Kallie sits down, her eyes brimming with tears, and hugs me.
I push the loud ball of everything in my gut far down but my shoulders quake with one sob that I turn into a cough. I squeeze her for a few seconds more, then pull away.
“That’s like a million months ago,” Kallie says. “Why didn’t you tell me? It’s kind of a big deal. Not a big shock, but still a big deal. Remember the last time I was over? That was forever ago, and it was like a cage match.”
“Yes, I remember.” It was last year when Kallie and I walked into the kitchen after school only to have to walk right back out when we heard my parents fighting from all the way upstairs. Mom was screaming something about Dad’s priorities, then we heard a crash against the wall and Dad yelled for her to stop breaking shit. We didn’t wait around to hear the rest. That’s when Kallie’s house became the only place to hang out at.
“You should’ve told me. That’s really huge, Bree.”
“I didn’t want to talk about it and now that it’s been so long it’s not really a big deal anymore, okay?”
“Okay, I guess. I’m just mad you didn’t—”
“Mad I didn’t give you all the details about hanging out with Sean last night? I didn’t even tell you yet that he asked about Chip.”
“Okay. Fine, we’ll change the subject.” She wipes a tear from the corner of her eye. “Wow. Asking about your ex? That’s big. What’d you say?” Kallie asks, hopping off the bed onto my yellow beanbag chair.
“I told him we were dating like, forever ago, and that some guys just can’t take ‘get off my ass’ for an answer.”
This inspires Kallie to launch into a story about her and Todd’s first date, and I sigh a breath of relief. I nod my head, happy to finally spill about the whole Sean thing—and maybe get some advice. I’m also happy to ditch the subject of my parents’ divorce.
Although I feel lighter having it off my chest with her, I can still sense it hovering over me. I push the feeling aside again and just decide to roll with the relief that the secret’s out.
“But boys can be crazy like that. Are you going to see him again or what? Wait, more importantly, how can we speed this up so he can ask you to Prom?”
“What? Oh, um, Prom Shmom. I’m probably not even going. Chip actually had the nerve to ask me in a voicemail last week if we could go as friends.”
“God, Bree, you might have to go with Chip if you don’t get to work. You can’t not go. This is our Senior Prom. Even Maisey Morgan is going now. I can ask Todd if any of his friends need a date. I’m sure we could find someone to take you.”
“Gee, thanks, but as much fun as it sounds to be a charity case for one of Todd’s friends, I’ll pass.” I roll my eyes so hard that it hurts my head.
Kallie’s lips tighten into a tiny scowl. “Don’t take this the wrong way but what if you started being a little more friendly and social at school? Or maybe if you just chill out a little—”
“Really, Kal? I talk to more than enough people at school. It’s not like I’m walking around the hallways like a loser getting string cheese and paper thrown at me.”
“Don’t get so defensive, that’s not what I’m saying. I meant extending yourself even further.” She stretches her arm toward the window. “Outside of school especially. You should be hanging out with us on weekends. You need to go out of your way to be nicer, and a lot more approachable.”
“I’m not sure how telling you my parents got divorced and how I hung out with Sean turned into a lecture on how to make friends and influence people. It’s not the trade-off I was looking for.”
“I was just trying to tell you why no one’s asked you yet.”
“So, what you’re saying is that no one’s asked me because I don’t have enough friends. Maybe if I start smiling more and stealing boyfriends, I could have a date and maybe even a few friends that call me on a regular basis?”
Kallie frowns. “What the hell, Bree? Are you seriously saying that? I didn’t steal anyone’s boyfriend.”
“I’m just saying that—”
“No,” she says. “I heard you. And now I get why you’ve been such a crappy friend lately.”
“Me?” I fold my arms across my chest. “That’s hilarious. Where have you been? Where have you been this whole year while I’ve been avoiding my shit-head ex-boyfriend who punched a freakin’ car window because I ruined his plans to screw me on the Fourth—the day I found out about my parents?”
Her eyes widen, like an owl’s. “I’m not a mind-reader! How the hell am I supposed to know what’s going on if you never say anything? What kind of best friend are you? You can’t expect to make or keep friends if you always have them at arm’s length.” She grabs her gray hoodie off my floor and huffs out the door. The edges of my Adam Levine poster flap as my door slams. Her voice rings out from the hallway. “And you sure as hell won’t get a Prom date that way either.”