The Story of Althea

The Story of Althea (November 9th)

You want a story? I’ll give you a fucking story. Go back to March 23rd, 2003. That’s where it all began. Let me tell you the story of this girl I know. Her name is Althea. I think she is beautiful.

I’m looking around the website FaceTheJury.com looking for some hot girls. What can I say? I was lonely. Trust me, I was pretty pathetic at that point. I’d probably sleep with anything willing at that point. But that’s how virgins are, they want whatever they can get. Anyways, I’m looking around and I come across this profile Rainbow_Goth. Well, the pictures are mostly blurry, but still, I see cuteness inside one them. Hmm, let’s see if we can talk to her. I type in her screen name and see that she’s online. I figure, ‘why not?’ What harm can it do to talk to a complete stranger on the internet? You know what harm it did? None. Absolutely nothing. In fact, it was pretty fun.
It started out pretty innocent. She seemed to have my sense of humor, or at least understood how I talked. We talked and talked for two hours non-stop. It was never a dull moment. We talked about where we lived, our parents, jobs, the shows we’ve been to and Dungeons and Dragons. She’s a Larper! Woah! Then about 4:30 in the morning, she decided to call it quits and go to bed. “I never got your name,” I said. “Althea, yours?” she replies. I tell her mine and I just kept thinking about that name. It’s very interesting. Never heard of it before. The biggest though on my mind though was that I had made a new friend.
Three days later, I talk to Althea again. I have to admit, I was kind of developing a crush on her at this point. I mean, c’mon, a girl that likes Ozzfest and plays D&D? How can you go wrong? Plus she’s in a band! Extra cool! I really wanted to meet her in person. Seems a little forward though. I mean, I met her three days ago. Chit chat, chit chat, yada yada yada, we talked about how fucked up her computer is. That sucks because I wanted to hear her band. I bet she sounds wonderful. Anyways, she suddenly signs off after a little ways into talking and then that ends that night.
The next time I see her online was in Mid April. I was getting scared since I hadn’t seen her in so long. I didn’t want to pass up a chance to see her now. I might never see her again. This is where I had to ask her. “Any plans for the evening?” I said. She replies, “Yes, actually, some friends are coming over later.” I tell her that I was going to see if she wanted to hang out if she wasn’t busy. “Aaawww” But we can probably reschedule for some other time. “Aaawwwww!” Or maybe tonight we can do something? Well, this turned into my favor pretty quick. She had no means of getting anywhere, so that meant I had to drive. I told her I was really bad with directions, so I might not be able to get there for some time. She said that was fine. Plus, I didn’t have a phone, so I couldn’t call her to let her know where I am if I couldn’t find the place. I had an experience earlier that day that told me I sucked at directions. “My house is right off the highway.” I’m scared of the highway, but I won’t tell her that. “Oh, MapQuest only gave me directions for back roads.” What a liar I am, hehe. Anyways, I get the directions and everything is all set to go. So then begins my journey to Althea’s house….which turns out to suck a lot.
Well, this is the farthest I’ve ever tried to travel, and it’s all for this girl I met. For some reason, it just seems right to go see her. She seems really nice. Also, anxious to see me. I’m anxious to see her too. I can’t wait! It’s almost 2am when I leave and I get in my car. Dreading starting it up, I do. Thank god it isn’t loud enough to wake my parents. So here we go, I’m home free! So I thought.
These directions are really hard to read. What the hell is route 18? Uh oh, I think I’m lost. Hey, what’s that street sign say? I’ll turn around here and go back…still missed it. Let me go back again…wow, I can’t read that for the world! Holy shit! That’s a cop behind me! Ok, ok, ok…stay calm. Uh, hello officer…Oh, I pulled into that Dunkin Donuts to go through the intersection again….well, I wanted to read the street sign again…to tell you the truth, officer, I have no idea what I’m doing. Do you know where Pleasant Street is? I’m trying to get to my friend’s house and I have no clue as to where I’m going…sure, here’s my license…uh, I think this is my registration…it is? Ok, here you go…..Geez, Althea’s gonna kill me, I am running so late! I hope she doesn’t think I stood her up. Uh oh, is this cop going to care I’m out after dark and I’m only 17? Shit, hopefully he doesn’t. I’d have to go back home! Please, oh please, don’t say I have to go home……oh? So you just go right at these lights and that’ll take me to route 18? Thank you officer. Have a good day! Wow, I can’t believe I didn’t get caught! Ok, let’s drive down this way…
That’s pretty much how my night went with driving. I got to the intersection of route 18 and I had no idea where to go. North or South? Hmm, well is Bridgewater above or below me? Me being the idiot I am, I figured, why not go North? Yeah, what a fucking dumb ass thing to do. Anyways, I spent the majority of the night going up and down Route 18 for about two hours. But the good part: I finally found my way to Althea’s house. She went in cause it was cold about 3:30am. I got there about 4:00am and thought it not smart to knock on the door. I found out afterwards when I was saying sorry for taking so long that the light on in the house upstairs on the side was actually her room. I was kicking myself because I wanted to throw pebbles or something up there, but was too afraid of if it wasn’t her room. I still can’t believe to this day I was actually able to royally fuck up that badly. What an intense night.
I told her the story of my adventure the next day. She thought it was pretty funny. I felt pretty dumb, but at least she wasn’t mad. We planned to reschedule a trip to her house sometime soon because she was going to Florida to sing at Disney later on in the week. So now I needed to get my shit together and really learn how to read directions. I was really taking an interest in Althea about this time. I wonder if when we meet, she’d like to be my girlfriend? That would be so cool. I’d treat her like a queen!
The next night we had small talk. We talked about our siblings and how she started smoking. Then discussed Easter plans. I was going to work. She was going to smoke with her Mum. She was trying to quit, and I said I’d help her in anyway I could. So anyways, days past and I didn’t hear from her. She went online for seconds at a time. Not enough to even say hi to her. It was terrible. The next time I got to talk to her was Christmas actually. She told me that she moved to Plympton and missed Bridgewater. I told her that I go to Bridgewater State now and we should meet up if she ever came back to visit her friends. I have her my new cell phone number and she said she’d call and never did. And so the girl of my dreams just kind of faded out of my life. I liked her a lot too. If only I didn’t screw up when driving to Bridgewater, things might’ve been different.

