Hung Up (7 page)

James:
Come on.

Lucy:
CeCe is calling. I’ve got to go.

James:
You’re hanging up on me?

Lucy:
It’s CeCe. We’re going out tonight.

James:
Okay. Are you going to call me back?

Lucy:
I don’t know.

James:
Fine.

April 12, 5:58 p.m.

Lucy:
I feel bad about our fight. CeCe and I are headed to a party in Calais. If you can call me back in the next hour, I’ll be around.

April 12, 6:45 p.m.

James:
I feel bad too. I didn’t mean to say that thing
about your period. I guess that was a jackass comment. Okay. You must be driving to Calais, and, for safety’s sake, have turned off your phone. I’ll call you tomorrow. Don’t party too hard. Seriously.

April 13, 9:12 a.m.

James:
Good morning, Lucy Villaire.

Lucy:
Shh, James, why are you talking so loud?

James:
This isn’t loud.

Lucy:
Softer. My head is pounding.

James:
Are you sick?

Lucy:
No. Not sick.

James:
Then what is it?

Lucy:
Ugh. I think I need some water.

James:
Do you have a hangover?

Lucy:
Maybe a little one.

James:
Are you sure you’re okay?

Lucy:
Don’t worry. I might need some Alka-Seltzer, but I’ll be fine.

James:
It must have been quite a party.

Lucy:
Relax.

James:
I am relaxed. I’m not hungover.

Lucy:
It’s part of life. It’s not like I robbed a bank.

James:
It’s not part of my life.

Lucy:
Softer, James. Please.

James:
Why do you want to do this to yourself?

Lucy:
Are you worried about my unformed brain?

James:
This is a joke to you.

Lucy:
Shh. Don’t yell.

James:
I’m talking like a normal person.

Lucy:
Why are you mad at me?

James:
I’m not.

Lucy:
Yes you are. I can tell by the tone in your voice.

James:
I’ll call you when you feel better.

Lucy:
I feel okay, just don’t yell.

James:
This isn’t the best time to talk.

Lucy:
Stop acting like I did something wrong. CeCe and I went to a party. I had some White Russians. I probably had one too many. It’s not that big of a deal.

James:
Fine.

Lucy:
James, this isn’t fair.

James:
I can feel however I want to feel.

Lucy:
But you can’t treat me like crap.

James:
I’m not.

Lucy:
You are.

James:
If you want to go out and get drunk because you think it’s cool, that’s your call. But I don’t want you drinking when you’re with me.

Lucy:
You mean when we talk on the phone?

James:
I’m talking about the Spring Bash.

Lucy:
God, it’s not like I plan on bringing my own flask.

James:
You just keep joking about it.

Lucy:
What’s wrong with you?

James:
Nothing.

Lucy:
Maybe we should talk later.

James:
Fine.

Lucy:
Whatever.

James:
Bye.

April 13, 8:54 p.m.

Lucy:
Hey, James, I don’t know why you were so mad at me. It’s not like I go out drinking every weekend. And even if I did, you still shouldn’t treat me that way. You were mean. And we’re supposed to be friends. Don’t do that anymore, okay? I already have a dad. His name is Wolf, remember? Talking to you used to be so much fun. What happened?

April 14, 5:52 a.m.

James:
It’s not fair of you to tell me that I’m acting like your dad.

Lucy:
I’m not really up yet.

James:
School starts in an hour and a half.

Lucy:
Um, that’s right. That means I sleep for another half hour.

James:
I didn’t realize that. Sorry.

Lucy:
I don’t want to fight with you. Let’s not talk about drinking anymore. It’s sort of like abortion or the death
penalty. We have really different opinions and fighting isn’t going to change anything.

James:
I agree.

Lucy:
All right. Well, have a good day at school.

James:
This weekend will still be fun. I promise.

Lucy:
You better not act like a freak again.

James:
I didn’t act like a freak.

Lucy:
You’re right. That’s just the drowsiness talking.

James:
You’re a grumpy morning person.

Lucy:
That’s true.

James:
Go and learn something useful today.

Lucy:
I will. And James, if something happens with Jairo and Nan and you want to talk, call me. Seriously. I know that must really suck.

James:
There you go reminding me about those two again. I hadn’t started thinking about them yet.

Lucy:
Just doing my job.

April 14, 6:46 p.m.

Lucy:
I think I know why we’re fighting.

James:
Really? Lay it on me.

Lucy:
Fear.

James:
Fear?

Lucy:
We’re afraid of meeting each other.

James:
You’re afraid of meeting me?

Lucy:
We’re both afraid of meeting each other. Because we’re total strangers.

James:
Um. We’re friends. I mean, I sort of feel like we’ve known each other for a long time now.

Lucy:
Exactly. We might
feel
that way when we talk on
the phone, but in reality, you’re as much of an enigma to me as I am to you.

James:
Did you study Freud in your psychology class today?

Lucy:
How do you know I’m taking a psychology class?

James:
Lucky guess.

Lucy:
Well, I think it’s okay that we’re afraid.

James:
Okay.

Lucy:
Because fear is natural. It’s part of being human.

James:
Uh-huh.

Lucy:
Maybe we should meet in a controlled setting.

James:
You don’t want me to come to your house?

Lucy:
Maybe we should meet in a public area first.

James:
Are you afraid that I’m a criminal or something? Let’s not forget, you’re the one who called
me
.

