Mindy grins wide. “No. For Sue. Did you not know about our famous lady firefighter?”
“We just call them firefighters,” I cut in, and Mindy waves me off.
She walks over to Ari and leans to show her a video on her phone. Ari’s eyes bug out and she takes the phone from Mindy’s hand to get a closer look.
“Hell, maybe I’m a lesbian,” she muses.
“Right?” Mindy says. “She’s?—”
“So hot,” they say together, then laugh.
If I were a dragon, I’d be snorting fire right now.
Ari’s allowed to be attracted to whoever she wants, but hello? I’m standing here and I know from thousands of internet comments that I am not unattractive.
“Oh! Aria, it’s actually great we ran into each other,” Mindy goes on. “The charity date auction is this Thursday. You should offer up a date.”
Aria groans. The date auction is an annual part of the Fall Fox Fling, the longstanding festival Foxboro puts on every year. I always think it’s fun. Aria clearly does not share my enjoyment of it.
“No, come on!” Mindy tries. “It’ll be fun! I’m offering a baking session. Brodie’s offering a tour of the firehouse and riding the pole.”
Aria concedes a little snort. “That’s pretty funny, actually.”
Mindy puts a finger in the air. “Oh, I know! Would you be willing to offer a woods walk or something?”
Aria considers it. “Yeah. Sure. Why not? I can take the highest bidder on a foray. Show them around the mushrooms here. Worst case, I’ll make Richard bid on me.”
The thought ofanyonebidding on Ari but me makes me feel sick. I need to stake my claim on her affections stat. Maybe I’ll show her what a great guy I am.
“Since you asked,” I interject, “our videos fundraise for our calendar. Our calendar pays for the food bank.”
I expect Ari to be impressed, but she just looks annoyed. She even rolls her eyes. “When did you become a good person?”
I’m taken aback. My temper flares, my blood searing in my veins. The chilled October air has no effect on me now. “Since when am I a bad person?”
Aria examines my face for a long time. “I think you know the answer to that.”
Acid churns in my stomach, my brow knitting. Like an old bruise getting poked, the memories of how we fell apart rush in. I can’t stop myself from blurting out the thing I was willing to let go of in favor of having her back in my life. “You stopped showing up at our spot.”
Tears brim in her eyes. “Because you acted like I didn’t exist. Every summer, you were my best friend, and every fall, I became invisible. You let your friends call me a methhead. You wouldn’t even claim me as your friend. Meanwhile, I knew how mean they were to you. I knew the real you. And you exploited the real me.” She shakes her head. “I wasn’t cool enough for you, but you know what? I know now that you weren’t cool enough for me.”
It stings. It smarts. But worst of all, I know she’s not wrong.
For years, I’ve written it off. Everyone acts stupid in high school. Surely it was water under the bridge. Yeah, it hurt me toowhen she didn’t spend summers with me anymore, but I got over it.
It’s hard for me to accept that I hurt her and that it still bothers her all these years later. After all, she hurt me too, but I’m trying to be the bigger person and let it go.
“Well, you fell on me!” I try. It’s the weakest argument.
She closes her eyes and shakes her head. “You know what? You’re right. We’re even. I have no reason to be mad at you.” Aria turns and heads back in the direction from which she came. “Mindy, always a pleasure to see you. I’ll be there Thursday night for the auction.”
And I’m left standing there, looking like the asshole.
Except for once, I’m afraid I might be the asshole.
SEVEN
ARIA
