Filed to story: The One That Got Away
Louis’s on a roll. “And I won’t walk you to class or buy you flowers.”
“I get the picture.” It seems to me like Louis’s less concerned about me and more concerned about his wallet. He sure is cheap. “So when you were with Genevivian, what kinds of things did she like you to do?”
I’m afraid he’s going to take this opportunity to make a joke, but instead he stares off into space and says, “She was always bitching at me to write her notes.”
“Notes?”
“Yeah, at school. I didn’t get why I couldn’t just text her. It’s immediate, it’s efficient. Why not use the technology that’s available to us?”
This I understand perfectly. Genevivian didn’t want notes. She wanted letters. Real letters written in his handwriting on actual paper that she could hold and keep and read whenever the mood struck her. They were proof, solid and tangible, that someone was thinking about her.
“I’ll write you a note a day,” Louis says suddenly, with gusto. “That’ll drive her ass crazy.”
I write down, Louis will write Bella one note every day.
Louis leans in. “Write down that you have to go to some parties with me. And write down no rom coms.”
“Who said anything about rom coms? Not every girl wants to watch rom coms.”
“I can just tell that you’re the kind of girl who does.”
I’m annoyed that he has this perception of me, and even more annoyed that he’s right. I write, NO DUMB ACTION MOVIES.
“Then what does that leave us with?” Louis demands.
“Superhero movies, horror movies, period films, documentaries, foreign films-“
Louis makes a face, grabs the pen and paper from me, and writes down, NO FOREIGN FILMS. He also writes, Bella will make Louis’s picture her phone wallpaper. “And vice versa!” I say. I point my phone at him. “Smile.”
Louis smiles, and ugh, it’s annoying how handsome he is. Then he reaches for his phone and I stop him. “Not right now. My hair looks sweaty and gross.”
“Good point,” he says, and I want to punch him.
“Can you also write down that under no circumstances can either of us tell anyone the truth?” I ask him.
“The first rule of Fight Club,” Louis says knowingly.
“I’ve never seen that movie.”
“Of course you haven’t,” he says, and I make a face at him. Also: mental note, watch Fight Club.
Louis writes it down, and then I sit next to him and take the pen and underline “under no circumstances” twice. “What about an end date?” I ask suddenly.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, how long are we going to do this for? Like, two weeks? A month?”
Louis shrugs. “For as long as we feel it.”
“But – don’t you think we should have something set – “
He cuts me off. “You need to relax, Bella. Life doesn’t have to be so planned. Just roll with it and let it happen.”
I sigh and say, “Words of wisdom from the great Kavinsky,” and Louis wiggles his eyebrows at me. “Just as long as it’s over by the time my sister comes back for Christmas break. She can always tell when I’m lying.”
“Oh, we’ll definitely be done by then,” he says.
“Good,” I say, and then I sign the paper, and so does he, and we have our contract.
I’m too proud to ask for a ride, and Louis doesn’t offer, so I put my helmet back on and ride Kitty’s bike back home. I’m halfway there when I realize we never exchanged phone numbers. I don’t even know my own supposed boyfriend’s phone number.
I’m at McCalls bookstore, picking up a copy of The Glass Menagerie for English and scanning the store for Josh. Now that Louis and I have everything worked out, I can triumphantly crow all about it. That’ll show him for thinking I’m just a homebody no boy would want to date.
I spot him setting up a display of new books in the non-fiction section. He doesn’t see me, so I sneak up behind and yell, “Boo!”
He jumps and drops a book on the floor. “You scared the crap out of me!”
“That was the point, Joshy!” I’m having a giggle fit. The look on his face! I wonder, why is it so deliciously funny to sneak up on people?
“All right, all right. Quit laughing. What are you here for?”
I hold up my book and wave it in his face. “I have Mr Radnor for English. You had him, right?”
“Yeah, he’s good. He’s strict but fair. I still have my notes if you want them.”
“Thanks,” I say. Brightly I add, “So guess what. Louis and I aren’t broken up after all. It was just a misunderstanding.”
“Oh yeah?” Josh starts stacking books into a column.
“Mm-hmm. I saw him yesterday and we talked and talked, for hours. I feel like I could talk to him about anything, you know? He just really gets me.”
Josh’s forehead wrinkles. “What do you guys talk about?”