Page 75 of A Vicious Rumor

"But then just after he was kissing me, I came downstairs and he was kissing some other girl!" I huffed.

Ronny chuckled. "Little bastard. He's playing a hard game with you. Got any ten's?"

I handed him a card. "You're telling me."

"You know what he's doing, right?"

I shook my head. Ronny put his cards down, and I did the same. "He's trying to pull reverse psychology on you. He's trying to do to you what you're doing to him. Make you jealous. I met the boy. I know what he's like. He wants to be in control, because he's got no control in other aspects of his life."

"So what does that mean for me?"

"It means he wants you to come to him," Ronny said.

"Yeah, but, I don't want to do that," I said. "Not after what he did to me. I want him to come to me and apologize!" I huffed.

"Then you know what I think?" Ronny asked.

I shook my head.

"Fisherman don't dive into the ocean to catch their fish. The stand on the shore and reel them in," he said. "Got any eight's?" he asked.

"Go fish," I replied.

"Exactly," he said with a wink.

"Alright, what's the score?" my mother asked when she made her way over to our table.

Ronny grinned. "I haven't won one game. She's gotta be hiding cards up her sleeve," he said.

I lifted my arms up. "Um, I'm not even wearing sleeves," I said with a laugh.

"You women, you've got your tricks, and us men just can't see them, but that doesn't mean they're not there."

My mom and I just shook our heads. "Ready to go, honey?" she asked.

"You're stealing her away from me so soon?" Ronny asked, acting like he'd been hit in the chest.

I ran around the table and gave him a hug. "You just be a good girl and keep true to yourself. I still say he doesn't deserve you," he whispered as I hugged him.

"Thanks, Ronny," I said. "You know I love you."

"I know, sweets," he said, patting my hand as I pulled back. "Now, off you go. And don't forget to call this time, okay?"

I nodded my head with a smile. "Okay!"

My mom and I made our way down the front stairs of the Senior Center and out to the car. As soon as I opened the door I could smell my favorite veggie buggers wafting temptingly towards me. I beamed at my mom as I took a seat and saw the containers and the milkshakes in the cupholders.

"Now," my mom said. "Let's go find a stupid record and get back home, because I don't want to be in the office any more than I have to be," she said with a laugh.

I smiled as I took a sip of the drink. For the first time in a long time I felt really good about everything.

"What's his full name?" my mother asked me as she sat in front of her computer.

"Zachary King," I said before taking a bite of my veggie burger.

My mother typed away on her keyboard for a second. "And he was born in D.C.?"

I nodded. "That's what he said."

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