34 The Break-Up

“Heather, don't overreact.” Kelly said.

Heather turned and gave her an angry face. “I'm not going to overreact.” She said with a deadly voice and took out her cell phone. “Not even a little bit.”

“Heather, don't do something you'll regret.” Kelly said and put her hand on the cell phone.

“The only thing I regret is falling for the stupid idiot!” Heather said and pulled the phone away from her friend's hand and dialed Arnold's number. “Hi, Mrs. Strickland.” She said in an overly sweet voice. “No, I don't want to talk to him. I just want you to tell him that I never want to see his cheating face ever again!” She paused. “If you want to find out what I mean, buy the paper! It's in the news! Everyone knows he cheated on me!” She said and hung up.

“Heather! I told you not to overreact!” Kelly said. “I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding!”

“Unfortunately, I don't think it is.” The biology teacher said. “Amy has a bit of a reputation for... relentless pursuit of... companionship.”

“But, it's just... Arnold, he...” Kelly wanted to explain about Arnold's goodbye kisses, then changed her mind. If she did tell them, she would also have to explain why she knew about them.

“Wrecking relationships is a consequence she doesn't care about.” The biology teacher said. “I thought Arnold would have been smart enough to not get involved with her.” He turned and walked back into his classroom.

Heather took several deep breaths and calmed down. She looked at her phone and gripped it with both hands. Kelly was right. I regret doing it like that. She thought. I should have done it in person so I could spit in his face!

Kelly saw Heather's anger and knew she couldn't do anything about it. There wasn't anything she could say to make things better, so she stood there with her friend and waited for the bell to ring.

“What was it you were trying to tell me earlier?” Heather said in a calm voice.

“Um... I don't...” Kelly started to say that she forgot, then she remembered the warning. She was surprised when Arnold's voice filled her mind. Ignore Eric. It said to her and she didn't let tears appear in her eyes as she spoke. “Eric approached me yesterday and warned me about Brad and the guys going after Arnold.”

Heather's expression went hard for a second, then she smiled. “That's not my problem.”

“Heather, you can't just...”

“No. I told you not to mention Arnold.” Heather said. “He's not my boyfriend anymore.”

“But...”

“He doesn't need me to protect him.” Heather said. “If you want to warn him about it, go ahead.”

“Heather...”

“I'll see you in class.” Heather said and walked away.

“Heather!” Kelly walked after her.

Neither of them had seen Brad and his friends come up the hallway while they had been talking.

*

Claire drove over to Arnold's house and was glad to see Annie's car in the driveway. She had stopped to try and call and the line was busy, so she hoped that at least one of them would be home. She parked on the street and walked up to the front door and knocked. The door opened a few seconds later.

“Claire?” Annie looked at her in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

Claire was a little thrown by the look. “I... came over with Arnold's pay.”

“Pay?” Annie had to think about it for a second. “Oh, for the yard work.”

Claire nodded. “Can I come in?”

“I don't think that's a good idea.” Annie said.

Claire was surprised by that. “What? Why?”

“Heather just called and broke up with Arnold.” Annie said.

“She WHAT?”

“Yeah, it was a shock to me, too.” Annie said. “She called him a cheater, said something about buying a paper because everyone knew, then hung up.”

Claire was stunned. “But... what...” She shook her head. “I'll have a talk with her. I'm sure this is all just a misunderstand...” Her cell phone beeped at her and she took it out, then she gasped.

“What is it?” Annie asked.

“Heather just told me and sent me proof.” Claire said and showed Annie the angry text and the picture.

“Arnold!” Annie nearly yelled and Arnold came out to the front door. “Explain this.”

Arnold looked at the picture. “I kissed Amy goodbye and the reporter told me to do it again to take a picture.”

Annie closed her eyes and let out a sigh. Dammit. She thought. “I need to go buy a paper.”

“I'll drive.” Claire said.

“Arnold, stay here. We'll be right back.” Annie said.

