17: Just Punishment

Jesse

 

(back to last Saturday night, just as Jesse returns home from Erin's)

        I walk in, throw my keys down on the kitchen counter, walk into my living room, and flop down on my small couch.
        Jesse, you idiot. What the hell were you thinking?
       All day long, I had looked forward to closing up shop and heading over to Erin's. Yeah, I felt a little bad for my buddy Bryce, but I thought if she honestly didn't prefer him then why shouldn't I try?
       I drove Lara absolutely nuts today at the shop as I aimlessly wandered around, wondering what I could get her to help really break the ice, especially since she seemed reserved. Reserved... Hah! Yeah, unless she's really pissed off. The woman aimed that thing right at my head!
     When I heard that she and Bryce were dating after all, the green-eyed snake of jealousy's fangs sunk deep. Why is it always Bryce? What does he have that I don't?
       If I'd seen her first would that have made a difference? Doubtful. Whenever Bryce has wanted to, he's taken any girl he felt like. So many times it was a miracle that he didn't try. Oh, but those times... none of them wanted to stay. Not one.
       I'm really getting sick of this, I think as I stand up in a really bad mood and head out to my bar.

      It's gotten dark, and that's just fine with me as I stand here and stare out at the water, watching the trees sway back and forth with the breeze.
      I'm still glad I made the decision to move here. I'd always had a great time when I came here with my parents. I want to cling to those good memories by being here instead of back where I grew up. My parents got a divorce. Divorce isn't good at any age. Even at eighteen, they were still my parents. It took me one Christmas of that bullshit before I decided I didn't want any part of it anymore.
      Then I met Bryce and Ashley. On the outside, they looked happy, and I envied Adele. Bryce and Pam had recently lost their parents, and I could tell he was having a hard time dealing with it. I felt a little guilty considering I pretty much shoved my parents away, but I honestly felt my family died when my lame-ass parents decided to divorce. So, Bryce and I quickly became best friends. Then, Ashley left him, shocking the hell out of both of us.
      I still remember quite clearly how he acted then. He was angry... understatement of the century. He was pissed. He'd rant and rave and Adele would cry. I couldn't stand it, so I'd just hug her like I was hugging some form of my childhood self. It was good of Pamela and Simon to step up to the plate for her like they did and give her some form of solid parenting while Bryce almost drank himself into an early grave.
       I didn't let that bullshit continue for very long before I had to shake some sense into him. I told him 'fuck her! you can do better than that bitch! hell, now you're free to mess around all you want!' He really took that to heart. Now that I look back on it, he was chasing all those women as a way of getting back at Ashley, acting like he had something to prove.
      Still, he knew his limits. He didn't want to interfere, and I knew, when he could tell if I was really stuck on one girl or another. I guess that has happened a lot, come to think of it. Damn, it's a wonder I have a heart from the number of times it's been broken. I'm such a sap.

      But then there were those times when he didn't back down, and I'd lose every time. I thought the song was "Jesse's Girl" not "Bryce's Girl."
       Well, he'd better be fucking serious with her because she's not going anywhere. I'd hate to have to get into another fist fight, but I will if he's just screwing around.

      Just before I turn the light out to crash into an almost-drunken sleep, I see Bryce's bedroom light come on, and I wonder again why I had the bright idea to buy this house. For a while, it made for some awesomely huge parties, but then after Ashley left, it's been a frequent source of annoyance. Well, at least there's proof he's not spending the night at Erin's... and I don't want to know if she's there, I think as I quickly turn out the light and move the curtains to block out the window.

      The next morning, I wake up and remember that Bryce plans to have another get-together at his bar tonight. I'm not going.
       In fact, I spend the whole day in my underwear watching reruns of Happy Days.

      Monday again. It doesn't help the store faces Erin's little house. Great. So I have Bryce's house at home and Erin's house at work.
       I get there early and sit outside staring off into space. I'm pouting. I know it, and I hate it. So what? Okay, so Bryce is happy. I should be happy for him, not kissing and trying to steal his girlfriend.

       Adele waves at me on her way to school, and I decide enough is enough. I'm calling Bryce during my lunch break. I'd do it now, but it's time to open.

       Lunch arrives, and I scarf down a quick burger. With a resigned sigh, I call my best friend. He answers on the third ring.
       "Hey, Jesse," he says, sounding curious.
       "Hey. Yeah, so I assume you heard what happened," I say.
       He's quiet for a minute before he finally answers, "Yeah man, what the fuck?!"
       "Err... yeah. Sorry," I say lamely.
       "Sorry? That's all you have to say is sorry?! You kiss my girlfriend after you find out that she is, in fact, my girlfriend, and all you can say is sorry?!" he growls into the other end of the line.
       "What else do you want me to say?"
       "How about 'Bryce, I beg your forgiveness for this horrible mistake I made. Please, come up with some humiliating thing for me to do so that I can prove to you how very sorry I am' for a start," he answers, not sounding like he's joking.

        A little worried by how very pissed he sounds, I ask, "Um, what humiliating thing?" Through the years, the two of us have come up with a few different idiotic stunts, and I worry about which one he might want me to do. Please, not the jar of mayonnaise costume. Well, that one isn't so bad if I can find a few willing tourists with a good sense of humor.
        "I think it's time to break out the blue coat. Don't you?" he asks, and I can hear him trying not to laugh.
        "It's too damn hot for the blue coat," I say quickly.
        "Too damn bad. You had fun making fun of Desmond Friday. I'm sure he'll be all too happy to return the favor this Friday, Captain Jesse." He pauses for a second. "In fact, let's just invite the whole damn island this time."

       I'm actually a little relieved. He could've made it so much worse.
       I laugh and say, "Alright fine. Captain Jesse it is. In fact, just to further prove that I really am sorry, I'll go the whole nine yards: grow out the beard, find a wench or maybe two, three... You're going to make me have a heat stroke in that thing."
       "Nah, I'll ice down a keg or something. Be happy I'm going easy on you. It's for her sake anyway. She was really freaked out," he says, his voice getting more serious.

        I wince and ask, "That bad? I mean, I know she was pissed..."
        "It was the best friend thing. I shouldn't say any more than that," he says.

       I see a familiar head of hair in my peripheral vision, so I say to Bryce, "Okay, well, I gotta get going. I think I may have found my first 'wench' for Friday. Then I've gotta go home to see if I can even find that ugly coat."
       "You'd better find it. That or you're buying another one," he warns.
       "Yeah, sure," I say distractedly, making sure Ginger doesn't get too far away. "Gotta go." I hang up. After I put my phone back in my pocket, I yell out, "Hey, Ginger!" Her face pops over in my direction in surprise. I grin in anticipation as I walk over to her.