By Melissa
Copyright 1999
“What is it Tricia?”
“Lou… she’s your girlfriend, isn’t she?” The anger in her voice had subsided, replaced now by hurt.
Kid hung his head. “I take that as a yes?”
Kid looked up and met Tricia’s stare. “Yes she is. Or, at least she was.”
“Then why, did you? Me? Last night?” Tricia’s voice rose a couple octaves higher as she trailed off.
Kid sighed. “I don’t know. I honestly don’t. See, me and Louise, we’ve been having more fights than usual, and always about the same thing.” He walked over to the bed and sat down. “I love her Tricia, I do, and I want to marry her more than anything in the world.”
Tricia walked over to him and sat down in her desk chair facing him. “Then why did you allow me think that you were interested in me?”
“Well, see the reason that Lou and I have been fighting is because she keeps turning down my marriage proposals and lately I’ve started to feel like I’m not good enough for her.” Kid clenched his fists as he continued. “I also feel like there are times that she’d rather be with Jimmy-“
“Jimmy?” Tricia asked with a puzzled look. “The same Jimmy that’s downstairs?”
Kid nodded. “Yeah, him. I know that there’s something between the two of them, even though Lou assures me that she loves me. Then I meet you, and for the first time in a long time I feel wanted. I feel needed. Something I haven’t felt from Lou in a long time.”
Tricia hung her head low. “So you used me to make yourself feel better.”
Kid’s eyes widened. “No, that’s not what I meant at all!” Tricia looked up at him and he continued. “Tricia, you are a really wonderful girl, and any guy would be lucky to be able to call you his girl.”
“Any guy but you, right?”
Kid nodded. “I feel terrible for what happened…. I’m so sorry Tricia, I never meant to hurt you.” Kid’s eyes filled with guilty tears.
Tricia sighed. “Think of it this way. We both needed something last night. You needed to feel wanted, and I desperately needed human companionship after everything’s that happened. It was a one-time thing, and we both know that. There’s no sense in arguing about it. In a way, we used each other.”
“So you don’t think I’m a terrible person?”
Tricia smiled reassuringly. “Only if I think that about myself. What do you say we work on smoothing things over with you and Louise instead of sitting here feeling miserable for ourselves? Friends?” She held out her hand.
Kid took it and pulled her into a hug. “Friends. Thank you.”
“Well? Is one of you gonna tell me what in the hell is going on here?” Teaspoon looked from Jimmy to Lou.
Lou sighed and Jimmy tightened his arm around her. “It seems that Kid and Tricia are more than just friends.” Lou finally said.
“Oh,” Teaspoon faltered. “I see. And do you know this for a fact?”
“What do you mean? I asked him and he didn’t say nothing to defend himself!” Lou exclaimed.
“Yeah, but he did admit to it?” Cody asked.
Lou looked down. “Well, no, not exactly. But he had lipstick on his neck!”
“Well now Lou, it don’t sound like he said that he did anything either.” Teaspoon reasoned.
Lou looked up at Teaspoon and then Jimmy with wide eyes. “Oh no! What if I made a total fool of myself? What if I was wrong and Kid hates me for not trusting him? I’ve got to go talk to him!” Lou cried as she ran up the stairs to find Kid.
Kid and Tricia remained hugging for a few minutes, both relieved that the awkward tension was gone, and that they had come to the understanding that they were just friends. Just as they were getting ready to pull away so Tricia could pack her belongings, the door to Tricia’s bedroom flew open.
“Kid! Kid!” called an out of breath Lou. “I need to talk to-“
Kid and Tricia pulled away and looked towards the door, but it was too late.
“Lou!” Kid exclaimed. “What’s the matter?”
“-you.” she finished. Lou’s eyes narrowed as she took in the scene in front of her. “How could I have been so dumb as to think that there wasn’t anything going on between the two of you?”
“Lou, we’re just friends.”
“Don’t hand me no lies Kid, I’m not in the mood. I come up here to apologize for jumping to conclusions before and to give you a chance to explain!” Lou cried. “And what do I find? No sooner are you out of my sight, you two are in each other’s arms again!”
“Louise please listen,” Tricia started.
Lou glared at her with hard eyes. “I don’t believe I was speaking to you,” she said coolly.
Tricia paled and took a step back.
“Lou, there’s no need to do this. Please just give me a chance to explain?” Kid pleaded.
“I’m done givin’ chances Kid,” Lou stated and turned to walk out of the room.
“Lou, please don’t go!”
The urgency in Kid’s voice was heartbreaking, and Lou’s eyes filled with tears as her chest felt like it was going to explode. Oh Kid, do you really think I want to leave? There’s nothing I want more than to run into your arms and have you hold me forever and tell me that I’m the only woman you’ll ever love, she thought to herself.
“Lou, I love you… please talk to me.” Kid practically begged, tears filling his eyes as well.
Lou’s back was turned to Kid, so he couldn’t see that her tears were now falling freely down her cheeks. She physically ached inside, it was the worst pain she had ever felt. She walked over to the wall, leaned her arms against it, and buried her head in her arms, crying loudly now. Tricia looked at Kid, nodded and quietly slipped out of the room, pulling the door shut behind her.
Kid walked over to Lou and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. Lou reeled around and slapped him hard across the cheek.
Kid stepped back and rubbed his cheek. “You know, you’re the second person to do that to me today, and I’m really hoping that this streak ends soon.”
On to Chapter Nine
