Ch. 7: Love Hurts

A Chapter by Tina Bee

Greg reveals a secret to Myra.

Mom did have a way of making me feel better. After dinner I went walking with Buster. Mom said walking a dog was the easiest way to forget your troubles and to get some exercise.

Our neighborhood was extremely well to do which meant most women who lived here didn't work. Usually late in the evenings they would gather in groups with their small dogs to gossip. I wanted to avoid that and I was grateful to Buster who was so full of energy he kept me on my toes. I never saw Greg coming toward us until we almost collided.

"Hey," Greg said.

"Hi," I said.

"Who's dog?" he asked.

"He's mine, well my mom's she just bought him today," I explained.

"Cool," Greg said and started walking with me.

There wasn't a breeze to be felt and it was so hot even though the sun was dying that I had changed into a tank top and short shorts. Greg seemed to be looking at me weirdly and finally I had to ask him why.

"Nothing it's just I've been thinking," Greg said.

"About?" I asked.

"You," Greg confessed.

"What about me?" I asked.

"Well I know we've been friends for so long that we're like brother and sister, but I just don't see you that way Myra," Greg started.

"Good because the last thing I need is another brother," I said giggling.

"No I meant, oh never mind forget it," Greg said.

"No, no I'm sorry keep going," I said.

"Ok well I see you differently now. You're like all I ever think about. You're all I dream about lately. I can't go five damn minutes without wondering what you're doing or who you're with or where you're at," Greg said.

"I can tell because you text me all day long," I said.

"It's more than just text messages...Myra, I love you," Greg said.

"Aww I love you too," I said pulling Greg closer and kissing him on his cheek.

"No I'm talking about real love like the love a man has for a woman. The type of love a man has when he asks a woman to marry to him," Greg explained.

"You want to marry me?" I asked puzzled.

"No. I just want to be with you all the time," Greg said.

This was all happening so fast that I didn't really understand. Why did Greg feel like this toward me? What spell had I put him under?

"Maybe you just have the flu or something. One time I was delirious with a fever and thought I was Marilyn Manson," I said.

"No this is real" Greg said.

"You're only sixteen, Greg, you have your whole life ahead of you to get married and I doubt it'll be to me" I said.

"Why not?" Greg asked.

"You're way smarter than me and we don't even go to the same school," I started.

"Well you are smart and I can always change schools," Greg said.

"No you're going to college and I don't think I'm going that far in life," I said.

"Yes you will I'll help you, I'll tutor you and we'll both go to Columbia together and have our own apartment off campus and it'll be just me and you," Greg said rushing through his words.

"My whole family is here. I can't just leave," I said.

"It's only college and we'll be back for holidays and summer break," Greg said.

"I just can't," I said.

"Why?" Greg said getting angry.

"I already told you," I said.

"No you haven't. You're not saying what's so painfully obvious," Greg said contorting his face into an ugly smirk.

"What's that?" I asked.

"You don't want to leave because you're in love with Rick Santos," Greg said and was about to huff off and I caught up with him.

"How dare you!" I screamed when I caught up with him.

"How dare I? I just professed my love to you and you can't even say it back," Greg said.

"Because I don't feel that way about you," I said.

"You feel that way about Rick," Greg shot back.

I was silent. I knew how Greg felt. All day long I would obsessively wonder about Rick and what he was doing and who he was with. I had a notebook dedicated to him. I don't know how I would've felt if Rick hadn't finally shown interest in me. I'd probably be devastated.

"You've always been the guy I could go to when I was hurting or bored. You're always there for me to talk to and you're always there for me to laugh and talk with. I can't do those things with Rick. I can only do them with you," I confessed.

"That's not good enough," Greg said.

"What?" I asked.

"Do you love me?" Greg asked.

"I don't know," I said with tears filling my eyes.

"I love you," Greg said.

I was silent. Never in my life did I ever think Greg and I would come to this. When we were younger I remember him pushing me on the swings at the community park. He pushed me so high I thought I'd touch the clouds. We used to go treasure chest hunting with my brothers when they were still young enough to believe in fairy tales. I remember when I played Greg's nurse when he fell off his bike and skidded his knee.

"I can't do this," I said.

"You prance around in those skimpy little outfits showing your body off to me and all those other guys who are constantly in and out of your house. I hear what they say and sometimes I just want to tear them apart for saying things like that about you, but I have to constantly calm myself," Greg said.

"What stuff?" I asked.

"Don't play dumb with me you know. 'Oh Myra did this with John Frampton' and 'Myra sucked the skin off Doug Hemper' all that sick perverted sex talk. Even guys at my school talk about you!" Greg was on the verge of screaming and the peoples who's house we were in front of turned on their porch light.

I saw that Greg was red with anger and contempt. I had never seen him this way before.

"I don't dress in skimpy outfits I wear what feels comfortable," I said.

"Like right now you're busting out that top and shorts. You're teasing me. That's all you are is a damn tease!" Greg was hysterical at this point and people from the street we were on were coming out their houses to see what the commotion was. Meanwhile Buster was busy marking his territory on the mailbox we were standing by.

"Greg please calm down," I said taking him by the arm.

"I won't. All these months you've been flaunting yourself around me acting like I'm one of your girlfriends, but don't you see Myra I'm a man! I'm a man who's been thinking of you in ways I never thought before," Greg said.

"Come to my house and we'll talk about this there. People are watching," I said.

"I don't give a damn, let them stare! I'm Gregory Finster and I'm In love with Myra Huntington!" Greg screamed and people looked confused.

I turned around and started running. I was surprised that Buster kept up, but he did. I didn't stop running until I was inside with the door closed.

"Nice walk?" Mom asked.

"Yea," I said breathlessly.

"What's wrong?" Mom asked.

Before I could say anything the doorbell rang.

"Don't answer," I said.

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