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by Eirik Gumeny Boy meets Girl. Girl smiles. Boy walks into desk. Boy and Girl sit next to each other three times a week for one semester. Girl tempts Boy with looks, intelligence, and a raging caffeine addiction. Boy seduces Girl with geek charisma and a semi-formal slacker style. Girl leaves Boyfriend for Boy. Boy doesn't find this out until much, much later. Boy and Girl take final exam. Boy finishes first. Girl looks up at Boy. Boy stops dead. Boy feels strange standing in the middle of a classroom while everyone else is sitting and taking a test. Boy walks out. Boy thinks Girl is still with Boyfriend. Boy expects to see Girl again next semester. Boy goes home. Boy is an idiot. Boy does not see Girl again next semester. Boy starts to obsess about Girl in a vaguely frightening manner. Boy meets Girlfriend. Boy and Girlfriend begin torrid affair. Boy meets Girl again. Girl asks Boy out. Boy says yes. Boy doesn't think he needs to get phone number at this particular juncture in time. Girlfriend calls. Girlfriend cries. Girlfriend is insane. Boy misses date with Girl. Boy and Girlfriend end torrid affair. Boy drinks heavily. Boy graduates. Boy gets drunk and sends Girl e-mail. Girl doesn't use that e-mail address. Boy convinces himself he has forgetten about Girl. Boy is content. Girl responds to e-mail. Boy falls out of chair. Boy and Girl converse via the internet. Girl gives Boy phone number. Boy worries excessively about what to say. Boy is stuck in traffic. Boy thinks radio is telling him to call Girl. Boy calls Girl. Boy says something stupid and unconsciously rehearsed, trails off in the middle of sentence realizing how bad it sounds, finishes with "wellanywaygivemeacallsometimebye." Boy slams head into steering wheel repeatedly. About the Author: Eirik Gumeny is the author of the novel Exponential Apocalypse, and editor of Jersey Devil Press. His short fiction has appeared all over the internet, on several bar napkins, and on a desk once, at least until the cleaning crew showed up. Email: egumeny@hotmail.com |
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