Caleb laughs as I tear down the gravel walk to Brianna’s sedan, squealing more as her hand pops out the window in an emphatic wave-type-thing.
“BRI!”
My best friend Brianna has come to my family’s Fourth of July barbecue with no skips since we were in the sixth grade. I’m glad this year is no exception because so many things have changed this year.
“I brought blessings!” she sings, holding a Baja Blast Freeze out the window for me.
“You only needed to bring you but I’ll take it!” I pull the cup from her hand as she turns off her car and gets out. We wrap each other in such a tight hug. “How was the drive? You miss Pittsburgh traffic?”
“Oh, it was fine,” she says, then whines. “It’s been awful without you, though.”
“I know. I hate not being able to text you. And sometimes having the internet would be nice, but not required.”
“Well, I have good news on that front,” she says, extracting a piece of paper from her pocket and unfolding it. “I made you a bulleted list in glitter pen of all the internet phenomena you’ve missed in the last five weeks.”
“This is beautiful and perfect and I love it.” I giggle as she hands it over.
“Come on, our Taco Bell’s getting cold,” she says.
“Wait, meet everybody first!” I drag Bri by the hand and introduce Caleb and Becca. Jake rides up on a four-wheeler with peaches in the trailer wearing a backwards hat. My stomach does a little flip flop thinking about how he kissed me wearing that hat.
“That’s the guy?” Bri mutters under her breath.
“Indeed.” I call over to Jake. “Hey! This is my bestie! This is Brianna!”
“Hey, Brianna,” he calls with a dimply smile as he swings his leg over the seat. He shuffles over to shake her hand. “I’m Jake.”
“So business-like,” Bri says. “Kissing up in front of the boss?”
Jake’s sigh is ragged. “Now there are three of you. Got it.”
* * *
Crunchwrap supremes consumedand Bajas blasted, Bri, Becca, and I stand in front of the long vanity mirror in Bill and Maggie’s room. We’ve got music cranking and are singing in all our off-key ways. It’s been too long since I had a proper girly pregame night, and it’s everything I need right now.
“I’m so glad you came to do girl get ready time with us,” I say to Becca. “I wish you lived out here. The boys are fun, but they’re not you.”
“Aw, sis, I wish I could split myself and do both.” She winds a section of her fine blond hair around a curling iron.
“Just stay a night here and there! You can stay with me and we’ll do girl stuff. Or the boys do host fun video game nights. Hell, bring Stone. I don’t care.”
“That’s sweet, but Stone only wants to share me under very specific circumstances,” Becca says, tapping the side of her nose.
Brianna leans in. “And what circumstances are those, pray tell?”
Becca giggles. “He has this thing where he wants to see someone else please me while I’m pleasing him.”
“Damn, Stone!” Bri shouts. “Love that for y’all.”
“Well, don’t love it too much,” Becca says. “It’s not like it’s happened yet.”
“Yet,” Bri says, fussing with her bun. I give her a warning glance in the mirror because I know what she’s thinking. That type of situation would be her exact cup of tea. I am 100% in support of my best friend’s sexual pursuits, but there was one time she visited me in Raleigh and hooked up with one of Rob’s friends. The friend, who we not so affectionately referred to as Gee-off he’s Geoffrey with a G, proceeded to get far too attached. Bri broke poor Geoffrey’s heart because she had no intention of sticking around—and had made that clear. I was on Bri’s side, but I had to avoid him at parties for the next two years. At least I’m out of that circle of friends and don’t have to carry that burden anymore.
Another benefit of being done with Rob.
“Gee-off,” I mutter.
“Gee-off was not my fault and you know it,” Brianna sniffs.
