Short Little Stories

“It’s just not fair,” Tommy wailed, while his best friend Troy MacRoad looked on with a sour frown.

“I thought she was the one,” he continued, choking back another sob.

Troy shrugged. “Sorry, Tommy boy. Sometimes life just don’t work out the way we want it to.”

Tommy looked up forlornly. “I… I know. But having a party in honor of… of dumping me… and inviting all my fr-fr-friends to it was just so… so…”

His words degenerated into nothing but sniffles, and Troy sighed and rolled his eyes.

After a moment, Tommy managed to speak again. “It’s just… I keep getting my hopes up, everytime a girl likes me, and then… then it all falls apart. Its like their just toying with me, building up my hopes so they can shatter them. I know it sounds crazy, but… I just think I need to find someone who likes me for real. Who isn’t just out to ruin my life.”

“Grow up, Tommy.” Troy shook his head in despair. “Ya know, you’re damn lucky you have even a little time with such fine women. A guy like you… maybe their just isn’t anyone out there for ya? Ya ever think o’ that? Maybe its time to face facts, kid.”

Tommy looked up, the tears shimmering in the corners of his eyes glistening in the fading sunlight. “Wh-what? That’s… that’s really mean, Troy. You don’t really mean that, do you?”

“Look, the sooner you accept it, the sooner you’ll start having your heart broken, ok?”

Tommy paused for a moment, and then abruptly dashed the tears from his eyes. His tone turned from petulance… to anger. “You’re part of it, aren’t you? The conspiracy. You’ve been in on it from the start. Have all my friends??”

Throwing his hands into the air, Troy turned to walk away. “I’m not here to put up with this crap. Call me when you’re willing to deal with the truth, and move on, kid.”

Tommy watched him go, his eyes still smoldering with rage. As Troy vanished from sight, he spun around and stalked off himself.

—–Moments Later——

Out of sight, Troy let out a deep breath he was holding in, and gave himself a moment to breath. It was a few minutes before his hands stopped shaking and he was able to take out his cell phone and make a call.

“Mrs. Acre? It’s me. He’s on to us. He knows about the conspiracy.”

The dry, rasping voice on the other end said softly, “Damn. We’ll have to move our timeframe up, and finish this now.”

A pause for a wheezing cough, then the voice continues.

“Call in Penny Heartbreak.”