On the Edge (11 page)

             
Katherine runs over and jumps into Mike’s arms.  Her legs are wrapped around his waist and she’s squealing like a little girl.  I’ve never seen her as happy as she is right now.  Love truly does look good on her. 

             
Jason comes up and gives me a gentle hug.  “So, are you excited about the big day, Abby?” Jason asks me.

             
“Yes.  I’m glad my high school days are over with.”

             
“I bet.  What college are you going to be attending?”

             
“I’ve enrolled in the community college here.  I’m going to knock out my prerequisites before transferring to a university in a couple of years.”

             
“That sounds like a good plan.  What do you plan on studying?”

             
“I’m thinking about studying psychology.  I would like to be a child psychologist.”

             
“That’s a good field.”

             
“Yea, I think so. What are your plans after you graduate?”

             
“I’m moving back to Placid.  I’m waiting to hear back from a few places for potential employment.  With a degree in business administration, there are many jobs that are available to me.  Right now, it looks like I’ll be a management analyst for a retail shop.”

             
“That sounds great, Jason.  I’m really proud of you.  I hope that I’m able to attend your graduation next week.”

             
“Me too, Abby.  I would love every member of my surrogate family to attend.  Also, if Katherine is going to attend, I’m going to need someone to hang out with so I don’t feel like a third wheel with the two love birds over there,” he says as he points to Mike and Katherine.

             
“Hey now, you’re only jealous because you don’t have a girl to call your own.  If you’d quit being wuss and just ask any of the fifty billion women falling at your feet, you might not feel like the third wheel,” Mike pipes into our conversation.

             
“Hey, I don’t want just any woman.  I have one woman in mind that I want but she’s unavailable.  So, I will just bide my time until she’s ready for me,” Jason says to Mike but looks in my direction.

             
“Ok, guys, enough talk about love and junk.  Kat and I need to start heading out now,” I say as I walk toward Katherine.

             
My mom and dad make their way into the living room.  Mom has tears in her eyes and dad has a huge grin on his face and a camera in his hand.  Oh grief, here we go again with pictures!  I hate pictures but my parents love them.  What is a girl to do?  Katherine and I begin posing and taking pictures with each other, alone, with the guys, with the parents, and it finally ends with Jason taking a picture of Mike, mom, dad, and me together.  I surely hope that my parents remember today when Tommy and I give them some shocking news tomorrow.

             
Katherine and I take off half an hour before we are supposed to be at the football stadium for graduation.  She is playing around with her iPod and, all of a sudden, the lyrics to ‘Graduation’ by Vitamin C begin to play throughout the car.  I am an emotional wreck.  Is this woman trying to make me cry?  Katherine sings the lyrics quietly as I replay pieces of my days in high school in my head.  My whole life is changing, more so than most of the graduates tonight. 

             
We get to the stadium and run into Jeremy.  I haven’t seen him, let alone talked to him, since our altercation the day Tommy and I went on our double date with Lucas and that wretched woman, Jessica.

             
“Hi, Katherine,” Jeremy says to her.

             
“Hi, Jeremy, you look so handsome,” Katherine says as she fiddles with his shirt collar.  No matter how much Jeremy tries, he always lacks a bit with fashion and Katherine is always trying to make him look better. 

             
“Thank you, Katherine.  That means a lot coming from you.”

             
“Hi, Jeremy,” I say.

             
He just stares at me and nods his head.  What the hell is that about?  I know we’ve had a difference in opinion, but for him to act so callous to me is bullshit.  I guess some of us have grown up more than others.

             
“Well, I better go take my place in line.  Nice seeing you, Katherine,” he says as he turns and walks away.

             
“What was that all about?” Katherine asks me.

             
“To hell if I know.  We had a disagreement a few weeks ago and I guess he’s holding a grudge.”

             
“Well, just forget him.  We better go too.  I hate that I am going to be at the front of the line and you’ll be at the end.  Don’t forget to find me after the ceremony.”

