Broken Bones, Not Hearts
-
"They'll get through,
they'll get you,
in the place that you fear it the most,
in the corner, where it's warmer,
in the face that you wish was a ghost."
-"Punching in a Dream" by The Naked and Famous
-
"Nom, nom, nom," Daphne munched loudly on her cereal as she watched the daily news in her kitchen. Without removing her eyes from the television, she shoved another spoonful of Lucky Charms into her mouth and continued to chew rather obnoxiously.
It was a wonder how she ever managed to attract a guy.
"What the fuck is quantum physics?" she asked no one in particular with a mouth full of semi-chewed breakfast cereal. "Just the word physics sounds intimidating as hell already, and now they gotta add a frickin' "quantum" in front of it? Way to put pressure on us children."
Daphne yawned and stretched, resting her feet on the chair across from her. She was still lounging around in her rubber ducky shorts and tank top with her long wavy curls piled atop her head in a swirl of peanut butter-yness.
Yep, she was feeling the pressure, all right.
She waved her spoon around as she shook her head at the man they were interviewing. Spots of milk splattered across the faded wooden table. "Well, Mr. Frank Portman, just because you have a Ph.D in quanticular physician Megatron telescope or some crap like that doesn't make you better than me, alright?" With a scoff, she noisily dropped the spoon into the large bowl and crossed her arms over her chest. "You think it's easy to make cereal? To get the right texture? And the bowl! You need the right bowl, for God's sake. The wrong bowl would ruin the entire mixture! Think of the children!"
The man on the monitor paused briefly to listen to the interviewer's question. "Since you are a candidate for the Nobel Prize, do you feel as though…"
Daphne's attention was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening and closing. She glanced at the black and white square clock hanging above the T.V. 11:53AM.
She groaned. It was Mark/Matt/Mike on his break. Who the hell has a break this early in the morning?
"Hey kiddo," he greeted her cheerfully as he stepped into the kitchen.
"You. Are. Less. Than. Seven Years. Older. Than. Me." She spoke like a robot. "Therefore, I am not your "kiddo"."
He did not appear to have heard her as he dug around in the fridge. Her mood sunk even lower as she sadly realized that maybe he was getting used to her antics. She would have to step her game up soon before he made himself too comfortable.
She scowled at the back of his head. "If you're looking to jack some more of my Poptarts, you're outta luck. You ate the last of them."
He gently closed the refrigerator door and sighed. "Again, Daphne, I'm truly sorry. I didn't realize that those Poptarts were exclusively yours. I'll purchase more for you after work."
She rolled her eyes and fixed her attention back on Dr. Frank Portman, Ph.D on quantisticle phantom plasma screen receptrons, speaking about his Nobel Prize candidacy.
"Although…" came Mark/Matt/Mike's voice from the sink, "I don't think that warranted an assault on my car."
"Crybaby."
"Just stating my opinion."
"It isn't welcome…much like yourself."
"Daphne." He took a seat adjacent to her and began pouring Lucky Charms into the bowl he just rinsed. "I know it's difficult for you to accept this relationship between your mother and me. I know it must be weird for you because you and I are so close in age. But what I need is for you to understand that this can't be helped. We can't help what we feel."
Daphne snorted rather unattractively. It truly was a wonder how she ever managed to attract a guy. "Are you gonna write me a poem now, Mr. Sensitive? Better yet, why don't you painting me something that displays your, uh, deep emotions that "can't be helped"?" She emphasized the latter with air quotes before dropping her feet to the floor and getting up.
For fuck's sake, was this a soap opera? Because Casanova over here definitely sounded like he was reading off a script from the 90's. She didn't want or need an explanation from him. In five months or less, he'll be gone like the rest of them. She was sure of it.
"Daphne," he patiently repeated.
She dumped her bowl and spoon into the sink and twirled around to face him, hands on her hips. "What I need you to understand is that it's my mother and me. It's always been us. You, along with the other losers in their "MILF and cougar" stages, always get dumped along the way. So don't talk to me as if you're my dad or some shit."
