Seriously?!

Chapter 2 of the Breakup

Thursday night, I'm at karate a little early so I'm sitting in the floor reading when CPI comes over and starts kicking my book. I looked up and said, "My, aren't we feeling bratty today."

He says "I gotta flirt with someone since I don't have a girlfriend any longer."

I act stupid, which honestly isn't too hard to do. "Whaaaat?!"

"Oh. I thought you knew," he said. "I broke up with Kim on Monday."

"I'm really sorry to hear that, " I lie. "That sucks." YAY!YAY!YAY! Luf hearts flowers stars...

He kinda nods, avoids eye contact, and shuffles his feet. Then he perks up. "You wanna go get a beer after class? I could really use a beer."

"Yeah, sure," I said. "If you want."

 "Yeah, that'd be great!" he said.

He and I drive over to Dark Horse in my jeep and Tiff wagontrains. A bit later Sara and her boyfriend Cory show up. We settle in for a few and eventually wind up trying to polish off all the $2 Blue Moons in the bar. That particular goal doesn't sit well with Sara, who by 11:30pm is sitting in the floor of the girls bathroom embracing a toilet and spitting every other second because there's nothing left to throw up. Tiffany and I stand outside the stall trying to get Sara to drink some water and arguing between us as to whether it's this instance that will secure our own private rooms in hell or perhaps it was that one time we made fun of the karaoke singer only to find out he wasn't drunk, just retarded.

Oi.

Did I forget to mention that before that, I got hit on by this guy named George, a very drunk Marine that kept raving about how beautiful I was, much to the general amusement of everyone at my table? Particularly CPI? I wasn't sure if I should be insulted or what by George's continual praise of my Helen of Troy profile. I mean, flattering as it was, he was looking through beer goggles to the 3rd power. Fine, at least he was sitting at the opposite end of the table, but then George came over and sat right next to me, wiggling in between me and CPI, who was practically fuscia he was laughing so hard. When CPI finally managed to get himself under control and noticed me giving him the hairy eyeball over George's head, he and Tiff arranged a rescue via cellphone.

By the time I came back to the table, they had run some serious interferance and George was gone. But not forgotten.

I sat back down next to CPI and said, "If he comes back, the two of us have been dating for the last 6 months and are about to get engaged. Got it? And don't be afraid to mention you're a 2nd degree black belt, OK?"

He grinned. "Wow. All right then. Anything else?"

"Yeah," I said. "Where's my ring?"

Our cue that the night at the DH was at an end was Sara's complete meltdown. I had Cory meet us at the restroom door and Tiff and I pull Sara together and get her washed up. We go out to her car, buckle her into the passenger's side and she and Cory head home. Tiff, CPI and I spend some time chatting in the parking lot after and then Tiff calls it a night since she has an 8:30am meeting the next morning at work.

CPI and I drive back to the school to get his jeep and the bag that I'd left. We hang outside the school talking from 12-ish to 2-ish a.m. We talk about everything from Wally Lamb's book, "Couldn't Keep It To Myself", to love, to religion, to high school reunions, to the details of the bust-up with MGK.

He asks me about Todd, by name, and asks several questions about my relationship with him, but I change the subject with minimal information divulged.

Eventually, we call it a night and go our seperate ways telling each other to be careful.