Page 41 of The Drop

“Cool, you’ve done that. Now you can leave me alone.” I sigh, pulling my phone out of my back pocket to make myselflook busy and ignore him. I could work on The Drop on one of the sun loungers around the pool.

“Don’t know anyone here, huh?” He looks down at me with pity. It just gets worse and worse. He always had a knack for pointing out my insecurities and making me feel small.

“I know people,” I huff. “I’m just texting them.” Lying so easily. I want it to be true. Why can’t I have more friends to show Josh I’m okay? I don’t need him anymore. I’m cursing Grant for leaving me in this position; he owes me big time.

“Sure, look, my guys are over there. Why don’t you come join us?” He nods his head over to a group of guys from the baseball team and a couple of girls hanging on to their every word. I wonder what baseball groupies are. They seem like a tamer version of puck bunnies.

“Yeah, because I came here to hang out with my ex-boyfriend,” I scoff, scrunching up my nose and recheck my phone, hoping he takes the hint and walks away.

“I don’t have to be your ex-boyfriend. You know that’s your choice.” I look up to correct him, but before he lets me speak, he hits me with, “I’m trying to help you, Brooke, don't be embarrassed.”

Asshole. He thinks he knows me so well, still, and I need to be saved. Well, screw him; I’m saving myself.

I look over at the sun loungers and see two girls from my marketing class have arrived and are just sitting down.

“I’m not embarrassed, Josh,” I say a bit too loudly and get a couple of stares. “I was looking for my friends, and I found them, so that you can leave me alone now.”

Brushing past him, praying they don’t think I’m weird.

“Uh, hi,” I smile and wave awkwardly, once I’ve walked over and stand next to them, hoping I’m far enough from Josh that he won’t hear me. “Mind if I join you guys?”

“Sure! Brooke, right?” the girl with blonde hair says, smiling up at me. “I’m Savannah.”

I smile and move to sit on a lounger beside them, dumping my bag and towel, noticing they also brought the same, so I don’t feel like such a loser. I assume the pool is heated because it’s warm inside, and the crowd helps. The girls are all in similar outfits to mine: shorts and bikinis.

“We are in marketing together, right?” the strawberry blonde says. “I’m Megan.”

“Yes, I am! Sorry, I just transferred, so I don't know many people yet,” I say, and I can even hear how shy I sound, not like my normal level of ease with Cami and the guys.

“No problem, it’s perfect; now we can pick your brain about The Drop.” She reaches for a seltzer out of her bag. “That idea is genius.”

“Thanks, I’ve got to be honest, it kind of came out of nowhere,” I reply sheepishly, kicking my cowboy boots off, feeling the heat of the pool house.

“Well, I love it,” Savannah smiles, leaning back on her elbows. “You need to give us some socials tips; we suck.”

“Our socials don’t suck, Savannah. Our idea does.” Megan rolls her eyes. “We didn’t realise our idea had already been done.”

I recall them collaborating on a joint project about food waste and working with restaurants to reduce leftovers. “Well, isthere a way to use it but make it more personal to you guys?” I question.

“I don’t know.” Savannah frowns, lifting one side of her mouth. “The restaurants already use the other app, and people still pay for the food, only at a discount.”

“Have you thought about maybe the whole pay it forward thing?” I ask, almost thinking aloud, “I do that with coffee now and again.”

Megan purses her lips, thinking, while Savannah taps her chin, and I may have overstepped my place in the conversation. “Sorry! Don’t listen to me. I just thought about it, and it popped out. Ignore me,” I say hastily, not wanting to ruin a potential friendship.

“No, no,” Megan reassures me quickly. “I think that could work, but I was also thinking maybe homelessness and food banks.”

“Ooh, yes.” Savannah sits up and bounces excitedly. “Food drives with local restaurants”

“You could market it with the clubs on campus too,” I add, sipping my drink and leaning back on the lounger, feeling more comfortable.

“Brooke, you’re our new best friend.” Savannah claps her hands together, and Megan nods with her, and I can’t help but laugh.

“I didn’t know it was that easy.” I laugh, and they join in. Huh, I can make friends just fine on my own.

We continue to discuss our projects, and we agree to meet up for a study and brainstorming session. When my cooler runs out, Megan and Savannah have a secret stash next to their bagsthat they let me join in on, and I’m having a great time, and I’ve not even had to SOS Adam or Bear yet.

The three of us have spread out across the two loungers and are talking about The Drop when I accidentally slip up and mention the hockey team.

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