90125...Owner of a Lonely Heart
It was March...just a few months away from their high school graduation. For the life of him, Mike could not figure out how the relationship between Davy and Nicole could've lasted this long. As far as Mike was concerned, Davy didn't show much appreciation or respect toward her...and yet she managed to take it all in stride, making it appear to be no big deal to her. Nicole was definitely in the state of denial, trying to make things work...but it was already beyond repair. Mike could see this, but she couldn't...or WOULDN'T.
One day after school, Mike and Nicole were finishing their calculus homework. He noticed that she was just making straymarks on her notebook paper...totally in La La Land...
" " "I think you'd like my new hairstyle, Nikki...I'm
gonna change it to a seafoam green..."
"NO, Mike...I don't think that's the answer for #8..."
"Uh...Nik-...you didn't hear a WORD I just said..."
"...HUH?..."
" As he was leaving, Nicole looked up and said, "But
MIKE--"
He continued walking, leaving her behind. He
stretched his arm behind him, shaking his hand as if
to say to her, "It's too late."
On Friday, the day before Spring Break, the confrontation began.
Nicole was at her locker after school, putting her
books away. Mike saw her in the distance and came
walking toward her. Growing weary of seeing her with
a sad countenance and a defeated body posture, he made
up his mind to try and talk some sense into her about Davy.
He put his hand on the locker while standing in front of her.
"I KNOW you don't want to hear this, Nik--"
"Then DON'T tell me--"
"Don't tell you the TRUTH? "Really, Mike...That's ENOUGH--"
"NO, hun. I'm just gettin' started..."
Davy was approaching both of them at this time, but
Mike didn't realize it since his back was facing Davy.
Mike continued, as Nicole looked down, covering her
forehead with her hands when she saw Davy: "I care
about you too much, Nikki. And if you think that I'm
just gonna sit back and watch that bastard mistreat
you like he's BEEN doin', then you're SADLY mistaken..."
Davy then spoke up: "Uh, Mike...if there's
something that you need to say about me, why don't you tell it to my FACE?"
"So, you acknowledge that you ARE the bastard--"
"Mike, let it GO...DON'T do this Davy replied, "You know WHAT, man? "WHAT relationship?? And by the way, I've already MADE it my business..."
"MIKE...DAVY...PLEASE don't do this!!"
By this time, other students started crowding around the three of them.
" But there was nothing she could say to stop their deadly staring match.
Davy said, " Mike responded, "I REALLY don't give a damn, but I'm
sure you'll tell me anyway..."
"You 'n Nicole have known each other all this
time...and y'all NEVER hit it off..." He saw Mike
getting angrier and continued, " "Davy, shut UP!!"
Ticked off by her saying that, he said, "WAIT a
minute here!! Whose fuckin' side are you on anyway?!
Don't TELL me you're defending this... Mike said, " Davy went on, " "DAVY..." Nicole interjected.
" " "Doesn't that make you feel better, Nikki--"
Turning back to Mike, Davy said, "LOOK, I've about
had it up to HERE with you...Why don't you just LEAVE
her the hell alone? Can't you take a hint?! She
doesn't want to be BOTHERED with you anymore--"
"I'm afraid I can't DO that, son...Nikki and I have
a close friendship. Apparently, that's one important
thing YOU don't seem to understand. You know what
that word 'friendship' MEANS, don't you?"
" Nicole could NOT believe what she just heard. Her
jaw dropped to the ground...and then...*WHACK!!* Mike
slugged Davy square in the face, watching him fall to
the ground and said, "You son of a BITCH!!"
When Davy got up, he tackled Mike and their fists
were flying everywhere. Embarrassed by onlookers
cheering for either side, Nicole tried to stop the
fight by pulling Mike off of Davy, but she wasn't strong enough.
Later on that evening, she refused to answer her
phone. When she would check the caller ID and her
answering machine, the calls were from nobody but Mike
and Davy...trying to contact her.
It seemed like no matter how upset Nicole was with
Mike, she couldn't stay mad at him for long. After
his much persuasion, she agreed to go out with him to
a movie Saturday night...as a truce. Now that Mike
said all that he wanted to say about Davy yesterday,
he promised Nicole that his name would no longer be
mentioned.
Davy and Nicole were still a couple--technically.
Neither one had voiced their desire to separate yet.
But that opportunity would come for her...sooner than she thought.
At one point during the feature presentation at
Regal Cinema 17, Mike went to the concession stand to
get some more drinks. Nicole happend to look in the
rearview mirror and saw a car that resembled Davy's.
Out of curiosity, she got out of Mike's car to
check...it belonged to Davy all right. ...And he was NOT alone.
Peeking through the steamy windows, she could see
Davy in the back seat...making out with another girl.
It was a sight she didn't want to see, of course. But
somehow...in the midst of her feelings of anger, hurt,
and loneliness, she mustered up enough strength and courage to open his car door.
Davy looked up, saw Nicole and got up from on top of the girl he was with, trying to put his pants back on.
The girl pulled her dress down, trying to fix her
hair and freshen up as if nothing happened...but it was too late.
" "But Nico--"
"Too LATE, Davy. The girl that was with Davy in the car was speechless during the whole time.
"Nicole, please listen to me...I can EXPLAIN--"
Cutting Davy off without looking at him, she said,
"You can go back to FUCKING her now..." and slammed the car door in their face.
On her way back to Mike's car, she screamed, "Hope
it's good for you as it was for me..."