Chapter 3

I found some blank messages on my answering machine when I came home from Thanksgiving dinner with my family. I knew the calls were from Chelsea. We had agreed that I wouldn't call her even though she had her own cell phone, because it would be hard to call her at the right moment. She called me again that night.

"Alex," Chelsea said. "I have a good news and two bad news for you. Which first?"

"Worst one," I said.

"I'm dating."

"Oh," I said. "Congratulations. I hope he's really nice to you."

"I hope so too," Chelsea said, giggling. "But I still believe I'll dump him before the Christmas break."

I laughed. "What's the other bad news?"

"You will not be dating when we split," she said, giggling again.

I laughed again. "What's the good news then?"

"You'll know it's worth the wait for me to dump my new guy," she said. I heard a sound, and I believed she had fallen off her bed or chair.

I stared at the blank TV after the phone conversation. It looked like the brief relationships between the girls and me had ended. I missed the joy and excitements, but it was also a huge relief for me. I knew I needed a life beyond them, and they needed a life beyond me. However, it was hard to not think about Chelsea. Sex wasn't the only thing I had with her. We were very close friends, probably more closer than I had wanted.

I got another call from Chelsea a few weeks later. We had talked on the phone sparingly after she had declared she was dating. I had not seen her since then.

"I have a good news and a bad news for you," she said.

"Bad news first," I said.

"I'm still with him," Chelsea said, and giggled.

I laughed. "Okay. Good news?"

"I'm going to NYU," she said. "I'll either travel by car or by bus, or stay there. Depends on how much I can get from the aids. Will you buy me a car?"

"Congratulations," I said. "Yeah, but only if you're serious."

"Damn," she said. "Can't you treat it as serious?"

"I kind of know you," I said, laughing.

"Honestly," she said, after her laugh. "If I asked, would you?"

"Depends," I said. "A used Corolla is okay. A Hummer is not."

"That's what I don't like about you," Chelsea said, giggling. "Can't you talk sweeter to me? You know what?"

"What?"

"One more bad news," she said. "I'm not dumping him. Okay, I may, but you'll still have to wait for me to dump at least a dozen other guys before you will see me again. And, hey, don't laugh. You're not going to date until after then. And, also, you'll have to buy me two Hummers to see me. And... Did I miss anything?"

On New Year Eve I went to New York City to watch the traditional ball dropping atop Times Square with some friends and a girl I met at the Christmas party. I had sex with my new date almost the entire New Year day. It was nice to enjoy the sex without the worry of cops knocking at my door.

I went out with the girl a few more times before we stopped. She wanted a steady relationship leading to a possible marriage. I didn't think I was ready for it. Nevertheless, I still gave her the Valentine's flowers I preordered.

I got a call from Chelsea a few weeks later. She wanted to see me. She had ended her relationship with her guy a few days earlier. We had sex in my apartment, but she spent more time cuddling with me in silence.

"I've decided to take the bus instead of living at campus," Chelsea said, while pinching my waist. "It will save more than twelve thousand a year."

"But that's going to mean a lot of time on traveling," I said.

"Better than reapplying for NYU Law School when I'm done with undergraduate," she said.

"Well," I said. "What about a Corolla, or a loan?"

"Nah," Chelsea said. "Two reasons. First, you're not my guy. Actually three reasons. First, you're not my guy. Second, even if you were, I still won't take it. Third, I'll get into bigger trouble if I drive a car you buy or a place you pay for."

"You'll be eighteen when you go there," I said.

"Nah," she said. "Yeah I'll be eighteen. But not the implications. After all, the time isn't a real big deal."

"What is?"

"Well," Chelsea said, turning to look at me with a sly smile I hadn't seen for quite a while. "Promise me one thing?"

"What?" I said, laughing.

"Promise first before I tell," she said, with the sly smile getting bigger.

"I can't," I said. "Too dangerous."

"Promise," she said, giggling. "Or you'll regret it."

"Okay," I said, chuckling. "I promise."

"I don't care if you're dating or married," She said, giggling again. "If I want you, give me that hour or two."

"Wow," I said, laughing. "For how long do I have to keep this promise?"

"Hmm," Chelsea said. "That's a good point. Either you're too old for it, or you become incapable, or I get married, or I give you a waiver in writing, or you get AIDS, or you... Did I miss anything?"

"No," I said, still laughing. "I don't think so. But does it work the other way as well?"

"Of course not," Chelsea said, giggling.

I was still laughing. "That's kind of unfair," I said. "By the way. How's your best friend?"

"She's on her second quest now," Chelsea said. "You know, she's a bitch. After the split, she began talking with me about the blow job she still owed you."

"When was it?"

"Hell if I can remember," Chelsea said. "Okay, I think it was after the New Year. I told her I had a guy to deal with and told her to call you herself. Guess what?"

"What?"

"The next time I saw her," Chelsea said. "Which was the next day, she was talking about a new guy she had just met."

I laughed once again. "How come I'm always from the bench?" I said.

"You are for her," Chelsea said, giggling. "Not for me. You're my number one choice as long as I am not with anyone."

A few weeks later I was again talking with Chelsea on the phone.

"Are you dating now?" Chelsea said.

"No," I said. "Why? You broke off once again?"

"No," Chelsea said. "Not yet. I'm just curious."

"Oh, okay."

"So what do you do to keep yourself from having wet dreams?"

"Well," I said. "You know there are places you can go to, have a drink, and hope you'll get some company for a few hours, or a few weeks, don't you?"

