“No way?” I ask innocently.
She reaches down and grabs my hands in hers, pulling me to my feet so hard we both almost topple over. Giggling, she yells, “That’s right. No way. No way am I gonna let you sit here and sulk just because that jackass sponsor dropped you.”
“I’m not sulking,” I say. “I’ve actually had a very productive morning.”
She rolls her emerald-green eyes so dramatically it’s a wonder they don’t go spilling out of her head onto my frayed earth-brown carpet. “Let me guess. You’ve been speaking to the dog. You’ve been pacing around. You’ve been woe-is-meing all over the place.”
“Okay, spooky,” I laugh.
“I’m not letting you sulk in here one minute longer. Let’s go get some coffee.”
“I’ve already had coffee.”
“One: there’s no such thing as too much coffee. And two: I’m talking aboutrealcoffee, hon. My treat. Comeon.”
She grabs my shoulders and turns me toward the bedroom. I reach behind and slap her hand playfully, but in the end it’s easier to do what she wants. Plus, I have to admit, the offer of gorgeous free coffee is just too tempting to refuse.
I pull on some yoga pants and a baggy hoodie, slipping on some frilly pink socks and then lacing up some sneakers. When I return to the living room and Kelly gives me her arched eyebrow as if to say,Nice outfit… I gesture at the Great Pile of Laundry on my bed, and we both giggle.
Laundry day. I love these silent conversations with my bestie.
We go down to the café across the street, a hipster-type place with guitars and old records hanging on the walls in place of art. The smell of fresh-brewed coffee fills the air as I walk across the tiled floor to two armchairs in the corner, our usual spot. A few minutes later, Kelly carries over the tray, laden with two cappuccinos and a couple of croissants.
“This seemed like a pastry sort of morning,” she says, sitting down and tossing her hair from her face.
I slide my hand over my oak-colored ponytail, making sure no more strands have come loose. “You really should invest in some hairbands,” I say.
“Is that your way of avoiding the matter at hand, hmm?”
“And what’s that?” I mutter, tapping my finger against my chin as I mime utter confusion. “Let’s see … You’ve decided you want to reignite things with salamander man?”
“Ew, no,” she says, picking up her coffee and blowing so that the steam whirls and reshapes. “Like, you invite me back to your place but decide that yourthirteenpet salamanders aren’t something I need to know about. Oh, and by the way, not all of them are even in cages.”
I giggle loudly, wiping away a tear, not even caring that a man in an army-green fedora at a nearby table glances at me. “I wonder what’ll be next. A harem of hamsters. A platoon of parrots. A—A—”
I flounder, searching my mind, both of us barely holding back laughter. Kelly’s cheeks bulge and turn red.
“An army of armadillos!”
“S-stop!” she cries, swallowing her coffee with an audible gulp. “I almost gave you a cappuccino makeover then. But, jokes aside, you know what my advice is gonna be, hon.”
“I know,” I sigh, using the knife to poke around my croissant, suddenly not even remotely hungry. “You’re going to tell me to take up the offer to go to Harry Hadley’s fitness camp.”
I sit up, tossing my head in that so-Kelly way and imitating her voice.
“‘Listen, Grace, I know that you and Harry used to be a thing when you were teenagers, and I know that he broke your heart, but I think it’d just be a swell idea if you went to the one place you’re almost certain to see him again.’”
I sit back, biting my bottom lip.
Vignettes of Harry and my crazy trip to England as a teenager swirl like accusations around my mind.
I remember the hummingbird excitement that buzzed in my chest as I flew over the pond, wondering what adventures would await me.
I was working with the school newspaper, covering a soccer tournament that was due to last two weeks.
I took so much care with my notes, with my appearance, with everything.
I was becoming a grownup.
