Lemonade Mouth (17 page)

He didn’t answer. Even in the evening shadows I could see his white-knuckled fingers gripping the wheel. His jaw was stiff too—stiff in the way that meant he was about to blow up.

But I didn’t care. I was on a roll.

“I gotta be honest with you, Dad. Sydney has you wrapped around her little finger and you don’t even see it. I don’t think you realize how oblivious you’ve been.”

Finally, he spoke. “If anybody’s being oblivious around here it’s you.”

But that was crazy. “Me? What are you talking about?”

That’s when, out of the blue, he suddenly spun the wheel, pulled the truck over to the side of the road and slammed on the brakes. There was nobody else on the street so it didn’t matter, but we came to a sudden halt and it made my heart practically stop in my chest.

“Dad, what are you doing!”

He stopped the engine. Without the sound of the radio and the wipers it seemed as if the rain tapping on the roof got louder. For a few moments my dad just sat there staring at the dashboard. I expected him to shout at me but he didn’t. After a moment his grip on the wheel seemed to relax a little. When he spoke his voice was cool and level.

“What am I talking about? Well, I guess I’ll have to spell it out for you. The reason I say it’s
you
who’s being oblivious is that you don’t seem to see how wonderful Sydney is. Or what effect your attitude is having.” He took a deep breath and then turned to me. “Do you have any idea that she’s scared of you? Well, she is. She tiptoes around you. You’ve made it perfectly clear how you feel about her. In fact, you’ve been such a cold fish that I’m amazed she sticks around at all.”

I crossed my arms on my chest. “That’s ridiculous.”

“No, it’s not, Wen. It’s the truth. Look, whatever issue you have with Sydney I really need you to figure it out, kiddo, because in case you haven’t noticed, I’m crazy about her. And she’s crazy about me. That’s the way it is. And if for some reason that makes you unhappy right now then I’m sorry, I really am, especially since—” But then he stopped.

I waited, but he looked away.

“Since what, Dad?”

He leaned back on the seat and closed his eyes. Obviously there was something else he’d stopped himself from telling me. My mind reeled to think what it might be. One thing was sure, I wasn’t about to let him hold back now that he’d started.

“Come on, tell me. What were you about to say?”

He took in a deep breath and then blew it out again. “Okay. I wanted to wait until you came around a little, but I guess now’s the time.” He turned to me again. Hard as my heart was already beating, it suddenly sped up a notch. “Wen, the thing is, Sydney and I have decided to get married.”

I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right. I think I just blinked at him for a couple of seconds. Finally I said, “You’re kidding.”

“No, I’m not kidding. I asked her and she said yes. I’m in love with her, Wen. And she’s in love with me. I know she’s a little younger than I am, but she’s an amazing person. The kindest, most generous I’ve ever met. She makes me happy. Besides, I’m not exactly an old man and it’s not like you boys are little children anymore.” He studied my face. “Come on. Tell me you’re glad for me.”

I couldn’t speak. In love? Married? The news was hitting me in waves. This couldn’t be true, could it? If so, then Sydney would never move back to her apartment. She’d live with us for real. Whenever I came home, she’d be there. Whenever I got up in the morning, whenever I came back from school, whenever I did anything at all around my family, I’d see her relaxing on the sofa, or bending over to pick up a magazine, or maybe arching up to grab a cereal box.

I’d never be able to get rid of Sydney. Ever.

Without thinking, I reached for the door handle. The next thing I knew I was standing in the rain.

“What are you doing, Wen?”

“Going for a walk.” I slammed the door, then turned and started in the opposite direction. Cold rain dripped from my hair. My brain felt numb. I wasn’t sure where I was headed, only that I had to get away.

From behind I heard my dad’s door open. “Hey, don’t do this—”

I spun back around.

“I’m not getting back in!” I roared. A fat raindrop hit my forehead and started trickling toward my ear. “I said I’m going for a walk! And don’t even think about following me!”

My dad had one leg out of the truck, but I guess he saw on my face that I was serious because he stopped. I glared at him. After a moment, I spun away again, dug my hands deep in my jacket pockets, and kept walking.

CHARLIE:
A Wrecking Ball to the Stomach

Thursday afternoon after our final rehearsal before the show everyone went straight home. Practice had been a disaster. On top of barely getting through our newest songs and our panic about the Bash everybody was worried about Mo and where she was and why hadn’t she at least called? I phoned her house a couple of times but got no answer I tried Naomi but then I remembered that Mo had told me she was interviewing some local Folk Musician at Bruno’s that afternoon. Before Stella left to go home she wondered aloud if Mo was backing out but I was pretty sure that wasn’t it. Mo wouldn’t do that to us. Especially not with the Bash only a day away. Still, this was way weird for her.

After everyone left, my mom decided the 2 of us should go out for Chinese. My dad would be home late from work as usual and she didn’t want to cook. But I could barely sit still at the Restaurant and I ended up rushing us through the meal.

It was raining when we drove back. The minute we got home I ran to check the messages. The light was on. I pressed the button.

“Hi Charlie it’s me.” Mo. She was almost whispering. There were a few seconds of sharp breathing. “I hope you get this tonight. Call me I need to talk.”

Something
had
happened.

“Hello?” Mo had picked up on the 2nd ring. Her voice sounded normal enough at 1st but when she realized it was me she started crying. “I hate him! He’s an absolute bastard!”

“Who?” I asked, really really worried now.

“Scott!”

