Page 5 of Waiting for Acceptance
Me
Why do parents start to suck sometimes?
Ruby
They expect us to be perfect in ways they never were? They see their failures in us? They want us to BE them? Because they have the great misfortune to not see what a badass daughter they have and how she’s capable of taking over the world if she wanted to and does it with style.
Me
You definitely are a badass.
Ruby
Bitch, you KNOW I was talking about you.
Me
I hate these dinners.
Ruby
Come over, I’ll make it up with dessert and some trashy TV.
Me
It’s a work night.
Ruby
Oh I’m sorry I forgot this was the tenth grade and we had a curfew.
Me
Are you sure? Tank won’t mind?
Ruby
You know he loves you too, Sour Patch Kid. Get your ass over here.
Me
Be there in ten. And he just calls me Sour Patch. No kid. LOL
Ruby
Eh, it’s your thing. Don’t expect me to remember.
I pull up to Tank and Ruby’s house ten minutes later and as soon as I walk in she throws her old Bad Bunnies T-shirt at me with a pair of sweats, pointing to the couch where there’s a bowl of popcorn and a spread of junk food waiting for us. Tank is sprawled out on the loveseat with Maverick, his dog, and I let out a few tears that have snuck back into my eyes. Only this time they’re happy tears because I have the best friends in the world.
“Have I told you lately that I love you?” She gives me a cute little shimmy-smile combo and wraps her arms around me.
“I love you more.”
“I also love you, Sour Patch, platonically of course, even if I don’t know why you’re crying and it’s making me irrationally frustrated.”
“Platonically? As opposed to the romantic way I meant thatIlove her?” Ruby says sarcastically. I let out a sad laugh and swipe my tears away, catching Ruby wink at me.
“Thanks, Tank. And thanks for letting me steal your wife tonight.” I walk around the couch headed to the bathroom to change when he lifts his head to look over at me with his brows scrunched.
