Part-time Lover, Now Unemployed

"Hey…June-bug…?"

"Mmmph?"

"Uh…are you OK?"

Bleeker can be pretty clueless at times. Sometimes his expression looks glazed, his chin may quiver a bit and confusion causes his brow to furrow. Other times you know he hasn't quite gotten the point when his only response is: 'Um…yeah.'

That said, the Bleek-ster can also be as sharp as a tack. Take homework for example. And remembering track meets two weeks in advance. Or knowing just when to replace his locker Tic-Tac stash.

Unfortunately this time (and this is one of the few times I consider it unfortunate) he so happened to go all Carmen Sandiego on me ten minutes into Heathers. His innocent sleuthing made my stomach join the circus and my palms sweat. Nice going MacGuff, you've got all the subtlety of Maxwell Smart.

"Yeah I'm fine." I snapped my gum and fixed my eyes on the screen.

"Um…you kinda haven't said anything for a while…I…I was just worried…" Bleeker's meek voice trembled from where he was compulsively fiddling with the hem of his shirt. My throat hitched- was I being obvious?

I let out a shaky breath and tried to steel myself.

"I'm cool." I replied shortly, "I just haven't seen Heathers in like…a gazillion years. It's not everyday that you see a movie which could be the reason for the hole in the Ozone layer- check out all that hairspray!"

"Oh…OK then."

I spat out my gum and snapped off another length of licorice rope, chewing it feverishly and pointedly avoiding Bleeker's gaze. I can be a pretty big idiot sometimes. The kind of idiot where everyone slaps their forehead in unison and groans: 'nice going MacGuff!' Yes, this is another thing that you can add to the list of I'm-a-dumbass, hear-me-roar!

"Something's wrong." Paulie's quiet voice interrupted five minutes later. He was staring at me intently.

"No, nothing's wrong."

"Have I done something, Juno? Have I royally cheesed you off…?"

"No. It's OK Bleek." I sighed through gritted teeth. The guilt in my stomach started to bubble and I wondered if Coke and licorice rope was a good idea, "I guess I just had…I dunno, a bit of a bummer week, that's all."

"Are you ticked that I wasn't there or…well…yeah?" Bleeker chewed on his lower lip, as if bracing himself for a blow.

Guilty bile and angry heat rose up in one great flash like a science project volcano gone awry. It was as if I had ripped off a dirty Band-Aid the wrong way.

"Well, yeah, apart from the fact that I haven't seen you for, I don't know, three weeks, I've had a pretty shit week thank you very much. First your Mom treats me like I'm some sort of Satan-worshipping Bleeker-bandit and my lobster phone is really clashing with the vibe of my room. And then that super-prick Rendazo just so happened to kiss me the other day, but that's besides the point…but the major ticking off happened to be, and wait for it-"

Bleeker's brown eyes had widened and his chin started to quiver.

"How…how is Steve Rendazo kissing you beside the point, Juno?" He spoke softly. He looked like I had handed him an eviction notice or something.

"It was nothing, Bleek. Jerk-Off Jock's got no perception of personal space." I waved it off, trying to keep calm and casual as I could see my boyfriend visibly shatter.

"I…I didn't even know he liked you…" Bleeker whispered, his brow furrowing in irritation, more towards himself than anything else.

"Yeah, well it was the revelation of the century. Rendazo got lip-happy with that once-pregnant chick, big whoop." I replied dryly.

"If…if I had been there…" Bleeker was shaking his head in an attempt at 'protective boyfriend mode.'

That was when I lost it. Just as one of the Heather's choked on detergent (one of the best bits: blaaaahhh, cleaning agent! Die! Die!) I could no longer concentrate on the screen and whipped around to my wimp of a boyfriend.

"If you had been around? I don't know if you noticed Bleeker, but you kinda haven't been around for the past month!" I snapped, exuding the definition of 'cheesed to the utmost.'

"Don't be mad, June-bug." Bleeker shrank back before taking a deep breath.

"Don't be mad, huh? Sheesh Bleek, sometimes I wonder if our getting-together was like, severe airplane-syndrome or something." I remarked with an arched eyebrow. Bleeker looked bewildered.

"Airplane…what?"

"Y'know, airplane-syndrome. Like people who get together when they think the plane's gonna crash and they're going to be with the person sitting next to them for the rest of their life. Fools. Well, I guess me being up the spout was our airplane."

Bleeker blinked. He looked taken aback.