Daphne stormed off into the hall and hurriedly raced up the stairs to her room before he tried to talk to her again.
What a crock-load of bullshit. And goddamit, she told herself she was going to cut down on the swearing.
Motherfucker.
No pun intended.
-
"Hi Daphne."
"Go away," she moaned as if in pain.
A dark figure came into her vision, blocking out the sun. "Whatcha doing?" Anna peered down curiously at her.
"Waiting for the sun to vaporize me." After she was absolutely sure Casanova had left to return to work, Daphne unlocked herself from her room and carelessly splayed herself across her lawn. She was lying spread-eagle on the grass to allow the summer sun (just after noon, where it's at the highest peak in the sky, no less) to beat down on her.
"Can I try?"
"No. Go away."
"I'm going to my friend Sophie's house today."
"Don't care."
"After I come back, we can go into the city and visit Jack again," the little girl suggested hopefully.
Daphne paused. With a sigh, she agreed.
"'Kay. I have to go now."
"Sure."
"Bye!" Anna waved her hand joyfully before Daphne's face and bounced off.
Daphne groaned, zombie-like and all, and rolled over on her side. She had nothing to do. It was summer and everybody was off vacationing in some exotic land they've never heard of or playing around at the beach (even if it's just the Jersey shore). And here she was.
Wasn't she just dandy.
She lay there, immobile, for god knows how long before the community gates slowly creaked open. Her ears pricked up at the sound of tiny gravel being crushed under car tires. Said car was in her driveway.
Then a foot softly prodded her spine. "Daphne."
Her mother. Lucifer with a rack.
"Mother dear." Daphne's voiced was muffled by the hand that she was resting her cheek on.
"We need to talk."
"Are you breaking up with me?"
A sigh. "Come inside, Daphne. We need to speak about your attitude. I'll meet you in the kitchen in five minutes."
"Sir, yes, sir."
This talk could be about a total of three, count 'em, three things:
1. Matt/Mike/Mark
2. Boot camp
3. How, hopefully, she was adopted
Choices one and two were more likely. Her mother had been threatening her with boot camp for years. Maybe now she'll finally act on her threat. However, Daphne could not find the strength to lift herself onto her feet. It was just too easy to lie there and not confront the issues before her.
"Daphne." She knew her mother was on the porch steps now, maybe still wearing her scrubs from work, with her hands on her hips expectantly.
With a loud groan, Daphne pushed the palms of her hands into the soft grass and sat up. She was going to meet her fate.
-
"I don't know what I'm going to do with you." Her mom rested her forehand in her hands at the kitchen table and sighed deeply. "I don't know if it's just the summer air or what, but your attitude is escalating to a very unfortunate level."
Daphne took the seat across from her. "Mom, I know I'm a bitch. There's no need for euphemisms."
"Honey, I hope you understand that there's a very big difference between being an assertive, independent woman and being a slightly unpleasant…"
"Bitch, Mom. The word is bitch. Rhymes with witch. Stitch. Itch. Pitch."
"The point is, Daphne, you need to re-evaluate your attitude. You're going to college in a matter of months. How are you going to make friends if you're always pushing everyone away?"
Daphne groaned and dropped her head onto the cool tabletop. "Mom, I told you not to say the "C" word. I don't like it. It reminds me that I have to grow up."
"That's exactly the point! You need to mature, honey. You need to accept that not everything always goes your way. You need to be able to adapt to whatever happens."
"Is this about Matt or Mike or whatever?"
"His name is Matt, and no, it's not. This is about you."
"Well, what a surprise."
Her mom cocked the side of her head towards her daughter. "What?"
"Nothing is ever about me. You're always too busy working, being with Matt, or trying to get revenge on Dad in any way possible. I'm always in the background, always second-best."
"Now you know that is not tr—"
"Yes, it is!" Daphne's head shot up. "Mom, I'm leaving in two and a half months. Not even that much, actually. Do you understand this? Don't you want to spend time with me before I leave for Boston?"
"Of course I do! But I also have priorities. My work takes up the majority of my time, I know. But I always make time for you."
