Becca Is Under The Hood

Madison Eckhart is a good friend. She has been helping me sort out the turmoil in my life that was started when I found out the reason why my worst enemy Becca was such a brat. There were several instances of neglect between her and parents. Today, her parents got a divorce. I understand Becca's plight. I may not be a psychologist, but it seems to me that Becca has been beating people to the hurt because she is afraid of getting close to anyone. Now that I know the whole story, I want to be her friend and that makes me more confused than I have ever been.

Of course, having a sex dream about Becca added to my confusion since Kaitlyn is my girlfriend. Becca didn't want me walking alone after dark so she insisted that I sleep at the sorority house. Since there was nowhere else for me to sleep, Becca shared her bed. Even though it was purely platonic, I had a very steamy dream about my former enemy. That was when Madison welcomed me into her room so we can talk things out. Madison even loaned me one of her teddy bears when I started to cry and also told Becca that I wasn't in her room because she knew I wasn't ready to face Becca.

What Madison is doing for me now might be the most helpful. She is creating a romantic scenario in my mind so I can decide what I really want in life. Madison does such a good job painting a picture in my mind that I really can see myself at the park. I can feel my girlfriend holding my hand. I can't see who it is because she is wearing a hooded jacket with the Hartfeld logo drawn over the left breast. I see a middle aged man selling roses so I give him a five spot for one. I see a brunette woman with long curly hair sitting on a bench and and holding a violin. I give her a picture of Abraham Lincoln and point at my sweetie. The violinist who is wearing a fancy dress gets up and serenades my cutey. Some people might say that I am paying a lot of money for all of this, but what the heck? It's only a fantasy. I can't see much of my girlfriend's face, but I can see her mouth muscles curl into a smile. I am overcome with romance. I want to kiss her. I, Portia Diamond pull down her hood and see... BECCA?! I put my hands on Becca's waist and I kiss her.

I jolt out of my fantasy and gasp for breath as if I had been underwater for several minutes. The only thing that this fantasy did was give me a lot more questions.

"You saw Becca?" Maddison prodded. "I doubt that you would have been this nervous if you had seen Kaitlyn.

I can do nothing but nod my head.

"Have you and Kaitlyn been having problems?" Madison wanted to know.

"Her punk band caused a riot and she had the nerve to get mad at me," I explained. "This has been the last in a long line of problems. I try to be supportive but..."

I start to feel guilty when Madison stops me.

"We all have our breaking points," Madison confided. "I know that you aren't going to like to hear what I have to say, but it looks like you need some time apart from Kaitlyn. If you decide that you want Becca then you are going to have to break up with Kaitlyn."

I have no more energy for revelations and I am so tired.

"Can I crash in here tonight?" I question. "I don't want to face up to Becca tonight."

"My bed isn't as big as Becca's but I have a sleeping bag you can use," Madison offered.

Madison got her pink sleeping bag from the closet and unrolled it for me. She gave me one of her pillows. I forgot that I had Madison's bear, but I found myself cuddling with Ernie as soon as I am inside the bag.

"You can have Ernie if you want," Madison offered.

"That's not..." I start to object.

"I have plenty of other friends," Madison commented while waving a hand grandly at her collection. "Besides, I think that you might need Ernie more than me."

"You are a great friend, Madison," I complimented.

"I try to be," Madison commented while tucking herself in.

The day came too soon for me and I knew that I had to face up to my problems. Madison let me use her shower and then it was time to eat breakfast. I was about to sit at the table when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and I saw Becca holding a picnic basket.

"Can we please talk outside?" Becca asked.

I follow Becca outside slowly because I don't know what I am going to say to her.

Becca sets up a red checkered tablecloth. She then sets up a breakfast consisting of eggs, bacon, and toast. We sit down.

"Are you okay?" Becca asks me.

"I guess," I sigh.

"You aren't a good liar," Becca comments. "Look, if we are going to be friends then we shouldn't be embarrassed to tell each other things. I want to be your friend because I could use a few more friends right now."

"Do you think that you have been mean in the past so you could stop others from hurting you?" I ask out of curiosity.

Becca opened and closed her mouth as if she could not believe what I had said.

"What... how did..." Becca stuttered. "How did you get so good at reading people?"

"I don't know," I murmured. "You should know that not everybody is like your parents. I'm not like that and my friends are not like that."

"I realize that now," Becca agreed causing me to pat her hand.

"My life has gotten so hard lately," Becca complained while scratching her head with her right hand.

I could see how upset Becca was so I wrapped my arms around her in a friendly hug.

"If you ever need someone to talk to, you can always come to me," I promised.

"Thanks, I..." Becca started to reply.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Kaitlyn roared while quickly approaching me from some unknown location.

"What?" I blurt out in shock while standing up to face this stranger approaching me.

"NOT ONLY DO YOU CHEAT ON ME BUT YOU CHEAT ON ME WITH HER?!" Kaitlyn roared.

"I didn't..." I try to defend myself.

I could not believe my eyes when Kaitlyn raised her right hand and waved it in an attempt to slap me. I was so stunned that I couldn't move. Fortunately, Becca was not quite as stunned and stopped Kaitlyn's hand just in front of my face.

"Why don't you go home before you do something else stupid?" Becca ordered.

"MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!" Kaitlyn ordered Becca just before saying the words that cut me like a knife.

"I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"

I was frozen into a statue in the time that it took for Kaitlyn to speed off. This can't be happening! Kaitlyn was my first friend at Hartfeld. When the shock wore off, my heart shattered into a million pieces. I started bawling like a three year old. My legs turned into jelly so I sank to my knees.

"Damn you to hell, Kaitlyn!" Becca protested while holding me so I didn't wind up face down in the dirt.

How do things like this happen? The girl who used to be my best friend has told me that she never wanted to see me again and the girl who used to be my worst enemy is now hugging me as a friend. Can someone get me out of The Twilight Zone?

"I am so sorry!" Becca whined as a tear fell out of her eye.