"I…I didn't just decide to go out with you because…you know, you were pregnant." He maintained.

"Oh yeah? And me waddling around school like a beach ball didn't make you feel kinda guilty and responsible in the slightest?" I sneered.

"That's really not fair. I've liked you since we were fifteen, and that's a fact. And I felt heaps guilty as soon as I found out you were pregnant, but we didn't get together that month, did we? No, you had to go ahead and break my heart and then get super-bitchy when I decided to take Katrina to the prom! And then it was only like, four months later that you finally decided that you loved me…"

"And do you still love me?"

"Yes!" Bleeker exclaimed breathlessly, confusion and frustration playing tug-of-war with his features, "I've loved you since we were sixteen, June-bug."

"Yeah? Then where the hell were you when I was at the mall? Why weren't you there when Rendazo decided to have a game of tonsil hockey and, goddamit Bleek, why weren't you by my side when I saw him!" I felt tears involuntarily sting my eyes. Damn those tear-ducts, I would have them surgically altered if I could.

Bleeker went deathly quiet.

"You're being really immature. You know I've gotta study."

I let out an angry hiss between my teeth.

"Oh, right, like you're the only one in Dancing Elk who has to study! Well if you happen to have forgotten, both Leah and I have exams as well! We don't seem to be in study lock-down mode!"

"It's not my fault, Juno. I've got college to consider-"

Bleeker's seemingly innocent defense cut me in a place I hadn't even considered.

"And you don't think I have the same sort of aspirations?" I narrowed my eyes and wrinkled my brow.

Bleeker's eyes widened with realization and panic.

"Juno, I didn't mean it like-"

"No, I get it." I interrupted bitterly, heaving myself off the beanbag. Bleeker scrambled after me, "It's what your Mom thinks, it's what the doctor thinks, it what every damn soul-sucker in Dancing Elk thinks! I was a pregnant teen, hey, I might as well add high school drop out to my list! Or even better: I failed my final exams!"

"Juno, you know I don't think-" Bleeker called after me as I marched towards the basement stairs leading up to the Bleeker household.

"Ah, ah! Don't risk talking to me, Bleek, you know I've got a rep to uphold! I mean, why else do you think you're Mom looks at me like I'm some kind of a rash? Or that everyone around here thinks I'm being groomed to be Rollo's replacement behind the drugstore counter? Have you noticed that no one but Crazy Cuthbert has asked what I want to do with my future? Everyone's like: 'oh Paulie Bleeker, he wants to get into an Ivy League college!' but me, it's just: 'oh, Juno MacGuff, she was the one that got knocked up at sixteen!'"

Bleeker's expression had crinkled.

"Why…why are you acting like this, June-bug…are...are you jealous…?"

I sucked the spittle through my teeth. I rolled my eyes dramatically.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fucking jealous! I'm totally envious that I'm not the one who is loaded up with exam papers and a Nazi Mom and hasn't even got time to see their freaking girlfriend! I'm just writhing on the floor here because I'm the one who hasn't had some jerk try to stick his tongue down their throat and then so happened to run into their biological son! Yeah Bleek, you know, I totally want your life."

Amongst my tirade, something registered with Bleeker.

"Patrick…?" He swallowed, appearing paler (if it were possible since he'd already whitened when I decided to be the evil, mean bitch he always knew he'd never marry).

"Nice to know you're listening to see what I've been dealing with." I huffed snarkily.

"What…what about Patrick…?" Bleeker gulped, steadying himself as we faced off.

I rolled my eyes and pretended to be blasé about the whole thing, although Bleeker damn well knew I was simmering like a pot almost on boil.

"Oh, you know, it wasn't a big deal and all. Just saw Vanessa at the mall and then, wham-bam! I cop an eyeful of the progeny I never knew! Apparently he takes after his father. He's got a good set of legs on him."

Bleeker instinctively looked down on his jean-clad legs and then looked back up at me.

"But…what could I have done?" He concluded meekly then took another deep breath, "It's not like I could have prevented it, June-bug!"

"Yeah? Well you could have at least been there! Sometimes I wonder if you're still my boyfriend-"

"Please don't say that Juno…"

"- because the year's not even up and you're already in maximum isolation! I'm not gonna wait around just to get my once-every-fortnight dose of Paulie Bleeker!"

"What do you mean, Juno?"