Now speed up to 10 months later. November 2, 2004 During that fast forward, I had three girlfriends. Andrea in May, Kim in February, and Melissa in September. All of these relationships didn’t work out just because things happened and we all had mutual agreements to separate. I’d check out Althea’s profile on FaceTheJury.com from time to time to see if her screen name changed or anything changed really. I saw her pictures change and she was becoming more and more beautiful. I was jealous of the guys she had pictures of with her. It just made me mad at myself for…well you know why. Of course Bridgewater is south you fucking moron.

“Holy shit! Althea’s on! I wonder if she remembers me…I miss talking to her…” Those were the first words I said when I saw DynamiteRabbit pop onto my buddy list. I sent her a message and we started talking. She told me everyone was ruining her life and I tried to cheer her up. We got back to talking and she said she broke up with her boyfriend two months ago. I really couldn’t believe my eyes. Is this really true? No way. My contacts are playing tricks on me again. They have to be. No, they aren’t! Is this a second chance to meet Althea? All this waiting and now maybe things could work out? I was ecstatic! We reminisced about the time I tried to go see her. It‘s a popular conversation between us two, hehe. Then we talked about her band and how they were getting pretty good. I told her me and my friend Ashton are trying to start a band, but that’s not really working out so well. It was great talking to her again. My crush on her was revived almost instantly. I got her cell phone number and we said our sweet dreams.
The next day I was talking to her and was trying to hang out, but she was way too busy doing a research paper on the Industrial Revolution. We decided it’d be best to not have an adventure that night so she can pass her class. The next day, since it was in my mind, I was telling everyone about Althea and how I was a legally retarded about two years ago and couldn’t get to her house. My manager, Maria said that maybe it’s a sign. I sure hope it is. That would be so fucking sweet.
Anyways, I tell my friends Jay and Danielle about her when I’m hanging out with them and show them the FaceTheJury.com pictures of her. Danielle doesn’t really care as usual, but Jay thinks she looks pretty familiar. So then we go to the mall and my car fucking breaks down. What the hell is that shit? I mean, c’mon, it breaks down at a time like this? Damn car! So a few more days pass and Jay starts talking to her. Turns out that they were playmates a really long time ago. Something like twelve to fourteen years ago. Jay was getting scared because He met me a few times for the first time and now was meeting Althea again twelve years later. So weird. Anyways, on Sunday night, I’m trying to convince Althea to hang out. Of course I keep forgetting that my car doesn’t work. That’s where Jay comes in. He said he’d go if I gave him gas money. So we finally convince Althea to hang out and Jay comes to pick me up. I’m not feeling so good at all, so I’m sure I looked and felt my very best to meet someone new. So we finally get to her house and keep badgering her with text messages and calls to come outside. Finally it works and I get to see Althea in person for the first time. My God, she’s even prettier than in the pictures. We talked for a bit, but then she had to go back inside before her grandmother killed her.
On the way back, Jay announces “We’re fighting for her now.” Come again? What? Wait a second…this doesn’t seem right. What about Amber? “She never called me back last night.” No, no, no, no. This is the one thing I don’t need. Jay after the same girl that I like. So I was pretty much pissed that Jay was now going to try and take her right like that, but I went home that night and I was so happy from just seeing her. I stayed up until about 6am writing a letter to her about how I felt. Usually I’m not impressed with what I write, but this letter was different. It had a certain flare to it. It was filled with emotion, yet had a kinda comedic approach to it so it didn’t get too serious. I really do have feelings for her. Boy, are they strong!
