“That’s not a very interesting story.” Picture me lying next to a pile of damp tissues: The End. “I’d rather hear about you guys.”
“I’ll go.” Lydia sat up a little straighter. “Pittaya’s a gentleman. Very nice hands. I might see him again. Not that I’m looking for anything serious.”
Arden took a deep breath, visibly restraining herself from demanding details. “Your sister slow danced with Jeff, to a fast song.”
“And I wasn’t jealous of either of them,” Terry assured me.
“That’s everything there is to know about us.” Arden inspected a meringue it as though all her attention was focused there, instead of on me, fooling exactly none of us. “Which leaves you, Mary. And your dance partner.”
“You guys don’t want to talk about that.” I hesitated. “Do you?”
The three of them exchanged looks. “Um,yeah,” Arden replied for the group. “Feel free to skip to the juicy part. What’s going on with you two?”
“Nothing.” It should have been a relief to report this with a clear conscience. Instead I felt a distinct hollowness in my stomach, despite the meringue I’d just inhaled.
“You ghosted on him too?” Lydia asked.
“It’s not like we had a relationship. He’s probably moved on by now.” I tried not to make it sound like a question. Lydia shook her head, meaning eithernoorI can’t believe how insipid you’re being right now.
“If I can quote Miles for a second, I’m noticing some inconsistencies in your logic.” Arden bit her lip. “It barely even hurt to say his name. Progress!” She allowed herself a small fist pump. “What I’m saying is, if he’s not a player, he’s not a player.”
“I think maybe he’s not.” This was a bittersweet admission, to say the least.
“Ipso facto, he’s into you,” Lydia summarized.
Arden wagged a finger at me. “I had my suspicions a long time ago, after Terry told us how he chatted you up at that party. But then I figured, ‘No, if he was hitting on Mary, she would know.’ Since you’re all about hidden agendas.”
“Ha,” I croaked, for lack of a more cogent response.
“You haven’t talked to him at all?” Terry asked.
“Are you saying I should?” I’d assumed cutting off contact with Alex would be a condition of restoring their faith in me. The punishment must fit the crime.
“We want you to do what you want to do,” Arden said evenly. “As long as it’s the right thing.”
“But I messed everything up,” I reminded her. “Think about your list, and all the work you put into it!”
She placed a hand over her phone, which was resting face down on the table. “Actually, you didn’t go that far off course.”
With exaggerated slowness, Lydia turned to frown at her. “Say what?”
“First kiss,” Arden whispered.
“How was that supposed to be a group outing?” Lydia demanded.
Terry looked thoughtful. “Maybe if it was spin-the-bottle.”
“I didn’t say we all had to be there watching,” Arden retorted. “It’s just one of the milestones of a high-school experience, so I jotted it down. For Mary. Just in case. Totally optional, obviously. She didn’thaveto kiss anyone.”
“Which brings us to the real question.” Lydia sat back, arms crossed. “What doyouwant, Mary?”
My hands knotted under the table. “It doesn’t matter. That bridge is burned. As in, ashes and dust.”
“There’s only one way to find out.” Arden tapped the stack of Baardvaark flyers.
“Put on a thinly veiled dramatic reenactment of our story and see how he reacts?” I guessed, thinking ofHamlet.
Lydia frowned. “I’m pretty sure she means he’ll be at the play to see his sister. On Thursday.”
