A Real-Time Saga:
A Night at Home (Part 2)

Yo?

Good evening Samantha. How goes?

(Oh yeah, you guys don't know this. Sam likes to write A LOT in an ICQ message . . .)
Well, it started off pretty nice. I didn't have any morning classes, so I studied for about an hour in the cafeteria while eating lunch. Out of nowhere comes Jeff, sneaking up behind me. Basically he tapped me on the shoulder, and when I turned around he was on the other side of me stealing a fry. I then warned him to back away slowly or I'd skin his shins (I was wearing hiking boots that day). He was suddenly all apologetic and stuff, except he swore he'd get back at me.

Uh huh. And did he?

Nope. He wouldn't dare. He knows I own him.

"Luvly." So how is that whole thing going anyway?

Well, all our friends keep telling us that we act like an old married couple, and he's always following me around. Not really, but I see him a lot wherever I go. Like one time, I was getting out of my History class and he was waiting around the corner for me. He said something stupid like he forgot his sunglasses in my pocket or something.

Heh heh heh. He SO likes you!

No kidding! Plus, he gives the best massages.

. . . . . so the problem is where? You two seem like you're both interested.
You're both interested, right?

Well, we're not going out, but we're more than friends…

O. I C. Just wondering, in the classes you have together, are you two "disruptive" in the eyes of your teacher?

Yeah, probably...I mean...the teacher already thought we were going out last year...after he was always bugging me...now I'm sure she thinks that we are (same with the whole class), 'cause we always sit next to each other, and bug each other...and on top of that, every single time that Helen (my teacher) says my name, she adds his name in.

Heh. So you're basically scarin' everyone with this, aren't you?

Yeah, probably. Plus Cheryl (that other girl) has gotten pretty intense with her efforts to get to Jeff. She's always trying to sit between the two of us and stuff.

Boy, never a dull moment, eh?

Never. Not even for a little while.

Well, do you know what Jeff thinks of her?

Kinda. Basically whenever she's around, we'll both shoot glances to each other, kinda like to say, "here we go again".

Oh, she's not even a problem!

I know that! I'm not as naive as you think, you know.

Alright, alright, forget it. I'm sure he'll come through for ya in the end.

Yeah, I guess I'll have to wait and see.

"God your life sucks!"

Oh, and yours doesn't?

Alright, so mine sucks too. "I'm sure you wouldn't wanna hear about it, though."

Hey, I'm sitting down. Might as well.

Fine, I will.
So how can I put this . . . . . all my close friends suck right now.

And you say that for what reason?

Well, it's like . . . it's like one of them is a bomb, the other is a fire, they go well together, and I get blown clear. That work for ya?

Oh, very. You don't spend years understanding poetry to miss something like that.

Right. So I already told you about that "colliding-worlds" thing I've been bitching about lately, right? Well, I'm starting to think I had that figured out wrong.

K?

Huh?

How do you have it figured out now?

Oh (duh). Well, now I'm thinking I'm at a substantial loss of friends. Well, not substantial, but enough to make me care. I mean, the bonds that are holding EVERYTHING together are dangling by a frickin' thread!

So you think you're gonna lose all your friends because they've become friends with your other friends? That doesn't really make sense.

Nono, not that. It's just that every day I find myself singled out more and more. It really sucks! I'm always finding myself odd-man-out in a lot of things nowadays. "I mean, that just ain't good for composure, right?"

Aw, come on. You're a bright kid, aren't ya? I'm sure your problems aren't half as bad as you put them out to be.

Sam, may I ask you a question?

Shoot.

Do people say hello to you in the mornings?

Huh? What kind of a stupid question is that?

Come on, just answer; do your friends say hello to you when you stop by?

Well…yeah. Why wouldn't they? And if you're trying to express that you're pissed because people forget to say hi to you now and then, I'll have to say you're screwed up.

"Well I guess I won't say it then . . ." No, but seriously, that's what I have to put up with! I walk to my locker, everyone's there already, no one gives me a second thought. It's like I don't exist, for Christ's sake!

Okay, cuz, first off, you really don't have to take our lord's name in vain. Second, if they're not saying hello, why don't you just do it?

. . . . . . . okay I'll admit that that's something I have to work on. But still! I could disappear from the face of the earth; NO ONE would notice!

Hey, I'd notice.

Well, that's sweetuvya to say, but you've got it different than me, ya know?

Yeah, I know. I've also got lectures, juries, and finals still. I've got times I have to study until 3am. Plus, I'm missing the playoffs! You think you have it bad?

Okay, okay! Ouch! Easy there, you'll hurt yourself. Okay, I admit your life sucks too, but from my scale of things, my stuff is still pretty bad. I mean, at least you've "kinda" got someone . . .

Ern, you're too young to have to worry about that kind of stuff. How old are you, 16? Just live your life. Can you do that for me?

" . . . Well . . . I'll try . . . . . I suppose . . . . ."

Good. Just try to relax, okay? Get some sleep or something, it sounds like you don't do that often.

Yeah, I think I'll do that now. It's officially late. See ya Sam, and thanks again.

Hey, that's what I'm here for. Sweet Dreams!

Later!