Lucy:
I know, I know. I just think it’s important to figure out why we’ve been fighting so much.

James:
Listen, let’s not overanalyze this. We haven’t been fighting that much. There was the spat about you jumping into my story about my grandmother and so I asked you about your period. And then there was the time I woke you up during your hangover. No two people get along perfectly all the time.

Lucy:
I agree.

James:
I think it’s cool that we can call each other and talk about almost anything. It works for me. I don’t think we should go digging for issues.

Lucy:
So you’re not afraid to meet me?

James:
No. Why? Should I be? Are you a biter?

Lucy:
Are you this big of a goof in person?

James:
I’d say I’m worse in person.

Lucy:
I’ve told my parents about our date.

James:
Do they think it’s weird that we met on the phone?

Lucy:
I didn’t tell them that part. I don’t want to worry them.

James:
So what did you tell them? Did you lie?

Lucy:
I don’t
like
to lie. I told them I was going to Burlington High’s Spring Bash with a member of their basketball team. That was enough. Why? Do you talk about me with
your
parents?

James:
No. I don’t talk about girls with them. I mean, they met Nan and stuff.

Lucy:
Did they like her?

James:
Yeah. A lot.

Lucy:
What did they say when she broke up with you? Did they still like her?

James:
She didn’t break up with me.

Lucy:
What do you mean? I thought she dumped you.

James:
No. That’s not what happened.

Lucy:
So you broke up with Nan?

James:
Yeah.

Lucy:
But you really like her.

James:
Sometimes that’s not enough.

Lucy:
What happened?

James:
We were different in some important ways.

Lucy:
What ways?

James:
I don’t want to get into it.

Lucy:
Wait. Did you love her?

James:
Ugh. Maybe. I think so. I guess it was maybe-love.

Lucy:
Is this the kind of instant, wimpy love you had for Valley in your International Foods class, or are we talking real love?

James:
Well, I think we’re talking real love.

Lucy:
And you broke up with her?

James:
Yes.

Lucy:
That doesn’t make any sense. Do you think if you told her that you maybe-love her that she would stop seeing Jairo and date you again?

James:
I’ve thought about that.

Lucy:
I can’t believe that you’re maybe still in love with Nan and you’re not doing anything about it. I mean, you’ve started liking me.

James:
God, Lucy. You make it sound like you want me to hang up with you right now and call Nan and profess my undying maybe-love for her.

Lucy:
That’s not what I want at all.

James:
Nan and I are over. It had to happen. End of story.

Lucy:
Are you afraid of commitment?

James:
No.

Lucy:
Did she do something that made you break up with her?

James:
Lucy, I don’t want to talk about this.

Lucy:
Did she?

James:
Yes.

Lucy:
Does it involve Jairo?

James:
No.

Lucy:
My god! Did she date another one of your friends too?

James:
No. That’s not what happened. I don’t want to talk about it.

Lucy:
But I want to know.

James:
Lucy, can you respect the fact that at the moment I have no desire to tell you what happened between Nan and me?

Lucy:
But it sounds like she broke your heart.

James:
She didn’t mean to. It was complicated.

Lucy:
Okay. You sound upset. I won’t ask you any more questions about it.

James:
It’s hard for me to talk about.

Lucy:
Okay.

James:
It involves Bo.

Lucy:
Holy shit! She dated your brother?

James:
No, no, no. Lucy, I don’t want to talk about it. You don’t understand. My brother. Bo. He’s sick.

Lucy:
He has cancer? He’s dying of cancer? Does Nan have cancer too? Are they both dying?

James:
Lucy, you’re giving me a headache. Nobody has cancer. Nan isn’t sick. Nan is normal. Bo is the one who’s sick. He has a problem. A drinking problem. I mean, I think he’s an alcoholic. He’s in rehab. I don’t want to talk about it.

Lucy:
Wow. Okay. I’m sorry.

James:
There’s nothing to be sorry about.

Lucy:
This makes sense.

James:
What makes sense?

Lucy:
Why you got so upset when I was hungover.

James:
Lucy, has anybody ever told you that you’re lousy at dropping the subject and moving on?

Lucy:
Yes. Many people have told me that.

James:
Why don’t we change gears? Why don’t you tell me a story about something?

Lucy:
What?

James:
Your favorite class.

Lucy:
I’m not a good storyteller.

James:
Well, with a gripping introduction like that, I’m all ears.

Lucy:
I’ll do my best. I don’t really have a
favorite
class.

James:
Fine. Any class. I want to learn something new about you.

Lucy:
Okay. Once upon a time, I took a class called Self Discovery. Hey, are you laughing?

James:
Yeah. Self Discovery is one of those phrases that can have a double meaning. You know. A dirty one.

Lucy:
James Rusher, I did not take a class in masturbation.

James:
You are the funniest girl I’ve ever encountered.

Lucy:
We haven’t really encountered each other yet.

James:
But we will. Okay. Go on. Self Discovery.

Lucy:
Anyway, once upon a time, in Self Discovery, the teacher, Mrs. Scheel, asked us to sit on the floor and take off our socks and shoes. I did. Luckily, I was sporting some cute, non-odorous socks. This was not true for all of my peers. This was a risky and stinky assignment. Anyway, so there we were, on the floor, barefoot and feeling vulnerable.