You hear the phone ring and look at the caller id. The number that comes up makes you almost not want to answer the phone at all. Another pointless conversation you think. You sigh and decide it's pointless not to answer; she'll just call back until you do.
You watch TV as she babbles on about something you don't care to listen to. You half hear her as she talks about leaving something or other at your place. You tell her you don't see it, because you don't care to look, and you didn't listen to what she was telling you to look for.
You realize you should at least half listen to what she is saying seeing as you know she'll get mad when you don't know what she's talking about.
She asks what you want to do tonight, and all you can come up with is dinner, knowing no matter what you do it's still going to suck.
When she uses the word bloaty you feel the need to interject, as she's constantly using words that don't exist, which is starting to annoy you more and more. She starts going on about how words are invented because people make them up.
You don't care to hear her babble on, so you try to change the subject. Lay off the drugs and maybe you'd know that's not how words are invented you think. She gets defensive and you realize you've said these words aloud.
You know if you change the subject she'll just completely forget about the fact that you two were arguing, so you ask what time she gets out of work. She answers that she gets out at the same time as always. However, you have no idea what time that is, it's not as if you've been paying attention.
Suddenly you hear that familiar voice on the other end of the line that never fails to tie your stomach in knots. Your sit up straight and listen closely to what is being said.
Shane tells you to hold on, and you revel in the fact that though she put down the phone, she didn't bother to actually put you on hold. You listen to the conversation between the cashier and her customer with amusement.
"Will this be all?"
"Yeah, that'll be all. I'm growing a beard here."
"What's your problem?
"What's your problem? I'm a customer, I'm in a hurry, and you're supposed to assist me."
"I am assisting you."
"Yeah, after you took your sweet time getting off the phone, which by the way clearly was not a business call."
You feel your stomach twist and in the privacy of your uncle's apartment you allow a grin that borders cheesy to play across your face as you detect quite a bit of jealousy in the girls voice.
"Un-freaking-believable."
"Yeah, it is, it is. The level of service in this place is just that - un-freaking-believable."
"Have a nice day."
"Yeah, thanks, you too. And by the way, bloaty is not a word. There's bloated, there's bloating, but not bloaty."
"Thanks, that's fascinating."
"Well, for you, how ice is made is probably fascinating. See ya."
You can't help but let out a small laugh as you hear that parting shot. You know she's thinking right now what on earth you could possibly see in Shane. And you know that's just the thing. You see absolutely nothing in her. That's why it's so easy to be with her. Because when she leaves, as most people in your life do, you think bitterly, you won't feel a thing.
You hang up the phone before Shane gets the chance to pick the phone back up and start another useless conversation.
And when your uncle comes home and starts to lecture you about how to treat a girl that you care about, you tell him the girls you care about don't give a damn about you. And your stomach twists in a good way, because inside you know that it's a lie. And it's the favorite lie you've ever told.