She snorted.
Her mom ignored this, all too accustomed to her behavior. "Not everything is always about you, Daphne. Sometimes I feel as if I spoiled you too much, and now you expect everyone's world to revolve around you."
Daphne felt her blood boiling. "That's bull. I'm asking for two months of your time, and you can't even give me that."
"Now I—"
"You know what? I'm glad I'm leaving. I'm glad I won't have to see this house or your boyfriend's face or your face for almost a whole school year. Hopefully then I'll be out of your way and won't cause any more problems for you guys. In fact, I'll start right now."
-
She didn't know why she blew up on her mom and just stormed out like that. She just knew she needed to get away from Jersey before she cracked.
"Damn, people are crazy mofos these days, huh?" Daphne casually commented to the old lady sitting next to her on the subway.
The lady side-eyed and ignored her.
But Daphne continued and scooted even closer against the overdressed old woman. She wrapped an arm around her neck as if they were old buddies back from 'Nam. "Y'know, I'm just trying to chill out at home since I can't do shit this summer, and people are all up on my back, crampin' my style. And that's just not cool, man."
Now she had captured the lady's attention. The woman eyes flickered from Daphne's face to the arm and back to her face. "I am wearing a minx fur coat in this damn ninety-degree weather." She spoke slowly, as if Daphne didn't possess the ability to understand English. "I am feeling damp even in places that haven't felt wetness since I was in my twenties. So, if you could, how do you young'ns say it nowadays, fuck off, that would be lovely." She even closed it off with a smile.
Stunned, Daphne blinked numerous times and slowly retracted her arm. She just got bitchslapped by an eighty-year-old woman. Swell.
Seeing as how she couldn't possibly return to her home now without being subjected to another talk, she aimed to get lost in the city. Sort of. She was actually going to visit Jack at I Scream.
See, Daphne doesn't like people. She's not shy or anything. She just finds them incredibly irritating. So why in the name of Twix bars is she actually taking the time and effort to go and talk to someone?
She needed to get laid.
Daphne rolled her eyes at the thought. No, not laid. She has only had sex once and it was so bad, she never wanted to do it again. Then Jack's face glimmered through her thoughts. Well, ahem. This is troubling.
All the chocolate she's been eating is having an aphrodisiac effect on her. Yeah, that's it.
The subway train screeched to a stop at her destination. She started towards the sliding doors, only to be cut off by the old lady from before. Daphne narrowed her eyes. "Come at me, bro! You got something to say, say it!"
"Ah, screw you, thundercunt!" The woman shrieked and shakily wobbled down the platform.
Damn. Bitchslapped again.
-
"Why hello, Kit-Kat," Jack said with a warm smile, "what brings you to my humble abode?"
She shrugged and leaned forward against the counter, wishing she had boobs to actually show off. "I have no friends."
"Ouch. I was hoping for something along the lines of, I missed you. You are the light in my life. I can't live without you, etcetera etcetera. But I see that I'm just a last resort."
"What else would you be?" A flirty smile slowly spread on her lips as she watched his reaction through her thick lashes (thanks to Maybelline's new line).
And finally, finally, she managed to coax some type of reaction from him. He watched her with a small smile on his face, not saying anything, just looking at her. Hook. Line. And sinker, sucka. Then, his lips parted as if he was going to say something…
"AY GIRLIE!" a male voice loudly shouted in her ear, breaking the much sought-after moment between her and Jack.
Daphne reluctantly broke her eye contact with Jack and slowly turned towards the new addition to the conversation, claws sharpened.
The intruder was of average height—maybe two inches taller than her—of Hispanic descent and wearing a blue polo over khaki shorts. His dark green eyes twinkled at her. "What's good?"
She flexed her jaw to ready herself to lay it into this asshole.
"Felix, this is a new friend of mine," Jack said. "And Daphne, this is my best friend, Felix."
Felix's eyes brighten at the revelation that she and Jack were already acquainted. "Ooo, daddy likes."
"I'll break your neck."
