In that particular moment I saw who I had least expected to see. She was perhaps the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, but she was also one who knew how to drive me to the brink of insanity with anger. For any guy I knew she could turn their head making them weak to their knees with her beauty. She was amazing to them, but I knew the venom that lies in her. She's not someone I am likely to entangle myself with, so I can easily ignore what she wears, and how well she wears it.
She tormented me for a life time, and the past two years staying marginally far from her kept me from breaking the urge to fight her back. I don't mean to fight her, but I mean to join her game and fight her with her mind games. I always thought that there was good in all people, but not in her, at least not then. I was her favorite punching bag back then; I had no interest in becoming that once more.
She was trudging along half carrying a wasted Gerald. It was impressive that a girl of any stature could support such a big guy. She had never been a weak girl so I should expect nothing less from her. She had grown her hair back out from the time she chopped it all off, and it was slung over her shoulders, a pale blonde looking whiter with Gerald's arm around her shoulder. Gerald was hard to miss from his size, and his loud mouth he developed when he had too much to drink. It's a good thing she didn't give up her love of exercising, and more than likely her joy of boxing. I was hoping that she wasn't still pounding on other people. We were much too old for that, but one never knows.
"Arnold! Hey, Arnold look who found me! It's Helga…G…Pataki," he said exaggerating her name, "She turned out to be a looker."
I laughed at him and then stopped quickly. I didn't want to see if she if she would still pound on me. "Gerald you might want to think of getting some other girl, she might not go to easy on you." I joked with him avoiding her eyes.
"Hey football head, long time no see huh?" she said laughing a quite yet confident laugh.
Her voice reminded me of Emma Stone, smoky and smooth. "
"We need to get him home he's not doing so hot. Seems good old Geraldo has had more than enough liquor for one night." She said laughing again. It was a laugh I wasn't used to hearing, but as long as she wasn't hitting me we'd be alright.
"Yeah I do believe that he is going to need a good dose of aspirin and coffee when he wakes up in the am." I said politely. If she was being kosher there was no way I was going to be the one to start something.
"Bananas." She said.
"What?" I said. What did they have to do with anything?
She smiled, and started gearing Gerald to the door. I took his other side, and we both smiled and gave nods to passing people as we walked to the door. "Hey hold on just a sec, I've got to tell Phoebe that I'm leaving. She's just over there I will be right back." She said.
I was certain that she was going to run off, and I'd be with Gerald alone. It was no biggie, but I appreciate honesty. She dropped his side, and I felt the weight go onto me. She scampered off to her friend. That was a friendship I never understood, but it really wasn't any of my business. I started Gerald forward again. He had gotten quite. He was either going to be sick soon, or he was going to pass out. If he became dead weight I wouldn't be able to handle him. I was going to have to get him to his dorm soon. He was cooperating with me at least on getting there.
There was a quick change in weight. "Hey, it seems like you almost got him to the door. I wasn't ditching you. Pheebs and I have a system, and I like to make sure she makes it back to her dorm from the guy's room." She said briskly.
"Okay. Thanks." I said unsure with that to do with that information.
"Bananas they are a massive helper for that hangover he is going to have in the morning. That's what I was going to say when I realized I needed to talk to Pheebs." She explained.
"Sounds great. I'll have to run out and grab some for him in the morning. He's got a 9 am class." I said pulling Gerald forward. He was still awake, but barely.
We finally got to my car. Thankfully I drove. She held him up while got the back door open. We got him in, and I closed the door. I had inherited my Grandpa's Packard. He broke down and bought a new car, and offered me his. I had done a lot of work to it, but it was worth it.
…..
When Arnold shut the green door to the back seat I stood back slightly awkward. It was a slightly awkward situation for us to speak again for the first time in years. I took initiative in myself, and opened the passenger side door and hopped in his car. A car I had been in before, but belonged to his grandpa at the time. He gave me a slightly surprised look, but said nothing. "I told you we'd do it. He's a lot of guy for one person to drag up dorm steps." I said laughing. I was trying to be chill. I know he had a limited amount of good memories of me. Most of them had to be blocked off by the many awful ones. I was pretty awful to him. I didn't really want to spend this time apologizing though. I would have to sometime, but I still had too much pride, and hadn't drank enough.
