5 minute read
Call it The Blues
Circa 1985 Jane’s mother had told her before she shipped out to Iraq last August that boys were fickle, and she had never believed her, until she met him. Just after her mother left and her freshman year began, he’d been there in all of his chocolate hair and lopsided smile in the corner of her chemistry class. Befriending Luca Taylor and then eventually becoming his girlfriend was the best thing that had ever happened to Jane. They’d dated all of freshman year. But then there was the end of the school year dance, when her favorite song came on and she and her best friend Micheal had gotten up to dance. She’d seen Luca watching them, she knew he hated crowds but it had been too late to stop him from leaving. She also knew his parents were going through a rough patch. She and Luca didn’t talk over the summer. And at her birthday party, where she’d purposely invited him so that he could make things up with him, he was currently avoiding her. Piano Man began to play from the record player as Jane tried to search for familiar faces. Most of these people she didn’t know. How did they get here? The walls of her own house now filled with people seemed to crush her, making her feel small. Being 5’2” had never been Jane’s favorite feature, but it was good for maneuvering around in large crowds. Slipping easily through the mob of teenagers she came to the base of the stairs. Then someone grabbed her arm. Jenny. “Let’s go dance,” screamed Jenny. “No, I’m good,” she yelled back. “Huh?” Jenny said confused, “plywood?” Jane laughed. “No, I’m good,” she emphasized, “I wanna find Luca.” Jenny looked disappointed, then confused. “First of all you are such a buzzkill, second of all, you know some other girl dated him over the summer right?” “Another girl? What!?” Jane exploded. “Take a chill pill. Her name is Augie or whatever. Hey, I think that’s her,” Jenny added, pointing to a girl leaning up against the wall next to the door. “She is so dead,” Jane hissed. She could feel her face heating up as she stormed down the stairs, through the foyer and to a stop in front of the girl Jenny had gestured to. She looked out of place in the chaos of the party around her. In a pair of acid washed blue jeans splattered in paint, an orange sweater and her mocha hair tangled in a midnight blue bandana, she looked strangely innocent. Jane realized the girl was admiring her mom’s Led Zeppelin poster, Jane and her mom’s favorite band. She gave off an aura of calm. Like she would keep your secrets. “Hey, Airhead,” Jane yelled, getting her attention. Her fingernails dug into her palms, forming crescents and Jane wondered if this girl could see the steam coming out of her ears. “Is your name Augie?” “Um, yes, but I prefer Augustine, why?” she asked. “Do you know Luca Taylor?” Jane snarled. “Yes, I do. I’m his girlfriend,” she faltered. Jane’s mother had told her never to swear, but she couldn’t help it. Augustine flinched. “So he never told you about me. Where is he?” Jane spat. She was disgusted, that boy had been hers, he had told her she was the world. Now she learned that he was running around with this ditz over the summer, like she didn’t even exist. “Um, Luca went to get me a drink. I’m sorry but who exactly are you?” Augustine asked uncertainly. “I’m Jane, Luca’s girlfriend. Could you please show me where he went?” Jane fumed. “Hold on, girlfriend?” Augustine said, the anger in her tone rising. The two girls froze, brown eyes meeting blue. “Kitchen,” Augustine raged. “He went to the kitchen.” And with that final comment the two girls began to push through the crowds of people to the kitchen.
Jane spotted Luca first. He’d grown handsomer over the summer, though Jane tried to push that thought from her mind as it reeled from the shock of learning about Luca’s other girlfriend. Then Jane wondered, was she still even his girlfriend? Motioning for Augustine to follow her she pushed past the guys that Luca was talking to so she and Augustine were directly in front of him, both seething. Luca was dumbfounded. “He-Hey Augie, Jane how are you guys?” he stammered. “How. Are. We,” hissed Augustine. Augustine fumed. She twisted her hair around her finger, her face pure fiery rage. “Girlfriend?!” the two girls exclaimed in unison. Jane looked to Augustine, then returned her gaze to the boy in front of her. “Look, I made a mistake-,” Luca started. “A mistake is an accident, lying is a choice,” said Augustine stoically. People were starting to stare, but she didn’t care. Luca deserved this. “You asked me out and forgot to tell me you had a girlfriend? ” Augustine said, sarcastically. “Augie-,” Luca started. “Don’t,” she said. Augustine turned and disappeared into the now gawking crowd. Luca turned to Jane. “Jane, I know that I messed up but thought of you all summer long,” he said desperately. “Life isn’t a love song, Luca, the thrill expired and now you come running back to me, not this time” Jane turned, not bothering to look back at the boy who she thought would be with her forever. But that wasn’t forever. Jane shoved people aside to get back to the living room, the ending notes of Neil Diamond’s greatest hit carrying from her mom’s favorite mixtape. She pulled her cardigan closer around her shoulders. “Jane, I’m sorry I sorta ruined your birthday, but will this make it up?” She heard Augustine from behind her. Jane turned. Augustine was holding a chocolate cupcake with pink frosting, and Jane smiled. “It’s perfect,” Jane said, taking the cupcake and inhaling it. A comfortable silence settled on the two girls, except for slow music going in the background and the bustling of people around them. “Hello, McFly, anyone home?” said Augustine, turning to Jane, “whatcha thinkin about?” Jane glanced toward the kitchen. “Yeah, I know, but we don’t need him, I promise you we’ll be more rad than Madonna, you’ll see!” Jane snorted. “You know when you’re young people assume you know nothing, but I knew everything when life was just the next tea party” “Mmm,” Augustine hummed. “Come on, I love this song,” She grabbed Jane’s arm and hauled her to the dance floor. She swayed to the lyrics, smiling. In her favorite cardigan.
Don’t wish it away Don’t look at it like it’s forever Between you and me I could honestly say That things can only get better And while I’m away Dust out the demons inside And it won’t be long before you and me run To the place in our hearts where we hide And I guess that’s why they call it the blues ~Elton John
* inspired by ‘August,’ ‘Betty,’ and ‘Cardigan’ from Folklore by Taylor Swift
~ Lila Journalist
