"Hey."
Jade.
"Hi Jade."
Nobody seems to need my help at the moment, and today I'm at the recovery desk sitting down for half of my shift.
I've helped like one person all day. Which seems low for December 13th.
"How are you?"
"Tired. Is there something you would like to talk to me about?" I send off.
I know her and Cat spoke at some point.
Part of me feels bad for going all volcanic on her…but I don't regret it. She needed to hear it.
She's immature, she's borderline irresponsible and I have had enough of it.
"Of course I do. You know I'm not the chit chatty type."
True.
"Ok. Talk. I'm all ears."
I just want the baby to come. That's all I'm here for. Just the sight of Cat upsets me.
The mental image of her and Cameron reenacting a porno is seared into my brain.
"She's really sorry you know."
Yeah. I get that.
The fact that she hasn't texted me says something.
"No shit Jade. She wants me to bond with the baby but get all up on Cameron and not get in trouble for it."
I'm at my wits end.
I didn't go home immediately after my trip to the pharmacy. I ended up at LA Live and watched movies until midnight.
Ignoring her panic stricken texts.
Then I went home, slept til 9, took a shower and left the house.
Yesterday I went down to USC and just hung out. Watched a production the theater people put on. Wasn't bad.
I need to get in touch with Sikowitz.
Miss that crazed, coconut drinking guy.
But I got back around 11, slept until 6, showered, left, ate breakfast and now I'm here at work.
"I'm not defending her Robbie. I'm just trying to figure out what happened."
"She didn't tell you?"
That's a surprise.
Speaking of surprises, December is going just as fast as the rest of the post Megan time has gone.
8 days until the supposed end of the world.
"She told me that you yelled at her for making out with Cameron and for breaking your ribs."
"Well, she forgot the fact that this has been an ongoing theme since before she got pregnant. Same Cat, different set of circumstances." I send back.
My appointment for the doctor's is today. After I get off at 3.
Oh, I forgot. I did text Cat once. Yesterday when I got the info for my appointment.
"Cat, I'm going to have to cancel the movie night tomorrow. Something else came up. Sorry." –Robbie.
I need to shop for Christmas presents. Mom, Dad, nieces and nephews. Cousins, aunts, uncles, Beck, Jade, Andre, Cat…
Haven't even started.
"She mentioned that. I didn't mention everything she said. And I know Robbie, I know."
…
"Well are we going to do anything about it? I have already let her know how I felt."
I don't think I can do anything else. Mentally I want to check out.
I had the thought the other day, what if the baby comes premature? She's a little young to be having children, and she's not a big girl. It's not impossible.
Then it hit me that I'm kind of rooting for it.
Sooner I can leave. Get back to my life and forget this even happened.
I wouldn't tell Cat that, but I'm just keeping it real. She can't yell at me for my thoughts in my head.
"Hey, I know you're frustrated. I am too. Beck is coming up tomorrow and we're going to talk about it. I don't have an answer right now."
Beck?
"Why's Beck coming? I thought he was busy with his series."
…
Nobody still needs my help.
"Shooting is wrapping for the holidays tonight. He's flying out tomorrow."
"Ahh."
Can I just go Christmas shopping please? I have 12 days, and a lot more than 12 gifts.
"Uh huh. Cat mentioned she hasn't seen you since you drove off. I have to ask, you haven't moved out have you?"
Sigh…
"No Jade. I'm not moving out until the day after the girl is born. And no again, I haven't seen Cat. By design. I don't want to, so I won't."
…
"Have you told her that? She's worried you have after you cancelled some movie date."
"No. Why don't you?" I retorted.
I'm tired of answering questions.
"Fine. I'll tell her. I can tell you're getting annoyed by this, so I'll say this. She said that you mentioned Hollywood Arts and what happened our last year. You know that this is basically a remix of your breaking point?"
Oh I know.
It's something I'll never be able to forget. I can tell you where I was when it all started. 3rd period. Right before lunch. I wasn't paying attention to the teacher, or her lecture on Fish Cultures.
(Flashback)
Blink.
Ooh. A text!
Anything to get my mind off of my boredom.
"Hey baby, I gotcha something today."
What the hell…
I begin to type "I'm not your baby dude, you've got the wrong number." But another message flashes.
"Whaty?" –Cat
Cat?!
I tap out of the message to see what is up.
Did I tap something wrong?
…yep.
It's a group message.
Cat. And whoever got her a present.
Suddenly the message icon lights up again.
Tap.
A cheerleading outfit?
What am I in the middle of?
"OH MY GOSH I LOVE IT! Thank you so so so much!"
That was…gushy.
"No problem baby. Anything for the girl who blew my mind and keeps my head held high."
…
Are they dating?
Blew his mind?
Who the hell is this guy?
AND WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING WITH MY CAT!
She's mine! I don't care that she's single, and that she's oblivious to how I love her more than any other guy on this planet possibly could. She's MINE!
"Of course! Did you find my bra?"
…
I drop my phone. Luckily it hit my backpack.
Oh my god…
I…I think they're dating.
