Don't Call Me Baby

12 | I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN

So here I am, alone in the close by park with a coca cola in hand and mascara tears down my face. My hair is probably a mess from all the running around that I did before settling for the rusty old swing which looks like it hasn't been used for at least a decade. 

I would usually blame myself for something like this, but this time I realize that I truly have no fault in the situation. I don't know what shifted inside of me after my 'pleasant' meet up with Stella, but it definitely made two things crystal clear: 1) My best friend is a dick and 2) My boyfriend is a dick. 

Oh, and also 3) I'm not being the dick for probably the first time in my life. 

Just when I'm about to get into another internal speech about how useless it is to communicate and have any human contact, my phone vibrates in the back pocket of my jeans. My gut feeling says that this is a text I don't want to see, but I open it anyway. 

I guess my cover is blown. -Archer

"You piece of shit." I tell myself while staring at the name on the screen. I told myself I shouldn't cry for the second time today, and I was doing just fine until this very moment but as I read the message again and again, I can't help the tears that start streaming down my face. 

I first decide to ignore the text altogether, stuffing my phone in my bag and taking in a deep, shaky breath but when the second text rings I can't help but read it again. 

Why are you ignoring me? I thought you would like my surprise. - Archer

What are you talking about, you despicable cucumber? -Jordan

I thought you didn't like cringy pet names, baby. -Archer

In what world does 'despicable cucumber' count as a cringy pet name, idiot? -Jordan

In my world, which is you. -Archer

Disgusting. -Jordan

Can you at least tell me why you're mad? I thought you loved chocolate that's why I put a bar of your favorite in front of the house but I guess I shouldn't have. Jesus. -Archer

What are you even talking about? -Jordan

What are you talking about? I'm freaking out, can you please enlighten me? -Archer

I just met up with Stella and she told me everything! Is this enlightening enough for you? -Jordan

Shit. -Archer

Yeah, thought so. Don't talk to me again Archer. I genuinely fucking hate you right now. -Jordan

It's not what it looks like, Birdie. -Archer

Don't fucking call me that. -Jordan

Let's meet up and let me explain myself. I'm a little lost, too. -Archer

No. -Jordan

Yes. -Archer

No. -Jordan

Please? -Archer

Go fuck yourself. -Jordan

And with that our conversation ends and I am left on seen. I haven't used that many curse words in a long time and this guy manages to make me unleash that foul mouth of mine in only a few seconds. How can he irk me in any given aspect? 

~~~~

I take my time going back home, because the last thing I want is to have my mom ask me why I look like a complete mess. The only thing that brings a sour smile to my lips is the thought that my mom will probably go out and punch Archer in the nose after she finds out about what happened. I fear for Stella even more. My mom loves her. 

Well, this will probably change after she hears what was happening behind my back the past few months. 

"Hey, honey. How is Stella, you haven't met up with her in a-" My mom begins once she hears the front door open and close, announcing my return. Her question is cut short once she scans my appearance and realizes that something pretty shitty must've happened to me today. "Nevermind about Stella. What happened to you?"

I just shrug my shoulders and make my way to the kitchen silently, pouring myself some water, trying to look everywhere but in my mother's direction. I feel like her eyes are about to burn a hole in my skull. 

"It's Archer, isn't it?" She begins, not trying to hide her distaste for the boy. I sigh, but nod anyways. 

"You'd be surprised to know that it isn't only him. It's Stella, as well." I croak out and a surprised expression appears on my mom's face.

"Stella? But she's such a sweet girl." She scratches the top of her head, as if trying to find something about my ex-best friend that she doesn't like. Shaking her head, she takes another look at me, still puzzled by my statement. "Are you sure she has something to do with this?"

"Oh, I'm sure. She told me herself about how her and Archer have been sleeping around behind my back for a few months now. They still do. He wanted to sleep over at her house a few days after he started dating me." I begin with a spiteful tone and my mom looks more shocked than annoyed. 

"What? I expected this type of bullshit from him, but not from her." 

"Mom!" I almost yell in surprise of her choice of words. 

"What? Do you think I'm not allowed to curse just because I'm your mom? Especially when I'm about to go beat those two's asses!"

"No, mom. Just stop." I moan helplessly and her expression softens slightly. 

"Oh, sweetie, come here." She waves for me to go to her and I do so, even though I basically have to drag myself towards the couch. I then throw myself in her arms and before I know it, I'm crying my eyes out and she's whispering sweet nothing into my ear. There's nothing better than mom's embrace when you're heartbroken and hurt. 

~~~~

After I've restored my compusure, I tell mom that I want to go take a walk in the garden. Get some fresh air and all of that. She nods and asks if I want her to come with me, but I decline. It's my alone time now. 

I open the front door and there I see something that immediately puts me back into my bad mood. There is a chocolate wrapped with a pretty purple ribbon and what looks like a piece of paper. I grab the 'present' and read the text:

For my pretty little blue birdie.

My breath catches in my throat and my cheeks redden after having read the note a few times and as I slowly move to the bin, I just can't help but think how can someone...

be so full of shit?

Needless to say, I throw the note straight away but I contemplate ridding myself of the chocolate.

I mean, this sweet delicious thing isn't at fault that the person who bought it is a complete dickhead, right? Right.

So I keep it and open the packaging as I make my way to the backyard.

I throw myself in the hammock and break off the first row of the chocolate but when I'm about to put it in my mouth I hear steps coming from the bushes next to me. I look around skeptically and then I see him.

Archer.

With a bouquet of red roses and a large smile on his annoyingly good-looking face.

"I see you didnt throw away the chocolate?"

And then I fall down from the hammock and land right on my butt.

In the mud.
With my favorite ripped jeans on.

Great.