That Thursday was just like the Wednesday and Tuesday before it. Toby Isaacs came home after school, kicked off his shoes and trudged up the stairs. Once again, no one was home. All three of his "parents" were busy with careers and outside interests; Ashley had her boyfriend and all the other things popular people do. JT? Probably hanging out with Spinner and all of Ashley's other friends.
He dumped his bag in the corner and moved to the computer. Not the type to leave email unchecked, he quickly brought up his inbox. Empty, same as it had been since he and Kendra had quarreled the week before.
"Are you saying that you don't want to go out with me any more?"
"Look, Toby, our relationship was never that serious. I mean, we hung out and did things together, just like you and JT do. And then you went away for the summer and I didn't even hear from you until school started back up. I still want to be your friend, but I don't want to be forced into any labels for our relationship, okay?"
"What do you mean, we were never that serious?"
Toby started to open his bag, but quickly stopped. No urge to do homework, he thought glumly to himself. Maybe a nap would refresh him. Off came his glasses, and he slid under the covers. When he awoke, it was morning.
A Friday not unlike the Thursday before it, except that a whole weekend stretched ahead. Another empty inbox. For a brief moment, Toby seriously considered sending himself an email just to avoid this problem tomorrow.
He sighed. Another nap would do him good, he thought. Unfortunately, sleep would not come easily. He kept remembering.
"Why are you doing this to me?"
" I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm just trying to get you to back off a bit. You're expecting too much of this relationship. Can't we just be friends?"
"In other words, 'Bye-bye, Toby. See ya around.' I don't get it. What did I do?"
Toby sat up straight and rubbed his temples with his fingers. "Oh, man," he moaned gently. Removing himself from the bed, he found his way to the bathroom and a medicine cabinet. Inside he found exactly what he was looking for, and he quickly downed two Tylenol PM. Sleep would come much easier now, and so he hurried off to bed.
The knock seemed to come only seconds later. Ashley entered his room, picking through the mess on her way to the bed. "Toby, it's dinner time, and mom wants you to get up and join the rest of us." Toby ignored her request and buried himself in the blankets. "Oh, come on. Are you sick or something?" Ash grew annoyed with her stepbrother's total lack of response. "I don't have time for this right now. Stay in bed if you want to."
She slammed the door behind her.