“I
won’t, Katherine.  I love you.”

“I love you too, Abby,” Katherine says as she embraces me in a hug. 

The ceremony starts, promptly, at seven o’clock.  I left my phone in the car so I don’t know if Tommy is here or not, but I sure hope he is. The principal and superintendent speak then the valedictorian gives his speech before they start calling the graduates up to receive their diplomas.  From beginning to end, it takes about ninety minutes and I’m exhausted by the time we toss our caps in the air.             

After fifteen minutes of searching, we all find each other, except I can’t find my Tommy.  My parents explain that they want to take everyone out for dinner as we walk to our cars.  We all agree to meet there within thirty minutes.  Mom and Dad head toward their car. 

“Abby, I want to ride with Mike.  Is that alright?”

“That’s fine.  Go ahead and go with Mike and Jason, I will follow you guys.”

“I’ll ride with you, Abby,” Jason says as he hands Mike his car keys.

“Oh, okay, that’s fine.”

Michael and Katherine head to Jason’s car while Jason and I head to mine.  We’re talking about nothing in particular when I look up to see Tommy standing by my car with a dozen red roses and a bouquet of balloons.  He did make it.  I am so excited to see him until I see the look on his face.  He looks pissed off at me.  His eyes keep going from me to Jason and back.

“Hey, I’m Jason,” he reaches his hand out to Tommy to shake, “I believe we started off on the wrong foot the last time we met.  I’m Mike’s best friend.”

Tommy looks at Jason’s hand.  After a few agonizing seconds, Tommy reaches out to shake Jason’s hand.  “I’m Tommy.  Abigail’s boyfriend.”

“I know.  She talks very highly of you.  You sure are a lucky man.  Abby loves you.  Hey, her parents are taking everyone out for dinner.  Would you like to join us?”

“Uh, no, I can’t.  I have plans for tonight.  I just wanted to see her tonight for a moment.”

“Ok, well, I’ll sit in the car and give the two of you a moment of privacy.”

Jason takes my keys from me and climbs in the driver’s seat and turns the car on so he can listen to the radio, I assume, leaving me and Tommy standing in front of each other.

“Can we take a walk?” He asks.

“Sure.  Do you want to put the roses and balloons in the car?” I ask before walking with him.

“Yes,” his tone is lower than usual.

We walk away from the crowd and over toward the locker rooms off of the stadium.  The next thing I know, Tommy has me pushed against the brick wall to the building.

“You are mine! I told you that I would play nice with that guy, but I didn’t expect to see you alone with him.  What the fuck is wrong with you?
  Just because you don’t see me in the stands, you leave with the next prick that gives you the time of day?  I thought you were better than that.  Are you just a common whore, Abigail?” Tommy snarls at as he continues to shove me into the brick wall.

“Tommy, please, le
t my arm go.  You’re hurting me,” I cry out.  He really is squeezing me harder than he did the last time.  His pupils are dilated and his eyes are glossed over.  Is Tommy on drugs? 

“I asked you a fucking question,” he growls at me.

“Katherine wanted to ride with Michael and Jason didn’t want me to drive alone.  I’m sorry.  I didn’t think it would be a problem.  Now, you need to let me go.  You’re hurting me”

“That’s just it.  You didn’t fucking think.  Do you ever use that brain of yours?” he asks as he pokes his finger, hard, in the center of my forehead.

“Hey, get your hands off of her!” I hear someone yell.  I look up to see Jeremy coming towards us.

“This doesn’t concern you, boy.  I suggest you back off!” Tommy yells at him.

“I think this does concern me.  I’m not asking you again; take your hands off of her!”

Tommy lets me go.  I scurry away as Jeremy and Tommy face off.  I see Jason running over.  Oh my God, this has gotten out of control.

“Hey, what’s going on, Abby?” Jason asks.

“Nothing, everything’s fine.”