So Monday comes, bowling night. We tried to get Althea to come with us, but she had therapy to go to. That’s ok, we can pick her up afterwards and she can hang out with us at Ashton’s house, sweet! So anyways, we go to bowling and that was fun. We come back to my house and start talking to Althea and Jay is being Jay trying to woo her and saying “Fuck you! I win!” to me. Whatever game he’s got in his head, fine, he can play it. So we go to pick her up with Jamie and Ashton too which was a fun time. I think she liked them. So we go back to Ashton’s and I give her the letter. I told her online that I was giving her a present. A card isn’t really a present, so I said I’d give her a teddy bear next time. As I hoped, she liked it and said “Oh my God! Aaawww!” So I was pretty happy. Then when we got into the living room, Jay had Althea sit next to him so no one else could, mainly me. Remember, we’re fighting for her now…
So we’re all having a good time playing some Halo and such. Then we go to the Hanover Mall so we can get our copies of Halo 2. While I was waiting in line to get my copy, I was a little uneasy about Jay sitting with Althea, but I decided not to worry. Nothing should happen. At least I hope not. Plus, Jamie was with them…why isn’t this line moving quicker? Jesus, I should’ve picked up two copies by this time. What the fuck is the hold up? Just fucking move already! Fucking MOVE!
Well, I got my copy and we were walking out. Jay announced that he was taking Althea home and then going home. I figured, “Ok, we’ll see Althea off at her house and then come back to play some Halo. Bzz! Wrong! Try again dumb ass! Jay did not want me to come along and I thought for the obvious reason. He wanted to try something…I hate not having my own car! Jay was refusing to drive to Ashton’s house even though it’s on the way. What a prick. Then I said, “Well, Althea left her letter at Ashton’s house anyways, so you need to go back.” Jay didn’t care which I thought turned the asshole scale up a notch. What the hell is his problem? Then he said if I came with him, we were going to his house and I’d have to walk to Ashton’s. Anyways, after some bad noise, we finally came to the agreement that we would go to Ashton’s to get the letter and then I would stay there. So that’s what happened.
Let me just say, I was royally pissed and a nervous fucking wreck after Jay dropped me off. Every second thinking, “Oh my god…my dreams are coming crashing down…how did this happen? How can Jay be this much of a fucking asshole?” It ruined Halo for me. I didn’t even feel like playing. I just wanted to go home and write out my frustration. That’s the only thing that really works. And about that time, I needed to write something very badly. I was about to lose it. I felt bad because Ashton had to drive me home and he was asleep. I woke him up, he drove me home and I said I was sorry for being a pain. Anyways, I was still fucking pissed so I wrote out this entry in my journal. Then I tried to go to sleep. Fifteen minutes passed and I was still raging, I got up to write another journal entry. Two entries in one night. Wow, was I angry! So then I tried to go back to sleep and I couldn’t do it without shedding a few tears.
The next day I was a complete mess. I tried to get in touch with Althea, but she wasn’t answering. I went into work around 7 and finished up the night there. I was not in the mood for anything. It was horrible. Then I got a bright idea. Well, either a bright idea or a dumb idea. I was going to give Althea the Teddy Bear I promised her! Ashton was gone, no way Jay was taking me to her house. So how would I get there? I guess the only solution is to walk. Walk? Yes, walk. But it’s below freezing outside. Yeah, I know. You gotta be kidding me! No, I’m not. I’m going to walk to Althea’s house in the freezing cold to give her a teddy bear. About the time I figured out this plan, I got in touch with Althea and told her I really wanted to see her tonight. “I need sleep. I haven’t slept in a week.” But this is really important, I need to talk to you! “About what?” Well…about last night… “What about last night?” God dammit, I’d rather do this in person…I want to talk about the letter and…how I feel about you. So there it was, out in the open. She knows I like her. Now I’m going for broke. Does she like me the same? “I have something to tell you…” Oh no, please don’t be what I think it is. “I…” No, it can’t be… “really like…” Please, no, don’t say it… “Jay…” And so she said it. You ever know what it’s like to get stabbed right through the heart? I don’t either, but I imagine it was something like what I felt at that moment. I couldn’t move. I didn’t want to anyways, I was afraid I’d fall over. How could this have happened? I knew it would from the second Jay saw her picture…but I just didn’t want to believe it. Why? Why did it have to happen? The dream girl faded away for a second time…