They’re supposed to be funny. I get that. But I love them. They’re transformative. In the mirror, I see a girl I don’t think I’ve ever met. “They’re great,” I say and immediately feel silly. They’re cheap dollar-store glasses. Something he probably threw into his basket as an afterthought.
His body leans into me as he presses his lips against mine. My entire body softens against his weight.
“You should go home,” he whispers between kisses.
I nod. We keep on kissing.
I stay in the parking lot with Bo for far too long, but am lucky to find that my mom is dead asleep with her door closed when I get home. All summer I’ve made up reasons and excuses for why I’ve had to “work” later than normal. She’s not too pleased by any of it, but never questions me. Plus, she’s been sewing banners, interviewing new judges, and finding sponsors for the pageant, which means she’s checked out of parenthood completely for a few months.
Lucy’s door is closed, like it has been for the last two months. I brush the door handle as I walk by, but don’t open it. Ever since that day my mom started cleaning out her room, and we got into an argument, she’s let it sit, like she’s forgotten about it. I don’t ever bring it up for fear that she’ll pick up right where she left off.
As I’m falling asleep, my phone buzzes.
ELLEN: liar
Shit. She knows. I mean, it’s not like she hasn’t been keeping secrets from me, too. I can’t hear her talk about Tim without remembering what Callie said that night in Harpy’s about their “oral mishap.” I know it was something small and that in the long run, it’s nothing, but I can’t help but wonder what else she’s not telling me. Now, I’m her virgin friend who doesn’t get it.
ELLEN: you freaking liar. you were supposed to come to tim’s after work.
Oh, thank baby Jesus. I’d completely forgotten about Tim’s party, but she’ll let that go much easier than she would if she’d found out about me and Bo.
My phone buzzes again.
ELLEN: you missed some real D-R-A-M-A
I flip over on my side and send a quick reply to say sorry and that we’ll catch up in the morning before scrolling down to my next message.
BO: night
I sigh. I don’t even care that I do.
FOURTEEN
I wake up to the doorbell.
Before rolling out of bed, I stop to check my phone.
ELLEN: outside lemme in
I pull on an old pair of gym shorts and trip down the stairs to answer the back door. I find Ellen’s face pressed to the glass as she makes fart noises with her mouth.
This whole summer has been this bizarre, new territory for us. We’ve always been opposites. Lucy always said that the greatest friends have nothing and everything in common all at once. Y’all girls are different versions of the same story, she would say. But these last two months, I feel like we’re being pulled in different directions, and I’m the only one who seems to notice.
I slide the door open and for a second, El lets her face slide with it. She stumbles through the door and into a chair at the kitchen table. “Jesucristo, Will. I was melting out there.”
I check the time on the microwave. “It’s early,” I mutter, slumping into a chair. I don’t add that I was out until two in the morning with Private School Bo.
“It’s payday for me. It is never too early to get paid.” She stands and opens a few cabinets, trolling around for some junk food. “And it’s eleven. So not early. Your mom would shit her panties if she knew you slept in this late.”
“Whatever.” Crossing my arms on the table, I bury my head. “You’re happy. Why are you so happy?”
“I don’t know. I’m alive. Life doesn’t suck. Schools starts in a week.” She slams a cabinet door shut and whirls around. “And maybe I am not so sucky at having sex anymore?”
“There can’t be much to it, right?” But really the entire thought of THAT is terrifying.
“You’ll see someday.” She bobs her head.
Nope, I think. Virgin for life. Team hymen here to stay.
“Get dressed. Time to get paid!”
“There are some chips in the pantry,” I say and head for the stairs. “Give me forty-five minutes.”