He immediately grew somber and inched sideways toward the counter to nudge Jack. "You sure know how to pick 'em, huh?" he mumbled under his breath.
Jack laughed. "Dude, I'm not stepping in when she decides to follow through on her threat." His smile grew at the sight of Daphne scowling. "Kit, I have to go back to work. My shift ends pretty soon, but, uh, why don't you and Felix dig into a little bonding session?"
"Do you want to be a witness to a murder?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
He raised his hands up in defense. "Hey, if don't see anything, I can't say anything."
Daphne grinned, but Felix wasn't having it. "DUDE?"
"It's you or me, man." And with that, Jack moved back to the serving counter to relieve Algernon of his duties.
"Ah, I get it," Felix said slowly, nodding his head. "The power of the pussy."
"You're fucking skeevy."
"Now, is this foreplay or…?"
Daphne stared at him for a long, long time. How the fuck is this creeposaurus rex Jack's best friend? Yes, he's kinda cute…but the creep factor cancels that out indefinitely. She wondered if she should suck up to him or kill him in a dark alleyway. Oh, the indecisiveness that plagues teenage lives.
"So, uh, Daphne, I feel you should know that back in Me-he-co, they call me El Pollo."
"The Chicken?"
"Yeah. Because I be fertilizing eggs like the economy depended on it."
…
Daphne cocked her head to the side and shot him an inviting smile. "Hey, Felix, wanna come with me to this amazing dark alleyway I saw earlier?"
-
Unfortunately, Felix remained alive and breathing.
Daphne walked on the left of Jack as the trio strolled through the crowded city streets around four in the afternoon. She could still feel the humidity clinging onto her like an over-eager boyfriend. Or Felix. Smoothing down her waves, Daphne hoped her hair didn't resemble a lion's mane at this point.
"Where's Anna?" Jack inquired, gently guiding her by the elbow to avoid a spilled smoothie on the pavement.
Oh shit. She forgot about the little girl. Anna had even asked her in the morning if the two of them could visit Jack. Daphne used to find her incredibly annoying...actually, she still did. But the brat ain't so bad.
"Crap!" she hollered and smacked her forehead with force. "I can't believe I forgot!"
Jack appeared slightly alarmed by her dramatics. "Hey, it's alright. You can bring her next time."
"I like 'em a bit loca. As long as they remain that way in bed." Felix winked at her from the other side of the tall nineteen-year-old.
Daphne looked at him dully. "You can't speak Spanish fluently, can you?"
There was a rare silent pause. "NO I CANNOT," Felix suddenly wailed into his golden brown hands. "I'm useless! WHY, WHY ME?" The people passing by didn't even blink at his loud confession. They just kept on their merry way without even showing a single sign of curiosity. Ah, New Yorkers.
"There, there," his best friend gently patted his shoulder. "At least you've mastered Hay un gato en mis pantalones."
Felix sobered up immediately. "This is true," he confirmed with a sniffle. "In case of emergencies."
"You know it," Jack replied as they quickly fist-bumped. "You'll be ready for it." Bending down, he whispered in Daphne's ear. "Felix is a little sensitive."
She wasn't even paying attention to his exact words. All she could focus on was the proximity of his mouth near her and the slight tickle of his warm breath by her ear. She was doing her best to control herself, to refrain from jumping him right then and there.
They ended up sitting on the giant ruby-red stairs in the center of Times Square. As usual, Daphne was sprawled out and melting in the heat, ignoring the excited chatter of tourists around her. "What am I doing with myself," she moaned and hooked her arm up around her head.
Jack glanced down at her from his sitting position, and Daphne hoped she looked more like a model posing for a fashion spread and less like a fried egg. "What's up? You seem more irritated than usual."
"Than usual? You've known me for how long? Two or three days?"
"I only need half an hour with you to know that you're gritty."
Gritty? What the fuck? And being the supposedly "gritty" person than she is, that is exactly what Daphne angrily blurted out.
"Hey." Jack raised his hands in defense. "It's not a bad quality. You don't pretend to be a delicate piece of glass or anything. You're raw. And I can dig that," he added with a half smile.
