Page 4 of Friendshipped
“It’s me,” Jayme answers between sniffs.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
More sniffling—and a snort.
“Um. No. That would be for sure a no.”
“Can I do anything?” I ask her.
“Maybe,” she says. “Do you feel like plotting the demise of someone?”
“Depends,” I say. “Who are we talking about?”
“Shane,” she says. “He sort-of just broke my heart—over text.”
I grit my teeth. Over text. What a weasel.
“Can I come in?” I ask her.
I hear the light click of the metal lock being twisted and when I press on the stall door, it swings inward. Jayme’s sitting on the closed toilet with her head in her hands.
“What did he do?” I ask, squatting down so my head is at her level.
“He doesn’t want to date anymore. Says he’s feeling trapped and we’re too young to make this kind of commitment. We’re twenty-three. How’s that too young? I think he’s seeing someone else. Maybe not, but I feel like he’s been drifting and there were signs maybe. I don’t know.”
“What signs,” I ask before I think better of it.
“He smelled like perfume a few times. He was late without a good excuse. He doesn’t try to kiss me unless I initiate. Oh Lexi …”
Jayme’s crying jag escalates again, and I feel like I’m floundering.
“Okay,” I say.
Totally winging it here, but I have to do something. Jayme is awesome. And yes, I will plan Shane’s demise. Later.
“Why don’t you come over and hang out tonight?” I ask. “You could even sleep over. You’ll be doing me a favor. My sister will be in town tomorrow and I’ll need an excuse to put some space between us at some point.”
“What’s Felicia doing back in town?” Jayme asks, pulling a long strand of toilet paper off the wall, wadding it up and blowing her nose hard.
Trumpeting sounds echo through the bathroom. If we were near an ocean, I’m pretty sure the seals and sea lions would do a responding mating call.
“Sorry,” she says. “I tend to blow my nose loudly.”
“No problem,” I say. “Knock yourself out.”
She lets out a light laugh, and it feels good to see a smile on her face, even if it flickers and disappears.
“So, what’s Felicia coming home for?” Jayme repeats.
“Besides another chance to live out her life mission to improve me?” I tease, hoping to draw another smile out of Jayme. “She’s coming up to work out some wedding plans with mom.”
Felicia’s great, but every time we’re together she has somethingencouragingto say along with a well-planned course of action that ends up making me feel one hundred percent worse about myself and my life choices.
Jayme gives me a faint smile of understanding.
“So, what do you say?” I ask. “Come hang out for the weekend. I’ll throw in a slushy if the machine’s working. We can call Laura and Shannon to come join us and dominate my couch in our sweats, or we could do something else if you want. Oh! And Trevor has an assignment to go eat at a new Italian place in Columbus this weekend. You could come with us.”
“Won’t he mind?” Jayme asks.
