Clipped
25 Words
“Me and B were rollin’ down to the Bball court when it happened. Kara was comin’ up the other way, when B’s all, ‘Ayo, I’ma talk to the lady — gimme a minute.’ So I slipped on the headphones — now this is a sweet pair of ‘phones; they drown out all sound ‘cept the music — and I’m rockin’ to the beat for a long minute. This is some kickass Slick Rick, too, so I don’t even notice that B’s waiting for me to go.
I slide the ‘phones down around my neck and I’m like, ‘That was quick.’ I looked back and saw Kara walkin’ off kinda stiff, so I look at B and I’m all, ‘She looks upset … Wha’d you do, dump her?’ And I fuckin’ bug out when he nods and is all, ‘Yup.’ I don’t even know what I’m sayin’ anymore — ‘For real?! No f*ing way! You pulled that off in like 25 words or less …’ And he just goes, ‘Yea, man. I guess I did …’
An’ that was it. *POOF* Up and dumped his woman in 25 words or less. He’s officially my god.”
It was a balmy summer mid-afternoon. Bryan and Jordan lazily walked down the gravel road to the basketball court, kicking the stones and watching them bounce along. Kara was coming in the other direction. When Bryan realized it was her, he tapped Jordan’s chest with the back of his palm.
“Ayo, I’ma talk to the lady — gimme a minute.”
“Aight,” Jordan answered. He slipped on his monstrous, ear-covering headphones. Bry thought that one day they would consume Jordo’s skull.
Bry went over to Kara.
“Hey,” she said, eyes lighting up.
“Hey … can we talk for a minute?”
She frowned at the inconvenience of seriousness.
“Sure … what’s up?”
“Well, it’s like this … I think I may have gotten into this just because I was like, ‘Hey, she’s kinda cool, and I like hanging out with her, so maybe if we hook up, it can be cool.’ But I don’t think I like you anymore now than I did then, so rather than push this and have feelings get hurt, I think we should just cut this off.”
“Oh …” She looked as if she would cry. He was hoping she wouldn’t do that. That would make this hard. Hard was annoying.
“Still friends, tho?” he asked, mostly because he didn't know what else to say.
“Sure … later.” She kept walking up to the cabins.
“Later,” he said as she passed him by. He saw Jordo standing there, bobbing his head to a beat only he could hear. It took Jordan three seconds to realize Bry was waiting for him.
“That was quick.” Jordan saw Kara walking away. “She looks upset … Wha’d you do, dump her?”
Bry gave a slow nod.
“Yup.” It was as matter-of-fact as he could muster. It was worth it, just to see Jordo bug out. The shock registered in the gaping, open-mouthed expression on his face.
“For real?! No f*ing way! You pulled that off in like 25 words or less …”
Bry was really playing up the straight man now.
“Yea, man. I guess I did …”
Jordan was still in shock. Bry wanted to get him moving.
“Ayo, kid. You goin’ ball or what?”
“Yea, man.” Jordan was staring at Bry like he had a second head. “That was impressive. I mean it.”
“Whatevs, kid. You got a story to tell. Let’s go ball.”
And down the road they went.
Kara was walking back to the cabin when she saw Bryan and Jordan coming down the other way. She brightened at seeing Bry. They had been hooking up for two days.
Bryan saw her coming, and lightly backhanded Jordan in the chest.
“Ayo, I’ma talk to the lady — gimme a minute.”
“Aight,” Jordan said. He slipped on his headphones and started rockin’ to the smooth sounds of Slick Rick.
Kara slowed up and offered Bryan a bright smile.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” Bryan said. “Can we talk?”
Her smile started to fade. She realized something was up. She glanced over and saw Jordan bobbing to the music. He was oblivious.
“Sure,” she said. “What’s up?”
Bryan wrung his hands. He glanced up and muttered to himself as if going over something one final time.
“Well …” He paused. “It’s like this — I think I may have gotten into this just because I was like, ‘Hey, she’s kinda cool, and I like hanging out with her, so maybe if we hook up, it can be cool.’ But I don’t think I like you anymore now than I did then, so rather than push this and have feelings get hurt, I think we should just cut this off.”
That spilled out in one breath. It was a little awkward, and definitely well-rehearsed. It took Kara by surprise. She took a moment to let it sink in.
“Oh …” she said. Nothing that ran through her head made sense, so she kept silent. She bit her lip and just kind of looked up at him.
Bryan was thrown off. He didn’t know what to say, and the next thing just popped out.
“Still friends?” He wanted that one back right quick. She looked like she would cry.
“Sure …” Her voice cracked. “Later.” She brushed by him and quickly made her way up to the cabin. Bryan’s half-hearted response lazily trailed her up the path.
“Later …” he said, knowing full well that later really meant goodbye.