Inspired by Bad Moon Rising, an Everybody Loves Raymond episode.
“Would you stop!”
Amber glared at Derrick as he ate his peanut butter and banana sandwich. He stopped mid-chew, surprised at the volume of her voice. The lunchroom chatter seemed to drop several decibels and a gaggle of kids stopped what they were doing to look over at the table in which Derrick and Amber were seated.
He didn't know what she was talking about. He was simply eating a sandwich. Derrick had been dating Amber for about one month now and she'd never said one cross word to him. In fact, she was probably one of the sweetest girls he'd ever dated in all of his seventeen years.
“You want me to stop eating?” he asked through a mouth full of sandwich. “I mean it's lunch time. You eat at lunch time.”
Joshua, Derrick's best friend, snickered next to him, unintentionally making Amber even angrier.
Amber narrowed her eyes at Joshua. “You would find it funny.”
Derrick was still lost. He swallowed the rest of his sandwich before speaking up, “What exactly do you think Joshua would find funny?” he asked, using Amber's own words.
“The fact that you eat like a wild boar,” she snapped, quickly pushing away from the table. Derrick stared after her, jaw slack, as stomped out of the cafeteria. Amber's high ponytail swung erratically behind her as if it were more furious than Amber herself.
Derrick turned to Joshua, wondering if he knew what had just happened. Joshua's eyes were wide. “Whoa, dude. Your girlfriend has got major PMS.”
Marilynn kicked him under the table. “Dude,” Joshua exclaimed. “What was that for?”
“For being a nimrod,” Marilynn replied, kicking him again for good measure.
Derrick barely heard them, he was already out of his seat, heading out of the cafeteria. Any normal, self-respecting man wouldn't ever, ever, ever go after a girl who could possibly be suffering from PMS. Derrick was no ordinary man, though. In fact, most of his friends affectionately called him “The Mutant”. This of course was due to the fact that Derrick could drink three liters of root beer in under a minute.
The hallway was completely empty, except for Amber who was angrily rearranging her locker, oblivious of Derrick's presence. Derrick watched from a safe distance as she put her biology book in her locker with a loud thud and then took it out. After repeating this process three or four more times, she threw the book to the yellow and white tiled floor and growled at it.
Derrick raised an eyebrow, entirely spooked. Mutant or not, Derrick was not fearless.
He called her out from a distance,”Amber?” His voice wavered slightly. The baby blue lockers seemed to close in on him. Man hath felt no scorn, until he's felt the fury of a menstruating woman or something like that. Derrick couldn't quite remember.
Amber instantly stopped growling, a deep scarlet tinting her cheeks. But the look of disgust hadn't left her face and her hazel eyes were still narrowed.
“What,” she said venomously.
Derrick ran a hand through his short black hair. What had he gotten himself into? He reminded himself that it wasn't too late to turn and run, but he quickly dismissed the thought. Derrick took a deep breath and slowly approached his girlfriend.
“Look,” he said as he took small, tentative steps. “What just happened in the lunch room? Not cool, Amber.”
“What? Did I make you look bad in front of the guys,” she asked caustically.
Derrick took larger steps, his temper rising as his stride quickened.
“No. Amber. That's not it. “ He stopped two feet in front of her. “If you have a problem, I would prefer that you discuss it with me, rather than throwing a tantrum in the middle of the cafeteria.” Derrick took a breath. “You can't hold everything in. I can't promise I'll change, but I'll listen.”
Amber suddenly burst into tears.
Derrick froze. Had he been too harsh? He opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything. There was something about crying girls that freaked him, along with half of the rest of the male population, out.
“I'm sorry,” Amber gasped. “I don't mean to cry it's just that I've been such a witch all this week”-a hiccup- “and now you're being so sweet.” She rubbed her eyes roughly and pulled a tissue out of her locker, blowing her nose loudly, then wrapped her arms around Derrick's waist. “Thanks,” she whispered.
Derrick smiled. “ Wanna go finish lunch?”
“Sure.”
As the walked back towards the cafeteria, holding hands, Amber looked up at Derrick and asked, “So I can talk to you about anything I don't like?”
“Um yeah,” Derrick replied, unsure.
“I don't like Joshua. He creeps me out,” she said timidly, pushing her black bangs out of her face. “Sometimes he stares at me...for long periods of time.”
Derrick just laughed. "Joshua thinks you're fashion goddess, his words. He wants to go into fashion..." Derrick trailed. "He'll wring my neck if he knew I told you."
Amber giggled. "W-o-w."
"Promise me you won't say anything."
Amber rolled her eyes. "I pinky swear."
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