"You mean soccer fields?"

I nearly fell off from my balcony down to the parking lot five storeys below.

I picked up the phone from the floor. "Are you still there?" Chelsea said. She was also laughing.

"Yeah," I said, still laughing.

"Okay," she said. "I thought you fell off your couch."

"No," I said. "Almost into the parking lot. Anyway, guess who I saw yesterday?"

"Who? Julia Roberts? Or George Clooney?"

"No," I said. "Diana, Diana Fiore."

"At Wendy's?" she said.

"Oh," I said. "You know?"

"Of course," Chelsea said. "You forgot I know everything?"

I laughed. "I didn't," I said. "I mean I didn't know she works there."

"She started working there when the soccer season ended," Chelsea said. "I still don't know if she's really gay."

"Why?"

"Because both the FBI and Secret Services report they can't find evidence of her going out with guys."

"She said she didn't have time," I said. "School, work, and computer."

"You went to bed with her?"

I laughed again. "Of course not."

"Then why would she be talking with you for an hour?"

"Not an hour," I said after my laugh. "She was about to get off from work, so I gave her a ride home."

"Oh," Chelsea said. "what color of panties was she wearing?"

I laughed once again. "That's old trick, Chelsea," I said. "But I only gave her a ride. That's it."

"Okay," Chelsea said, giggling. "No more tricks. But I still don't know if she's really gay."

I dropped the phone on the floor again as I laughed. "Well," I said, after picking it up. "You'll have to ask her, not me."

"Okay," Chelsea said. "I'll ask her then, about how many times you did it with her."

I had something to tell Diana, but I didn't have her phone number. Chelsea hadn't called me for a couple weeks as well. I went to Wendy's to deliver the message. Diana was changing, so I stayed at the entrance. She greeted me when she came out of the employee dressing room and saw me.

"Are you going home now?" I said to her.

"Yeah," Diana said. "You come for food?"

"No," I said. "I come for you. Are you riding the bus or with someone?"

"Bus."

"Well," I said. "You're riding with me then."

Diana giggled. "Okay, Thanks."

I gave Diana a piece of paper.

"What is this?" Diana said.

"Remember I told you about a guy who said he worked part-time for an IT firm?" I said as we began walking toward my jeep.

"Yeah."

"I saw him today again. He told me he's quitting that job as he's going to Albany."

"So?"

"Well," I said. "He said his company's hiring, and they will take newbies. So I told him I got a newbie on hand. They pay much better than Wendy's and you'll get some experience."

Diana giggled. "Newbie, huh?" She stopped and checked the paper again, then asked. "Where is the company?"

"Oh," I said, while unlocking my jeep door. "I forgot to ask, but he doesn't have a car, so I suppose it's along a bus route. Give them a call."

"Okay," Diana said. "Thanks. I'll call them after my exam."

"Nah," I said, as we got into my jeep. "Call them tomorrow. Don't miss the chance. Your exam is only two weeks away anyway. You can take up the job afterward if they hire you."

"Okay," Diana said. "I will. Thanks for doing this for me."

"No problem."

"And thanks for coming here to tell me about it."

"I don't have your phone number, so this is the easiest way."

"Oh," she said. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you don't have it. Do you have a pen?"

"I don't know," I said. "Check the glove compartment."

Diana took out a marker from the glove compartment and wrote something on the paper, then folded the paper and tore it apart. "Where do I put it?" she said, waving the piece of paper.

"Glove compartment?" I said.

"It's not easy to call me though," Diana said, after putting the piece of paper and my marker into the compartment. "We only have one phone line and it's usually connected to the Internet."

"Well," I said. "You can keep me informed of the progress about the job then."

I had been rather busy the next two weeks helping my friend Nakhval re-decorating his house at our spare time. He was expecting his first son in a month or so. When I got home after the project was finished, I got a call from Chelsea.

"Are you dating?"

"No," I said, laughing. "Why? And is the exam over?"

"Yeah," Chelsea said. "It's over. And it's over, too."

"You split again?"

"Yeah," Chelsea said. "But this time it's bad. He dumped me."

"But you don't sound sad."

"Actually I am, a little," Chelsea said with a sigh. "You know why?"

"Why? And I'm sorry to hear that."

"Damn," Chelsea said. "I thought you'd be happy."

I laughed again. "Okay," I said. "I'm happy too. Why bad?"

"Because he dumped me before I could dump him. I was planning to keep him for a couple more weeks."

"Well," I said. "I don't understand. How can you schedule something where emotions are involved?"

"Who said emotions were involved?" Chelsea said, giggling. "Okay, okay. Maybe, a little. It's more about company and physical attractions, though."

I shook my head as I sighed. "So any plans?" I said.

"Yes," Chelsea said. "And you'd better not be dating anyone right now."

"I am not."

"Okay," Chelsea said. "I am planning to give you a good time till my birthday. Wait, after the birthday. I want you to be my first man when I become an adult."

"And you'll dump me after that?"

"No," Chelsea said, giggling. "Well, not permanently. Anyway, I've changed my plan. I'm going to live in New York. I'm moving after my birthday. I got lucky. Normally it's impossible to get into residence so late."

"What made you change your mind?"

"You remember Sheila?"

"Yeah. What about her?"

"She's moved to New York, because her fiancé is now working there. He's an attorney, and he'll find me a part-time job working at a law firm. I'll get paid, I'll get laid, and I'll have the money for the residence."