That’s when Aaron whispered
So tell me something we didn’t already know.
It’s also when Mo started bawling.

“It’s OK it’s OK” I said trying to sound calm. “Tell me what happened.”

It took a little more coaxing but eventually I got the story: Immediately after school she’d headed to Scott’s locker to say hi. When she got there she found him with Lynn Westerberg, his old Girlfriend. Scott and Lynn were facing each other too busy making out to notice anybody else. Mo said she’d stood frozen, unable at 1st to believe what she was seeing. But then Lynn finally saw her. Her eyes went wide and she whispered in Scott’s ear and unfortunately Mo was close enough to hear.

“Oh God Scotty it’s
her.
”

There was a long pause where Scott stood perfectly still. Eventually he turned around. “Hi Mo” he said with that stupid half grin he always has, his voice calm. “You remember Lynn. Right?”

“You should of seen his expression” Mo sobbed over the phone. “He thought it was funny! The bastard!”

I sighed. No doubt about that.

Still in shock Mo staggered a couple of steps backward and then spun around and ran away she said she was so hurt that she was having a hard time breathing but even then she half-hoped Scott would follow her. And maybe try to explain himself. Maybe it had all been a misunderstanding.

But of course he didn’t.

“Now I know why he wasn’t talking with me like he used to” she said still sobbing. “I was just a novelty to him something new to try. I wouldn’t mind so much but why did the truth have to come out like
this?
If he didn’t want to go out with me anymore then why couldn’t he at least have the courtesy to break up with me?”

I didn’t have an answer.

“But that’s it we’re over! Done! I hate him!”

I’m not proud to admit that a selfish part of me did somersaults at the news. In my mind Aaron almost shrieked with happiness.
That’s it, bro! You’re in!
But after a brief moment of mental high fives with my long-dead brother I felt like an ass. All this time I’d been imagining Aaron as the coarser, more self-centered twin and me as more evolved. Yet here I was sinking to his level. Mo was in pain after all and I really did care about her. Right now I needed to help her through this.

She and I ended up talking for about an hour and a half. Even as I tried to comfort her Aaron made me feel bad about it.
This is good, buddy. VERY good. Play the sensitive friend while she’s vulnerable and in no time she’ll be putty in your hands.

Aaron could be quite a bastard himself.

Even after all that time talking on the phone I don’t think the breakup had completely settled in Mo’s mind. One minute she’d say “Oh I was so stupid! Naomi warned me this would happen!” or “I can’t believe I actually
lied
to my parents for that jerk!” But a moment later she’d go the other way. “Tell me the truth Charlie do you think there’s any chance that someday he’ll realize what he did and we’ll get back together?” How was I supposed to answer that? I only came up with variations on “I don’t know but anybody who would treat you this way doesn’t deserve you.”

By the end she seemed to feel a little better. “I’m so sorry I didn’t show up at practice tonight” she said finally a little calmer. “I just couldn’t.”

“Don’t worry about it. No big deal. Everybody will understand.”

There was a long silence. Then she said “I’m so glad we’re friends Charlie. I really needed you tonight and you were there for me. Thanks.”

“No problem.” I couldn’t stop that selfish part of me from doing one more cartwheel.

There was another pause. Finally she said “Want to hear something funny? Naomi actually told me she thought you and I liked each other. I mean in a romantic way.”

I could hardly believe my ears.
Here you go stud! This is your moment! Tell her you DO like her!
But I guess my brain was still absorbing this amazing statement and my mouth was stuck closed. OK sure at the back of my mind it’d occurred to me that with Scott out of the picture it wouldn’t be long before I could make my move. But I didn’t think she would be the one to do it instead of me! Or so soon!

Come on!
shouted Aaron.
What are you waiting for?

But I was too slow. And that’s when she dropped the bomb that ruined everything.

“I love Naomi but sometimes she just doesn’t get it” she said. “It’s obvious that you and I are too different to ever be more than just friends. But it’s our differences that make us such
good
friends, don’t you think? For me it’s just wonderful to have a guy friend I can talk to. With no strings attached.”

I felt like a Wrecking Ball had just hit me in the gut. Even Aaron was speechless.

But she kept going. “I’m telling you right now Charlie that in the future if I ever feel like I’m falling for somebody else I’ve learned my lesson. I’m going to RUN in the opposite direction. My parents are right—I shouldn’t be dating. I’m never going to sneak around or lie to them for some guy ever again you don’t know how much I hated myself for letting them down because of Scott. What was I thinking?” She laughed but it wasn’t a real laugh it was more like she was putting herself down. “I’m so glad Naomi was wrong about you and me. The idea of us together . . . I just don’t see it fitting into the grand plan. I mean for
either
of us. Could you just imagine how weird that would be? The 2 of us? A
couple
?”

Even though my heart was in my throat I forced a chuckle. “Right” I said. “That would be weird.”

That night I lay curled up in bed trying to block Aaron’s moaning. He sounded like an injured buffalo.
Oh man Charlie I can’t believe you why didn’t you listen to me? Why didn’t you tell her when you had the chance? You’re useless you know that? I can’t believe this crap just my luck I’m the one that dies and gets stuck living through a bonehead who just sits there like a jackass when the girl of his dreams says she only ever wants to be just friends. Good work! You’re pitiful, bro. Pitiful.

Which is why on Friday I showed up for the Halloween Bash exhausted. Instead of sleeping that Thursday evening I spent the whole night wide awake trying to stop myself from banging my head against the wall.