He started the car, and pulled off toward Gerald's dorm. "So, how had college treated you?" I said to make polite conversation.
"It's been good. I can't complain. My grandparents have been supportive, and we are close to finding my parents, and I'm not flunking so it's good." He said laughing.
"Well that's excellent news for you guys. " I replied. It was wonderful that his life was going well. He was the only person who I knew that was genuinely good. Genuinely good people rarely get what they want out of life. They rarely get the goods in life, and have a happy ending. I felt happy in that moment that he got what he was getting what he deserved. He was in essence an orphan child his entire life. I had the worst parents that a girl could have, but at least I knew where they were. The not knowing is what kills a person, the endless questions.
"Do you and Gerald share a dorm?" I asked still making polite conversation even though I understood why he wouldn't want to have a conversation with me.
"No, he has a roommate, and I don't. We are in the same building, so I can easily get him up for his class in the AM." He said not taking his off the road, or changing his position on the wheel. He was uncomfortable. He probably assumed I was still a hard ass. I don't blame him for it. I still had a mean streak, but getting away from my parents had helped me shape out a lot. I wasn't a bully, but I sure as hell would stick up for myself. Arnold never really knew me anyways, my outward appearance made it impossible for us to even establish a relationship of friendship. He'd never know how much I loved him, and still do. I assume it is a secret I'd take to my grave, well except for Phoebe's knowledge.
"I don't either. I like my privacy. It helps me think." I replied.
He pulled up alongside the building and cut the engine. He didn't say anything as we got out of the car, and got an officially passed out Gerald out of the car. I pulled Gerald out and Arnold got his other side and we got the big guy out. I bumped the door shut with my hip. "Do you have his key, or are we going to have to rock, paper, scissors, lizard, Spock for who's going in his pocket?" I said jokingly.
He did a small chuckle at my joke and said "No need he said. I have a spare."
"Great, because I can never remember the rules correctly." I said.
"Scissors cut paper, paper covers rock, rock crushes lizard, lizard poisons Spock, Spock smashes scissors, scissors decapitate lizard, lizard eats paper, paper disproves Spock, Spock vaporizes rock, rock crushes scissors. I believe that's the way it works." He said with a small chuckle.
"Well thank you for reminding me." I said, giving a slight smile lifting my head up.
We climbed the stairs as though lifting furniture. Football stars aren't light, and he was all muscle. When we got to the door Arnold got out his keys, and while balancing very carefully opened the door. Gerald's roommate wasn't in. It seemed the entire campus was at some party or another. It was easy to tell which bed was his. The entire room was messy, but his side had all of his football stuff, and pictures of his family. Arnold hit the lights, and we carried him to his bed. He kind of flopped down on the bed. He was passed slam out. He didn't stir when he hit the bed. Arnold, the good guy he is, slid off his shoes and put them on the floor next to his bed. We walked to the exit, and I hit the lights going out. "Welp that was an adventure for the night" I said, "I have class in the morning so it's a good thing I was able to get plastered."
"Yeah, well he doesn't do it too often this bad, but every so often he lets really loose." He said calmly.
"It happens. Well I shall be going; I hope to see you around sometime. I promise, I won't pound on you." I said. I laughed making sure to cover my nervousness.
"Sounds nice. Well I'm in the dorm right about him, I'll be sure to take care of him in the morning so you don't have to worry. I'm just going to go to bed. Seems I'll have to party some other night." He said in the nice way to get me to leave.
"See you later football head." I said, chuckling again. I couldn't be upset with his unsocial manner. I deserved more than that, but he was far too kind. After what I did at our homecoming sophomore year he shouldn't have talked to me again. I shuddered that the memory, but there's nothing I can do about the past.
I walked back to my dorm. It wasn't too far of a walk. I stopped by my lake, and sat next to the water. I could still go back to the party, but I wasn't in the mood anymore. I wouldn't be able to put on the charm feeling this way. I had dealt with my demons, but no one knows that. I sat and looked at the water. Watching it reflect in the lights, and move slowly for a long while before going back to my dorm. I set my alarm, and passed out. I was hoping sleep would help wash away the feelings that I felt.