"What I mean, Bleek, is that its fine if you want to put all your time into your exams and college, 'cause dammit, you're probably gonna get out of Dancing Elk as fast as you can and end up in, I don't know, Boston or someplace! And where am I going to be, huh? I'm probably still going to be here, kicking around and swiping old furniture sets. Maybe with you gone I could probably get a proper band started! Tino's a shit drummer and you're not much better on guitar-"

"You're being really selfish, Juno."

"Well at least I make the effort to see my boyfriend!" I hollered, my fists clenched and tears stinging my eyes. I was being an idiot. A royal idiot. But since when did sense ever tap me on the shoulder in these moments?

Bleeker was silent, his lips pursed into a thin line and recoiled like he had been punched. I let out an angry huff and flailed my arms.

"Look, forget it Bleek. Forget the whole thing!" I pushed my brown hair out of my face and sighed.

"Are you breaking up with me?" Bleeker ventured from across the room.

I swallowed and lifted my gaze to his. I suddenly realized how tall he had gotten. Unshed tears made my throat ache and my eyes throb.

"Yeah," My voice faltered, "I think I am."

If we had played that scene in slow motion I would have seen Bleeker visibly crumble. But he had more pride than to fall in a heap at my feet. His brown eyes were glazed and he had chewed at his lower lip furiously. He had lifted his chin bravely.

There was silence. The most awkward silence ever imagined.

Bleek was the first one to break the stand-off.

"Well…" He swallowed and scratched the back of his neck, "What now…?"

I sniffed and rubbed the cuff of my jumper across my eyes to disguise the tears that had begun to fall.

"Oh, I don't know," My voice quavered as I tried to keep up my indifferent façade, "I guess I'll just see myself out."

Bleeker was silent. Frozen to the spot.

I shuffled my Chucks and turned away from him, starting up the stairs.

"See you at school, Bleek."


Of all the nights, this night had to be the worst. Suddenly, I was Bleeker-less, and it was like a fog had descended upon me. I didn't remember stalking my way home, bundled in my layers against the wintry cold, tears flooding down my cheeks, my vision blurred and choked sobs hiccupping from me every once in a while. I didn't remember fishing around for the Previa keys in Bren's Labrador bowl.

I was surprised that after two years I still knew the way.

The old Previa trundled down the impossibly clean streets of Toy-Town, Jesus-Nowhere. McMansion after McMansion rolled by and I could still pick out the Loring residence from every other landscaped, security-gated, faux-Neo-Classical cardboard-cutout in this place. It still looked the same, except the hedges weren't as neat, the lawn didn't look exactly even and one of the lamps leading up the pathway had blown. A toy truck had been abandoned in the front yard.

I pulled a U-turn and turned off the ignition in shrouded darkness. Lights had started to come on in the neighboring houses, showing off their pristine decorating schemes and walls painted Baby Blush pink. Two downstairs and one upstairs room glowed in the Loring house. A lanky, unmistakably female shadow stretched against the custard colored walls in the upstairs room.

Vanessa.

I swallowed and let out a shaky sigh. My eyes, puffy and sore, squinted in the darkness. Why was I doing this to myself? Talk about rubbing salt into the wound.

My mind started to whir with the possibilities. Glancing at the little dashboard clock, 6:45, I started to wonder about the activities that would take place in abode of Vanessa Loring. Would dinner have been cooked and eaten? Would Patrick have been bathed? Was it time for a bedtime story about trucks, dogs, robots, balloons or whatever he liked? Would she wish him goodnight, kiss the top of his head and leave the night-light on?

My fingertips paused at the latch of the Previa door. I was tempted to open it, march up the pathway and announce myself with my signature knock on the door.

But then I stopped. Two years.

They've had their own lives, I have mine. And if I arrived unannounced, Vanessa would probably summon Gerta Rauss…and nobody wants that.

I banged my head against the steering wheel.

"Fuck this!" I reprimanded myself and brought the Previa into rumbling life.

Stealing one last look at Vanessa's utopia, I floored the accelerator. Back to my shit-hole in Dancing Elk.


Author's Note: Firstly I would like to say thank you to the amazing response I have gotten for this little fiction! All I can really say is: wow, you guys are awesome! Secondly: Juno/Bleeker fans, please don't skewer me and roast me alive! You'll just have to stay tuned to see what happens next.

I have planned for a while to make the following chapter from Bleeker's perspective. It's time to hear from our Golden Boy, I say. So keep reading, trundle on down to that button below and let me know what you think/ vent your frustration and prompt me to write a little faster.
Sunday Smile.