Her body visibly relaxed. With that amount of charm, he could talk her into walking off a cliff.
"I can dig it, too." Felix poked his head out from where he was sitting on the other side of Jack. He grinned at her, his dark green eyes twinkling in the bright sunlight.
She turned her head away. "How about you start digging a hole for me to dump your body in?"
Jack cackled loudly. His whole face exploded in boyish delight at her grumpy little quip. He studied her for a minute, with a small smile full of mystery, before stretching out beside her with his arms crossed behind his head.
His best friend pointed a finger at her. "I like you. You've got more sass than ass, but I can deal."
Daphne rolled her eyes, but remained silent. She wasn't about to waste all her one-liners in one day. If she intended to hang around Jack more often (and she does indeed intend to do so), she had a feeling Felix came as a package. Therefore, her clever one-liner repertoire needed to stay stocked to the brim. Hey, she wasn't that clever to able to come up with amazing retorts every time. Especially when she was devoting her energy to getting into Jack's delicious, fitted-in-all-the-right-places pants. Give a girl a break.
The trio spent most of the afternoon lounging on the ruby red stairs, soaking in the sun's rays and of course, the pollution of New York City. Around them, life in the city went on. Tourists hardly noticed them, as they were too absorbed in taking pictures of the billboards, of the buildings, and of each other. Loud, harsh honks and angry shouts as well as angry fists shaking all became a blur, and eventually disappeared as Daphne forgot about everything else but this moment. Even with Felix the Creepasaurus Rex in her presence, she has not felt this content in too long of a time. She smiled, she laughed, and she didn't cuss out the occasional tourist who accidently stepped on her fanned-out wavy hair. And when Jack raised himself up on one arm to whip out his cell phone camera because "the lighting was perfect," she smiled widely and brightly into the lens.
-
"But why?" After having spent the greater part of the day in the sun, Daphne felt much happier but she wasn't happy enough to go to some small hippy talent show.
Jack shrugged. "It's chill and mellow."
"I've been chilling and mellowing all day."
"Yeah, and you're practically glowing."
"Glowing? Didn't realize you got me pregnant halfway through the day." She turned to Felix and jerked a thumb in Jack's direction. "Hey, your bestie apparently knocked me up."
Felix shook his head. "Bastardo."
With a sigh, Jack tilted his head and studied her. "You just can't accept a compliment, can you?"
It was Daphne's turn to shrug.
"Let's go. You'll enjoy it. It's okay to enjoy life, you know. You don't have to grumble and swear to throw people off about your happiness."
"Fuck off." God, swearing was as natural to her as breathing air. "…Fine, but I'm not doing that lame snapping fingers bullshit after they read their pretentiously abstract haikus."
It actually wasn't that bad.
Okay, it was. She had already suffered through three pretentiously abstract haikus…in a row. However, Jack seemed to be suffering as well, so she felt a small satisfaction.
Daphne leaned in close to him, but kept her eyes on the small crowd of haphazardly dressed teenagers in front of her. "Hate to say I told you so but…"
He groaned so softly that she could have missed it if she wasn't so close to his chest. "I'll admit that I had imagined something different than this…"
The event was located in a small local coffee shop in Williamsburg named Fixie Origins. What that meant, who the hell knows. All Daphne knew was that it probably had nothing to do with coffee. On the flyer, tonight's event was described as "a post-modern, progressive, rhythmic discussion of society's misdeeds and conformist media paradigms in an existentialist free-spirited environment" with promises of "gluten-free, organic, soy coffee" as refreshment in case they ever get thirsty from sprouting their elitist opinions.
In other words, it was an excuse for people to showcase their middle school haiku skills.
She should have turned and ran in the other direction as soon as she stepped inside.
Jack nudged her softly. "You think I should get up there?"
"You got a haiku written up?"
"You ever see me write a haiku any time today?"
Daphne rolled her eyes, but grinned anyways. "Ah, young grasshopper, someone's getting sassy."
He imitated her actions and then jerked his head in the direction of the makeshift stage. "You dare me?"