The two women left to drive to the nearest store to buy a newspaper. When they did, the story about Gerald's death was on the front page. It was full of his exploits, both good and bad, and when they turned the page, there was the picture of them in the living room, the sad family accepting the check that would barely pay the bills. Right below that, the same kiss picture with the caption of 'young lovers celebrate being debt free'.

“Okay. Wow.” Annie said after reading it. “This... no wonder Heather's so angry.”

“The young loving couple plan on starting their lives together at college?” Claire shook her head at the story. “I'm angry at it, too!”

“I'd tell you to call and have them print a retraction; but, we both know what that means.” Annie said.

“A small paragraph at the bottom of the page in the back of the paper.” Claire said with a sigh. “What are we going to do?”

“Nothing.” Annie said and Claire looked at her. “What can we do? Convince Heather that Arnold isn't planning on going to college to work this summer and won't be there with the supposed new girl?” She chuckled. “Amy is the senior assistant. Even though I warned her to stay away from Arnold...”

Claire let out another sigh. “...it didn't matter, because of this.” She said and held up the paper. “Annie, I'm sorry.”

“Not as sorry as I am.” Annie said. “Now I have to go back to the house and explain to Arnold, somehow, that Heather broke up with him over something so stupid.” She took the paper and folded it up. “I think I'll let him read it first and then I'll explain.”

“Do you want me to come in with you?” Claire asked.

“No.” Annie said. “He might get the wrong idea if his girlfriend's... no, ex-girlfriend's mother is there to help explain why he's now single.”

Claire nodded, a tad reluctantly, and opened her purse to take out an envelope. “Give him that for me, will you?”

Annie nodded and tucked the envelope into the paper. They drove back to the house and Claire parked by the curb.

“I don't think I can have him come over to spread the mulch.” Claire said with regret. “Not without setting Heather off.”

“I'll let him know.” Annie said and opened the car door, then turned back to Claire. “Thanks for all you've done for him... and for me.”

Claire waved her hand in dismissal. “Think nothing of it.” She said. “It was a pleasure to have him around the house, even if it was for only a short time.”

Annie nodded. “I hope they can work things out.”

Claire opened her mouth to tell her that it wasn't going to.

“I know.” Annie said. “I guess I won't be seeing you for a while.”

“That... would be for the best.” Claire sighed. “Let Arnold know that, too.” She said. “Maybe we can sneak out and grab lunch in a few weeks.”

“That would be nice.” Annie said, knowing full well that it wasn't going to happen. “Goodbye, Claire.”

Claire's lips twitched, because she half-expected Annie to kiss her like Arnold did. “Goodbye, Annie.”

Annie stepped out of the car and shut the door, then walked over to the house and opened the front door.

Goodbye, Arnold. Claire thought as she looked at the house, and her heart was heavy at the loss. Annie waved at her and Claire waved back, then she drove away.

“Arnold, we need to have a talk.” Annie said as she shut the front door.

*

“I can't believe it.” A girl whispered.

“He's such a jerk.” Another girl whispered.

“I still think he's cute.” Yet another girl whispered as she leaned close to her friend.

“Heather dumped his ass by telling his mother he cheated.” A boy close by said. “That's ballsy.”

How did they find out so fast? Heather asked herself.

“Is that true?” A girl's voice asked from close by.

“Yes. I dumped him.” Heather said. “No one cheats on me.”

Kelly kept quiet, because saying anything to Heather in her current mood would only make things worse. The best part about staying quiet was she didn't have to answer anyone else as they questioned her about what she did or didn't know about Arnold being a cheater.

“I don't see Arnold's homework.” The teacher said as she looked at her desk. “Heather?”

“He was busy all day yesterday and I couldn't give it to him.” Heather said.

“Yeah! He was busy going out with another girl!” A boy from the back of the class said loudly.

“That's enough of that.” The teacher said and walked over to Heather. “Are you all right?”

“I'm fine.” Heather said. “I broke up with him.”

The teacher let out a sigh and nodded. “Are you still going to give him his homework? You did volunteer for the job.”

Heather's face flushed red at the thought of having to see Arnold again so soon.

“I'll do it.” Kelly said and everyone looked at her. “I won't let Heather embarrass herself like that.”

