Chapter Text
Jerry Martinez is a lot of things: he's loyal, he's funny, he's a great dancer, and he's nothing if not a ladies man.
Well, sorta. It's just that lately, Jerry hasn't been able to keep a girl around for long. Sure, he's never had the greatest dating track record, but at this point it's just ridiculous. In fact, Jerry is pretty sure that he's gotten more mature, so why the hell isn't he able to maintain a girlfriend?
After a two pop quizzes, a detention, and a long karate practice, Jerry is finally able to rest at home. His brain feels foggy and he's exhausted, so he lets his mind wander. His thoughts drift to his (somewhat unsuccessful) love life, and for once he allows himself to ponder over what caused his relationships to end.
It's certainly not the girls, he decides. They're all smart, and kind, and loyal, and funny, and objectively pretty. Jerry actively searches for these qualities in girls, so it's probably not them. Does that mean it's him? Is he a bad boyfriend? Is he unlovable?
Jerry doesn't let himself go down that path. Of course it's not me, he thinks. I have a lot of good qualities. I'm... Jerry struggles to come up with anything, and immediately his mood shifts from confused to dejected
WelI, I guess it is me.
The next day is a Saturday, so Jerry doesn't have to go to school (thank goodness!) He does go to the dojo, however, to work off some residual frustration from last night's depressing spiral. Once he gets to there, Jerry moves a punching dummy to the middle of the sparring mat and works on his kicks.
"Woah Jerry, you're really getting into it, aren't you," Jack says upon entering the dojo.
"Oh, hey bro," Jerry responds. He faces Jack and a has a realization. "Yo, dude, you have to help me!"
"Sure man, what is it?" Jack sits on the bench and gestures for Jerry to have a seat as well.
"How long have you and Kim been together?"
"For a pretty long time, I'd say. Why, what's up?" Jerry begins to feel a little nervous, but he quickly brushes it off. There's no need for him to be uncomfortable asking for advice, Jack is one of his closest friends. "How have you two managed to stay together for so long? It feels like every time I try to get serious with a girl, I always screw it up."
"Jerry, don't talk about yourself like that! Sure your relationships never last long, but that's not your fault. Relationships are a two-way road. Both you and your girlfriend have to compromise in order to be happy and last a long time." Jerry knows that, objectively speaking, Jack is right. So why does it still not feel right?
"How far can you compromise before it's too much? I always feel like I'm either changing myself too much or I'm not changing at all. Is that why I can't keep a girl? Am I the problem," Jerry wonders.
"Jerry, you are not a problem. Sometimes, it just takes us a while to figure out who we are and how we fit with other people. It's natural." Jack's words don't completely soothe the ache in Jerry's soul, but they were just what he needed to hear in that moment.
"Thanks bro, I think that really helped."
"Anything for a friend. Wanna spar?" Jerry promptly gets his ass beaten, but at least he's feeling happier.
Well, he was feeling happier. At dinner time, however, things took a turn for the worst. "So, how's your girlfriend," Jerry's dad asks.
"Actually, I don't have a girlfriend right now," Jerry admits.
"Oh, you still can't keep a girl around, casanova, I see. I certainly raised you well!" Ector Martinez's boisterous laugh resounded in their dining room.
"Oh Ector, leave Jerry alone. It's okay to not have a girlfriend, hijo. If anything, it just means you can focus on school more," his mother says. Ironically, it's Jerry's lack of a girlfriend that's keeping him away from his studies, but who can blame him? He's a teenage boy, so of course the only thing on his mind is how to get and keep a girlfriend.
Knowing that ruminating even further will only make him frustrated, Jerry decides to truly relax after dinner. Once he cleans up his plate, he goes upstairs to play his newest favorite video game: Fallen Order. Oddly enough, the video game reminds him of Milton. He's sure his nerdy friend would enjoy the lore of the game enough to really get immersed in it. Jerry resolves to invite Milton over so they could play together sometime. He doesn't question why he thought of Milton first, nor does he wonder why being with Milton sounds like more fun than hanging out with a girl.
That night, Jerry sleeps soundly.