It's almost Christmas. Senior year.
There's almost no time left.
Actually, if they are dating, there is no time left.
"Of course I did! You flung it into my hamper! I liked the view without it, but I'll give it back to you if you'd like ;)"
…
"Well, that can be a two way street you know. I get my bra back but you get the visuals you likey. You are my boyfriend after all Jakey."
Jakey.
I wanna throw up.
Sound the buzzer.
It's over.
I…
I give up.
I have to let her go. I can't chase after her forever. We won't see much of each other after we graduate in May.
I need to move on.
I'll never be able to be with Caterina Valentine.
Never get to cuddle on those cold winter nights. Never get to kiss under the stars…
Just the quiet, nerdy guy that cares here.
Nothing to see.
Riiiiinnng!
The room jumps into action and I start towards the door.
Hopefully this is one of those days I can eat by myself.
"Hey Robbie." Tori smiled at me.
"Tori." I say, smiling a very fake smile.
"We're going to Nozu's for lunch. You wanna tag along?" She offered.
"Nah, I'm fine. Thanks though."
She looked concerned, but dropped it.
I turn and the others are right on top of me.
"Robbie! You coming?" Beck asked me, Jade hooked onto his arm at the elbow.
"No, appreciate the offer though." I said, moving towards the door outside.
Just get me there.
Suddenly I feel somebody yanking on my right arm.
"C'mon Robbie…we're going this way!"
Cat.
"Cat…let go of me." I ask wearily.
"Come on!" She yanked harder, undaunted.
Let go of her.
My anger spikes and I violently rip my arm out of her grasp.
"I'm not coming Cat." I say before starting back to the doors.
"Robbie!" She called out, loud enough for the hall to turn and look at us.
"Robbie!"
I'm not turning around.
"…Robbie?" She called one final time, just as I reached the door.
I power thru it, wanting to get away from her and all the prying eyes.
Her voice sounded shocked.
(End Flashback)
"I know Jade. Believe me, I know. I thought of that the moment I pulled away from her."
I sure can be a jerk towards her.
Too bad for her I'm past the point of really caring.
"Shapiro! You're good!" My boss says, snapping me out of my daze.
I look down to my phone and see it's 2:50.
"Cool, thanks sir!" I smile before walking out of the door.
On my drive downtown, I tried to think of things other than Cat, the baby and Jade.
Luckily I was walking into the office before I really got the gears in my brain moving.
"Hello. Name?" The lady behind the desk asked.
"Robbie Shapiro."
"Ok. ID?"
I hand her my driver's license.
"Shapiro. 3:30. You can go on back. Won't take long."
She was right about that. By the time I weighed in and told the nurse what my symptoms are, the doctor was already in the room.
Carrying a box.
"Robbie, Dr. Meltzer."
"Thanks for seeing me on such short notice." I shook his hand.
"No problem son, Dr. Phillips is a old friend of mine. Now he explained the situation to me and said that you weren't in extreme discomfort. Is this true?" he asked, grabbing the stethoscope around his neck.
"Yes sir. Not bad unless I get hit, raise my arm above my head or take a deep breath. Wow that's cold." I say.
He smiled. "Nothing sounds too bad. I'm willing to go along with his diagnosis. You do need two shots to allow your lung to heal so you won't feel any pain."
"Shot?' I ask.
Haven't had one in years.
"Yep. Just nerves shots. But the more important aspect is that I got you a undershirt that has padding to prevent further damage. Can you take off your shirt?"
I take it off. "That's what's in the box?"
I grab it anyway.
"Yeah, you can go ahead and open it. It's made by Deka, and similar to their football padding. It will mitigate and blow that you sustain while you heal."
I open it to see some padded shirt just like what he described.
"Ok, and now the shots?" I asked.
"No. Now you put one of those shirts on and you can go!"
"Huh? Don't you need shoot me?"
"Already did." He smiled, showing me a injector that clearly had been used.
"Nice. I'm impressed.
He laughed.
I was back in my car 5 minutes later and back on the road in 8.
What to do tonight…
Not hang at home.
Maybe I got a work email I can run down to pass some time.
I pull out my phone and tap my email icon.
Then the light goes green, so I drop it into the cupholder and drive as it loaded my new emails.
…
5 new emails!
Surely there is a work one here.
Spam…
Bank Statement.
Splashface notification.
The onslaught of followers after cat followed me has continued.
Megan related email…
…
Hold on.
I pull into the right lane, then a rondom gas station and park.
This can't be right.
"Robbie,
Long time no talk! I was searching online for stuff to do in the city after New Years and I saw something that surprised me! You're coming January 8th! I can't believe it! I'm so excited I already bought tickets to both shows! Can't wait to see you, maybe we can get together one of the nights your in town! Miss you!
Tori"
Tori.
Emailing me.
I do have a NYC show. 2 in fact.
Shock of all shocks.
Question is, should I even reply…
…
You know what? I don't see a real downside.
"Hey Tori! Glad you saw the advertisement! Yeah I'll be in town…"