“To hell it is, Abigail!” Jeremy hisses.  “This womanizer had her pinned against the wall and was poking her in the head with one finger while his other hand was on her arm.”

“He did what?” Jason looks pissed now.  He’s making his way over toward Tommy; he’s facing him and has him up against the wall now.  Jason is much taller than Tommy is.  “Listen here, you ever lay your hands on her again and I will beat your ass.  Do I make myself clear?”

Tommy stares at Jason for what seems like forever before he finally nods his head.  He doesn’t say anything to Jason but if looks could kill, Jason would no longer be standing his ground in front of Tommy.

“Now, I suggest you take you punk-ass to your car and get the hell out of here.  No woman deserves to be treated the way that you just treated Abby.  You sure as hell don’t know a good thing when you have it,” Jason says before Tommy heads to his car.

Jason doesn’t take his eyes off of Tommy until Tommy is out of sight.  “Are you okay?” Jason asks.

“I’m fine.  I think the two of you blew it out of
proportion.  It wasn’t that bad,” I remark while looking at the ground.

“Abigail, you don’t deserve that.  Why can’t you see that?” Jeremy asks.

“Every couple has their hiccups, Jeremy.  That’s all this was.  It was a misunderstanding and nothing more.  Every couple argues and bickers.”

“Abigail, I’ve known you for a long time.  I love you but I can’t stand by and watch you get hurt.  I wish you the best in life,” Jeremy says as he gives me a kiss on my cheek and walks away.

I stand there crying because I just officially lost a friend.  I know that if I weren’t with Tommy, Jeremy and I would still be friends.  Jason walks over and puts his arms around me.  “Abigail, look at me,” he asks and I comply.  “Abby, does Tommy do drugs?”

Great, so Jason suspects the same thing that I do.  Was Tommy really on drugs tonight?  “Jason, I don’t know.  He has some awful mood swings sometimes and tonight I noticed his eyes but I’ve never seen him do drugs and I’ve never found any drugs while staying at his place.”

“Abigail, I’m really concerned for you, especially now.  When he hurts you, he hurts all of us.  He hurts those that love you.  Please talk to your parents.  I know that they will help you and keep you safe from Tommy.”

“Jason, I don’t need to be protected from Tommy.  I love him.  If I tell them that I suspect that he’s on drugs, they won’t let me see him anymore and Dad will have him arrested for sure.”

“Look, let’s get you to the restaurant.  Your family is probably worried.  We can talk about this later.  And trust me; we will talk about this later.” Jason says.

Jason puts his arm around me and walks me back to my car.  He puts me in the passenger seat and walks over to the driver’s side.  I’m too shaken up to drive.  He puts his hand on mine and gives me a smile that tells me everything will be alright.

“Abigail, you deserve better than that.  Why don’t you leave him?”

“Jason, it isn’t that easy.”

“How is it not that easy?  There is nothing holding you to him.  Just let him go.”

Tears threaten to flow.  Jason pulls the car over on a side street and puts it in park.

“Look at me, Abby.”

I continue to look down.
  “Please, look at me,” he pleads with me.

I bring my eyes to his and the dam breaks and tears begin to flow down my cheeks.

“Oh, Abby, please tell me what’s wrong.”

“Jason.  I-I-I’m pregnant!” I wail.

“Oh, Abigail!” he exclaims as he puts his arm around me and holds me close. “Do your parents know?”

“No.  Tommy and I
are going to tell them tomorrow.  Tommy isn’t usually a mean guy.  He’s so nice most days but there’s something about you that he doesn’t like.”

“Abigail, a baby doesn’t mean that you are tied down to him.  Your parents won’t turn their backs on you just because you’re pregnant.  You don’t have to put up with this.
  And, the only reason that boy doesn’t like me is because I’m always protecting you from him.  He’s afraid that you’re going to see that there is someone better for you than him.  Abby, there
is
someone better for you than him and you just won’t open your eyes and see it.”