Missed Me, Missed Me, Now You Gotta Kiss Me

Shit Happens...Well, Unil It Matters. Suddenly When You Need it, There's No Shit

   “I heard there was a disruption last night. Apparently, this girl was making out with Tanya’s boyfriend on the dance floor and she caught them. Unfortunately no one actually heard the words spoken, but everyone’s saying Tanya’s “lying”, “cheating”, “bastard” boyfriend broke up with her. Dumped at the prom. Can you believe it? Unfortunately, people say that Cinderella fled the ball before finding this out…….Piper, it’s Lulu. Call me back when you’re ready to talk.”

  Beep.

  “I hear tell someone was a naughty girl last night. All I hafta say is good for you! That Tanya bitch had it coming! I can’t believe you punched her! Right on, girlfriend! I am so hot for you right now. Haha! It’s Maddie. Gimme a call back. I want all the gory details!”

  Beep.

  “Piper, it’s Adrianne. I’m really worried about you. I don’t know all that happened Friday night, but it doesn’t sound good. I’m just calling to make sure you’re okay. No one’s heard from you for a few days. Well….I guess I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

  Beep.

  “Piper, if you don’t pick up, I’m coming over there. Why’re you skipping school? Liam’s not there. He’s at your house. Unless that’s why. But I don’t think it is. Call me back, bitch. I’m only kidding now, but gimme a few more days of the undeserved silent treatment. If no one else, you should call me. I’m your best friend. You know I would never judge you, especially when it comes to Liam.”

  Beep.

  As promised, Lulu showed up the next day after I neglected to call or go to school.

  “I’m not freaking out,” was the first thing I told her before bursting into tears.

  She came over and hugged me tightly. “Why’re you crying?” she asked softly.

  I don’t know why, exactly, but being called a whore in front of the whole school does something to you. Even if he didn’t love her, everyone would see that Piper Smithson had made out with Tanya’s boyfriend at prom. They wouldn’t deny me being a whore.

  That, and…. “Fuck me, I love him,” I sobbed.

  Lulu didn’t rub the confession she had waited for me to make for months in my face, not that I thought she would. Instead, she said softly, “I know.”

  “I’m seventeen, Lulu! I don’t wanna love him!”

  “It’s just love, Piper. No one’s saying you hafta change because of it.”

  “It’ll change everything, Lulu.” And suddenly I found myself voicing the concerns I wouldn’t even tell myself; the real reason I kept pushing Liam away. “He’s the one, Lulu. I’m gonna end up marrying that boy, d’you know that? I love him like I could never love anyone else.”

  Lulu shook me. “So tell him!”

  I snorted. “I’m legal in a month and a half, Lulu. I know Liam. If he knew I’d say yes, he’d pop the question. I’m not ready to be married!”

  “So then you’d tell him no, not yet.”

  “You and I both know I’d say yes.”

  “Oh my God, Piper, you’re so stupid!” Lulu chided lovingly. “You take for granted his love for you. If you love him like you say you do, then don’t make that boy wait any longer. Tell. Him.”

  She was right, of course. I fully took what she said to heart and whole heartedly planned on telling him.

  He didn’t deserve me pushing him away just because I was so afraid of putting my heart out there that I wasn’t even willing to try. I don’t know when I fell in love with him or if I had always loved him and it just sort of grew as time passed on. Time that we could have been together, but I was too pig headed.