“Ooo, are you going to hand-deliver it?” One of the girls asked with piqued interest.

“Of course not.” Kelly said. “I'll get his number from Heather and call him.”

“Aww.” The girl said and sat back. “That's no fun.”

“All right.” The teacher said, and in a brief moment of sympathy, put a hand on Heather's shoulder. “Get yesterday's worksheet from Heather and I'll give you today's at the end of class.”

Kelly nodded and the teacher went to the front of the class.

“Now, on to advanced verb conjugation and proper multiple noun sentence structure.” The teacher said and the entire class groaned. “Don't worry, this will be on your final and I'm not actually wasting your time.”

*

“Heather's not my girlfriend anymore and her mother doesn't want me around.” Arnold said.

“That's about it, yes.” Annie said.

Arnold looked at the picture of him kissing Amy. “And you warned Amy to not try to be my girlfriend.”

“Yes.” Annie said. “She's... a bad influence. She wouldn't treat you the way you need to be treated and I'm afraid that she would hurt you.”

“Like I hurt Heather?”

“Kind of.” Annie said. “This is... now you know why I was so concerned when you got a girlfriend. It opened you up to so many different things happening...”

Arnold reached out and took his mother's hand. “I'm okay.”

Annie blinked her eyes for a moment, then she noticed that he didn't show any signs that he was starting to panic. “You really are okay, even with all of the possibilities this mess created? Why?”

“Kelly told me something a few days ago that made everything okay.” Arnold said and let a smile appear on his face.

“You like her.” Annie said, a little surprised.

“She's really smart.” Arnold said. “She knows a lot more than Heather and Heather's mother.”

Annie was surprised by this. “Arnold...”

“Let's watch some of your favorite shows.” Arnold said and turned on the television. Before Annie could say anything else, he moved over and laid down to rest his head on her lap and handed her the remote. She looked down at his face and he looked up at her.

“Arnold, are you upset about not having a girlfriend?” Annie asked.

“I won't be getting any special kisses from a good girlfriend anymore.” Arnold said. “I guess I need to find another girlfriend to ask them to do it.”

Annie wasn't sure what to say to that. Her eyes drifted to below his waist and saw a significant bulge there, then she sighed. She put her hand on his chest and started to slowly rub it.

“What about... just spending time with a girlfriend? Will you miss it?”

“Yes.” Arnold said without having to think about it. I don't have access to a computer anymore.

You poor thing. Annie thought as she misinterpreted his answer.

The two of them stayed there and watched television and would occasionally exchange glances.

*

It was during a rare less crowded period in the cafeteria that a voice rang out and got everyone's attention.

“You are such a whore!” Cissily exclaimed loudly with a boisterous laugh and waved the newspaper around like a flag.

Amy groaned as everyone around them laughed. “I told you what actually happened.”

“It doesn't matter what actually happened!” Cissily said. “What matters is what everyone will think! Young lovers, my sweet black ass! Ha ha ha!”

“Leave me alone for god's sake.” Amy said to try and discourage her friend.

“Nuh uh!” Cissily said. “What's his mom gonna say when she see this?”

“Oh, fuck.” Amy sighed and dropped her head onto her folded arms again.

“You know that bitch is crazy.” Cissily teased her. “Pull you hair out a braid at a time! HA!”

“Cissily...” Amy sighed.

“Ha... Fareena, look. She won't actually do anything to you. It was just a kiss.” Cissily said. “I've got your back if she even thinks of trying anything. You know that.”

Amy nodded.

“Now eat up. We've got that hunky professor for next class and you're going to need the energy.”

“You're the one that likes him, not me.”

“He's a distraction, sweetie!” Cissily said and poked her in the side with an elbow. “Come on, you gotta help me throw some shade on him.”

Amy wanted to refuse, she really did, then she sighed.

“You're the best!” Cissily said and started to force-feed her. Amy couldn't help but laugh at her friend as she did her best to cheer her up, then the two of them went to class. That day, the professor had no idea what was in store for him as the two young women stormed into his class with laughs and giggles.