"You wouldn't." But she wasn't so sure.
"Really, now? Oh, Kit, you don't know me at all."
Her phone vibrated again in her palm. Without looking at the name that popped up, she knew for a fact it was her mother again. She ignored the call and switched her phone off. Her mom must be on the verge of a heart attack, but after their fight in the morning, Daphne's mood had only lightened up.
And she was determined for it to remain that way.
"Go ahead, then."
Jack threw one last smug look her direction and walked over to the guy with dreadlocks to whisper something to him. She leaned against the counter in the back of the audience and folded her arms around her chest.
Felix, who had been off hitting on some chick with a tattoo of Ernest Hemingway's face on her arm, found this as an opportunity to utilize his less-than-impressive moves. He sauntered up next to Daphne and leaned in close to whisper seductive nothings in her ear. "It's about to get spicy up in here."
"Wow, do you usually try to seduce girls with Taco Bell commercials?"
There was a sharp hiss. Felix clutched at his heart as if she had just shot an arrow through it. "You know better than to say the name of that establishment around me. I refuse to acknowledge fake food."
"Okay, that's why you were downing that Easy Mac like it was doused with cheap beer and crack cocaine."
"Ah. The two greatest inventions ever." His tongue flicked out as if to lick the side of her face, but refrained from making actual contact.
She refrained from flinching. "I only met you two hours ago and already you're at the top of my To Google list for sexual offenders."
"Add me to the top of your To Do list, and you've got yourself a deal, sweet thing." He winked at her.
Sighing, Daphne reached out to rub his shoulder sympathetically. "One day, Felix. One day, you'll find yourself a nice girl who will latch onto you—and perhaps sleep with you if you get her drunk enough—simply because your best friend is gorgeous." She paused to think. "Have you tried the Jersey shore?"
When Felix sighed dejectedly, she turned her attention back to the stage. Jack grabbed the microphone and grinned wildly at the audience. He caught Daphne's disbelieving stare and shot a tiny knowing smirk her way. Still maintaining eye contact, his hands went to his belt and began undoing it.
Her jaw dropped. There were some catcalls from the audience as well as some curious gazes. Jack took the belt off and lowered the waistband of his jeans until a good portion of his navy blue boxers were peeking out. Daphne almost wished they had gone lower.
"Always a show-off," Felix muttered good-naturedly. He glanced at her sideways. "Just so you know, Kit, my average satisfaction score is an 8.4."
"I don't even wanna ask how you would know that," she halfheartedly replied. All of her attention was fixed on the stage. What the hell was he doing?
With his jeans half off, Jack placed the mike near his lips and grinned mischievously.
Felix nodded at him, and turned to smirk at Daphne. "Don't underestimate him…"
"Ayo, DJ, spin dat beat!" Jack bellowed into the microphone, adopting a Brooklyn accent. "Where all mah ladiez at? Put yo handz up and wyle out!"
"Oh sweet baby Jesus," she breathed, half incredulous, half…turned-on?
As expected, they were kicked out.
Despite the irate mutters of "non-pulchritude-appreciating, Steven Spielberg-loving materialism defenders who probably vacuum down cows…" from the hipsters inside, Daphne was grabbing at her stomach and laughing loudly into the night.
"Ya'll can't handle J-Diddy!" Jack threw his arms up wide as he stood in the doorway.
"Holy shit," she breathed between cackles, "that was hilarious."
Jack gracefully bowed before starting down the lively street where others were gathered outside of local restaurants and bars chitchatting. "I had to. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up."
"Oh, God, they were pissed."
"I should be pissed! They didn't even let me finish my rap! I was about to debut my comeback."
Felix clapped him on the back. "Dude, you are so suburban."
Before any one could reply, a deep voice cut through their little bubble of glee. "Is that who I think it is?"
Jack and Felix looked behind Daphne at the source, their brows furrowed in confusion. Jack nudged Felix. "Guess they must have heard about my comeback," he joked.
But Daphne wasn't laughing. She knew that voice. There was a point in her life where she wanted to hear it again more than anything. And now that it finally came, she wanted nothing more than for it disappear. Especially with Jack here.
