"Do you want some lemonade?" Bailey called to Matt who sat at the dining room table. She looked in the fridge for the pitcher her mother always kept full of the sweet tasty drink during the summer.
"Yeah that's fine," Matt said simply. Bailey grabbed the handle of the frosty glass pitcher and pulled it from the top shelf of the fridge. Setting it on the kitchen island, she took two blue cups from the cupboard and filled them both.
"Here ya go, babe," she said with a big smile, handing Matt his cup and sitting down next to him. She took a sip from her cup, then set it down on the table.
"So what do you wanna do tonight?" Bailey asked, putting her hand on top of Matt's. "Should we go see a movie? I think that new zombie one is out. Or we could go to the skating rink. You were such a good teacher last time. I'm doing a lot better."
Bailey looked expectantly at Matt waiting for him to praise her rollerskating which had dramatically improved. Instead he gave her a blank stare and sighed.
"I don't think I want to go out tonight," he answered.
"Well we can stay in then," Bailey suggested. "We'll just order a movie on demand and make some popcorn. My brother has basketball practice tonight and both my parents are working late so we will have the house to ourselves."
Bailey smiled and winked at Matt. They had been alone together many times since they started dating and yet Matt still had not kissed her. But she felt confident tonight would be the night.
"I'm not sure you understood what I meant," Matt said, squirming in his chair. "I want to go out tonight, just not with you."
Bailey's face changed from an excited smile to a look of confusion.
"So you want to hang out with the guys tonight? Well that's fine. You and I can do breakfast. Do you like pancakes? I know this great breakfast place that just opened up and they make-"
"Bailey, no," Matt interrupted, taking his hand out from under hers.
"I don't want to go out with you tonight or tomorrow for breakfast or at all. I don't want to see you anymore."
Bailey sat staring at Matt, her mouth hanging open in shock.
"Are you breaking up with me?"
"Yes," Matt told her. "I am sorry but I like someone else."
Bailey felt her eyes begin to water. She cleared her throat and took a sip of her lemonade.
"Who is it? Is it someone I know?" she asked, struggling to control her shaking voice.
"Well if you really want to know, it's Hannah."
"Hannah?" Bailey whimpered, feeling tears threaten again. "The girl who has bullied me since sixth grade? The girl who keeps telling me I'll never get into a good college?"
"I know you two don't get along," Matt admitted. "But she really is a nice person and-"
"Is it because she has contacts and I still have my glasses?" Bailey cut in. "Cause my mom promised me contacts for a graduation gift. I'm just waiting for her to make the appointment."
Matt raised an eyebrow.
"It has nothing to do with eyewear," he told her. "You and I just don't click in the same way I do with Hannah. She gets me. She likes the same movies as me and we both play the same video games."
"I played video games with you too!" Bailey insisted.
"You had to ask me every other second which button to push. Hannah knows what she's doing and sometimes she even beats my score."
Matt looked off into the distance as if picturing Hannah with the controller in her hands and the TV screen displaying her superior score.
"And that's hot," he said dreamily.
Bailey sat deflated in her chair watching drops of condensation roll down the side of the lemonade pitcher that still sat on the island.
"So that's it then? It's just over? Because Hannah is better at video games than me?"
"Well it's not just that that I like about her. But yes, you and me are done," Matt said matter of factly, finishing his lemonade in one big gulp. He burped loudly and looked at Bailey seemingly oblivious to her feelings of heartbreak.
"But what am I supped to do without you?" Bailey asked, desperation creeping into her voice. "Who will I text in the middle of the night when I can't sleep? Who will I talk to about all my hopes and dreams? Who's going to tell me I'm beautiful when I come to school in the morning?"
Matt looked at her and shrugged.
"I dunno. Darren? Taylor?" he suggested.
"My cousin? And my best girl friend? They're supposed to take your place?" Bailey shot back, incredulous.
"Look I don't know, Bailey. I'm sorry that this sucks for you but there is nothing between us. What we had was fun while it lasted but it's not going anywhere. So thanks for the lemonade but I need to head out. Hannah and I are meeting some of her friends at the park to play soccer."
"You already made plans with her today?" Bailey screeched, standing up suddenly and knocking against the table. Her glass of lemonade toppled over and sticky yellow liquid spread across the table.
"Yes," Matt said, standing up also and feeling nervous at the crazy look in Bailey's eyes.
"Have you kissed her too? Have you guys kissed?" she wanted to know.
"Yes we kissed on Saturday in my car."
"You never kissed me," Bailey said, tears streaming down her face now. "Not once. I deserve a kiss. Kiss me right now!" she demanded. She took a step toward Matt and he backed away.
"I'm not going to kiss you," he told her. "We just broke up."
"I deserve a kiss. One kiss," she said, shoving her red tearstained face at his.
"Dude seriously, get away from me. I am not kissing you. And there's spilled lemonade all over your table and the floor."
"I don't care about the lemonade. I want you. I want a boyfriend!" Bailey cried, aware that she sounded like a three year old having a tantrum. But she did not care. Matt could not leave her. Not now. And not for Hannah.
"I really hope you find a boyfriend," Matt told her. "But it's not going to be me. I have to go."
He turned and walked to the door, Bailey close on his heels.
"Please don't do this, Matt. I need you. I love you."
Matt stopped in his tracks, his hand on the doorknob.
"Bailey, we dated for three weeks. You don't love me," he said, turning to face her. He reached a hand up and pushed her hair back from her face.
"Now go order a movie and make your popcorn and forget about me." He kissed the tips of his fingers and put them against her wet cheek.
"Bye, Bailey."
And before she could say anything, he was gone.
Bailey stared at the door for several minutes after he left, the only sound in the house was the ticking clock and drops of lemonade hitting the kitchen floor.
She walked over to the table and picked up the cup that had held Matt's drink.
"He's really gone," she gasped, clutching the cup to her chest. Without thinking, she sank to the floor in the puddle of lemonade and cried.
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