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“Jake, really, it’s fine. Troy is Troy. I don’t expect him to be any different.”
“But are you happy with him? Is that what you want?”
She gazes down at the floor. “It’s just how it is. Any other guy I date is going to be the same way.”
“No. You’re wrong. Tara, there are guys out there who would love to go out with you and would treat you a lot better than Troy does.”
I’m referring to myself, but I’m not the only one. There are plenty of guys better than Troy.
“I’ve been out with other guys,” Tara says. “They’re all the same. They’re just like Troy.”
“Then you’re dating the wrong guys. I’m telling you, you could easily find a guy who—”
“They wouldn’t want me,” she blurts out, her eyes going back to mine. “Those guys you’re talking about? The ones who actually want to get to know a girl and do the stuff she likes? They don’t go out with girls like me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I dropped out.” She looks down. “I dropped out of high school. And I got arrested for having drugs. I got off, but had to do community service. I’m finally getting my life back on track, but I can’t pretend I’m someone I’m not.” She looks back at me. “The guys you’re talking about don’t want to date a girl like me. They want to be with girls who are smart and come from a good family, not a high school dropout who works at a pizza place and still can’t afford to pay her bills.”
“Tara, why would you say that? You know that shit doesn’t matter.”
“Are you kidding?” she says with a humorless laugh. “All of it matters. Ask any guy at your college if they’d want to date me and they’d all tell you no.”
“Just because a guy’s in college doesn’t make him a good guy. The guys I’m talking about—the ones that really are good—don’t care that you didn’t finish high school or that you got stuck doing community service. They’d understand that everyone goesthrough tough times and it doesn’t mean you deserve less. Shit, look at me. My mom’s a fucking mess and my dad’s in prison. If that stuff really mattered, no girl would want to date me.”
“It’s different for you. You got out of this life and are doing really well. A lot of girls would want to go out with you.” She moves to the end of the couch, hugging her knees to her chest. “So what happened with that girl on campus? The one who asked you out?”
“We went out after class today.”
Tara nods really fast. “Good. That’s good. She was really pretty. And she seemed nice.”
“She was okay.”
“So you’re going out with her again?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Did you decide you’re not ready to date?”
“I’m ready. I just don’t want to date her.”
“I’m sure you’ll find someone else.”
“I already did.” I pause. “But I can’t be with her.”
“Why not?”
“She has a boyfriend.” I move closer to Tara and take her hand, holding it in mine.
“What are you—”
“The guy she’s dating isn’t the right guy for her.” I look into Tara’s eyes. “He doesn’t treat her right.”
She finally catches on that I’m talking about her. She looks to the side, avoiding my gaze. “Maybe that’s all she deserves.”
“She deserves to be happy. Everyone does.” I cup her face and gently turn it back to mine. “You deserve so much more than he’s giving you. What happened in the past doesn’t matter. Everyone messes up. You’re a good person, Tara. I remember back in school when you were always trying to cheer people up. You’d see a kid crying and race over to help. If someone didn’t have a lunch, you gave them yours, even when I know youweren’t getting dinner that night and probably hadn’t eaten that morning.”
She wipes her eyes. “None of that matters, Jake.”