"Daphne Fellows. I'd recognize that tight little body anywhere." There was a roar of laughter. And then the voice was right next to her ear. "Miss me?"
She was frozen. Just frozen in place, staring at the dirty ground. A condescending laugh assaulted her ear. "I know you did." For the first time in a long time, she genuinely did not have a clever retort waiting on the tip of her tongue to fire back. Jack was looking back and forth from her to the guy now dangerously close behind her. "Daphne? You alright?"
Chills slithered all over her body. And she just could. not. speak.
Even Felix was looking worried now. Jack reached out and lightly touched her bare arm. "Hey."
It sent an electrifying spark through her, bringing her back to life. She snapped to attention and whipped around to face him. He looked just as she remembered. Tall and built and tanned with white-blond hair, and that face, that beautifully chiseled face that had once looked at her so lovingly was now sneering down at her.
"Hi babe." What should have been an affectionate pet name sounded so grimy coming from his mouth.
She looked behind him at his entourage of douchebags in their too-small shirts and haughty expressions, then to their leader, the biggest douche on this side of the hemisphere, in front of her. And found her voice. "Fuck off, Jordan."
There was a roar of laughter again from his friends. "Ouch, babe." He feigned a hurt expression and grabbed at the place where his heart should have been. "From what I remember, you were once begging me to come back."
Daphne stiffened.
Sensing her clear discomfort, Jack stepped forward. "Hey, maybe you should back up."
Jordan ignored him. "You remember, don't you?" he whispered into her hair. "Your texts, voicemails…"
Daphne roughly shoved both her ex-boyfriend and those memories away from her. Jordan wasn't expecting her gain her footing so quickly. Caught by surprise, he actually stumbled backwards.
"Luckily, I've grown up and moved onto real men. Y'know, those who don't waxed their chests and eyebrows every weekend."
Jordan scoffed and easily brushed off her weak response. "Don't think I haven't heard about your boys since I dumped you. Tyler Williams? Ryan Amoroso? Greg Villidolan? Seriously? You think they can replace me? Don't bother replying because I hear they don't last more than two weeks. Someone's still on my dick."
More laughter.
Her breathing had quickened. She didn't know if she was angry, embarrassed, or hurt. She could feel everyone looking at her. Then a hand came to rest on her shoulder. "Hey Kit-Kat," Jack whispered kindly, "Don't listen to this Steven Spielberg-loving materialism-defender who probably vacuums down cows, huh? Let's check out this new place I fou—"
"And who's this?" Jordan taunted, pointing at Jack. "Your newest attempt to fix your poor broken heart?" He threw in a fake, weak sob at the end and glanced back at his entourage to laugh some more. "Oh, God, this can't get any better. Hey, don't bother, okay? This slut's just using you to fill the hole I left. In more ways than one."
More laughter, louder and wilder this time.
Daphne blinked and suddenly a figure had jumped on Jordan.
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A/N: It's been almost 3 years since my last update, wow! My last "chapter" was an update about my AP summer work and all…it's so weird reading that because that seems so long ago. I am so grateful for those who have stuck with me since then, especially those who sent me private messages. Thank you so much! From my last note on my profile, about a year ago, I mentioned that college and heartbreak have gotten the best of me and I didn't feel like writing anymore. I am a pre-med student at a small, private university and the workload really overwhelmed me. My boyfriend and I also went through a rough break up, so you can see why I wasn't in the mood to write about love! Well, one of my new year's resolutions is to beat that slump and this chapter is me getting a head-start on doing so! Remember, I haven't written creatively in almost 3 years so be gentle! This chapter was more of a filler than anything, but it starts to give you insight on why Daphne is the way she is.
My first story, We've Got A Big Mess, written in my early teens is on the faves list of well over 1500 people! I'm kind of embarrassed because it's horribly written, but I'm really happy that so many enjoyed it. Thank you for all of your support, and hopefully you'll see more updates from me! Have a happy new year! 2012 is a fresh start. Take it from me!