!"
Riff smirked. "That an invitation?"
Angie clenched her fists together, and after shoving Riff out of the way, continued down the stairs. Riff just shook his head.
"Man, Tony sure knows how to pick 'em."
On the rest of the way upstairs, Riff mulled over what possibly could of gone wrong tonight. He still remembered the time Tony had come home soaking wet and blamed it on a walk through the park with Angie. Riff hadn't pressed for details.
"I broke up with Angie," was the greeting Riff received from Tony when he opened up the apartment door. Tony was sitting on the couch, his shirt half buttoned up and his eyes staring at the blank television screen.
"So that's why her panties were in a bunch?" Riff wouldn't say it out loud, but he was a little glad Angie was gone. Sure, he was willing to admit that Angie was an attractive girl; there were few guys at their school who wouldn't admit that. Then there were all the stories of the special shows Angie would give her dates at the movies. Still, Riff always thought Tony deserved better than that.
"Oh God, you saw her?" Tony asked nervously. The last thing he needed was Riff making Angie even more upset by saying some smart ass comment to her.
Riff nodded as he plopped down in a chair. "What did ya tell her?"
"I told her that I thought it was time for us to see other people."
"Damn Tony; see, that's where ya made yer mistake. Chicks hate it when ya say that ta 'em, cuz it makes 'em think yer already seein' someone else."
"Well you heard me practicing what I was going to tell her, why didn't you tell me then?
"Cuz I didn't think that ya was really gonna tell her; I thought ya was too nice."
Tony rolled his eyes; Riff was being a little less than helpful, but Tony couldn't blame him. After all, it had only been a few weeks since Tony pinned complete leadership of the Jets on Riff. Maybe breaking up with Angie was also part of Tony's desire for a fresh start. "Yeah, well…things change Riff."
Riff rested his heels on the coffee table before replying. "The hell they do." Riff paused, his eyes shifting downwards. "The Jets, they ain't the same without ya Tony."
"Riff, I've told you: I've had it."
"Apparently," Riff sniffed.
Tony sighed and rested his face in his hands. "God, I hope I did the right thing. I mean, Angie was great…at first. But she…"
"…was whiney, hard to please. An' Tony, I bet you don't even know what her real face looks like," Riff filled in for his friend. Tony glanced up, smiling a bit.
"Thanks Riff."
"No problem. Tony, I wouldn't say this ta many people, and if ya ever repeat what I'm about ta tell ya ta any of the guys, I'll have ta kill ya, but, I bet somewhere out there, there's the perfect chick fer ya."
"You're just saying that."
"No I ain't." Riff gave Tony a light punch in the arm. "Tony yer my best pal; I'd never lie ta ya."
Tony looked back to the television. The perfect girl; it sounded nice. Whether she existed though, Tony wasn't sure. But Tony knew one thing, the next girl he pursued had to really be something. He wanted to feel the earth pause the moment he spotted her and to feel as though it was only the two of them. Most of all, he wanted to feel a connection when he saw her. Not just a physical connection, but a connection of just...knowing he'd be happy with her. Forever.
"Well I'm not planning on seeking out that perfect girl for a while."
"What? Angie do ya enough ta hold ya over for a bit?"
Tony picked up the couch cushion and slapped Riff. "Shut up! And when I do find that perfect girl, you better not talk to her like that."
Riff hopped up from the couch and did a mock bow. "Fine; I'll be the perfect gentleman. 'Sides, I'd feel like an ass for chasin' her off, especially if she's just the one fer ya, cuz we're womb ta tomb, right?" Riff asked, extending his hand forward.
Tony smiled; Riff could say some really insightful things when he thought about it. "Birth to Earth."
"Good. Now come on; we can go tell the rest of the guys yer a free man again."
As Tony stood up, he cocked his head to the side. "What, were you guys betting on when Angie and I were going to break up?"
"If it makes ya feel better, A-Rab bet the two of ya wouldn't last a month."
"Riff! What about being a perfect gentleman?"
Riff shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to feign a clear conscience. "That's the next girl. Angie is fair game."
Tony watched Riff slip out the apartment door. No matter how much Riff liked to pretend, things were changing. In a month, both Tony and Riff would (somehow) be graduating high school. And while Riff planned to spend his summer kicking back with the Jets and plotting against the Sharks, who were, as Riff put it, the Jets new problem, Tony had other ideas. He had a job in the works, and sometimes Tony caught his mind wandering to thoughts of his future.
"Tony, ya coming?"
Tony looked up. Riff had his head in the door as he waited for an answer.
"Yeah; give me a minute."
Riff nodded. Before he closed the door though, he said one last thing to Tony. "Tony, I was thinkin'. Summer is soon here, an' no matter what happens this summer, like ya findin' that girl or whatever else might happen, know I'll always be willin' ta give ya my two cents on somethin'. I mean that."
Maybe Riff was thinking of the future too, because out of all their years of friendship, Tony couldn't recall a time Riff had said this many helpful things in a such a short amount of time.
"Thanks. Glad to know you'll always be around to listen."