Page 128 of 7+Us Makes Nine

The instant the doorbell rang, I felt sure it was Giovanni, just like last time I refused to accept his calls, and he unceremoniously showed up on my doorstep. This time though, he was even more unwelcome.

Surely, he should have known by now that the engagement was over…

The doorbell rang again, and I just stared at the door. After repeated rings, he began knocking rapidly. Yet, when a voice sounded from the other side of the door, it wasn’t his.

“Come on, Ari! We know you’re in

there! Open up!”

Startled, I stood from the couch, recognizing Angela’s voice.

When I answered the door, she stood on the porch with our other friend, Jessica, who was holding a box of pizza.

With crumbled used tissue in my hand, I stared at them. “What are you guys doing here?”

They entered the house. “We’re here,” Jessica said, “because your mom told us that you were sitting around the house being pathetic. Over a man, no less.”

“And as you know, we’ve both been there before. So, it’s only right that we came over to get you out of this funk. Nothing can heal the betrayal of a man like hanging out with your girls,” Angela said, pulling me into a hug.

“That’s right,” said Jessica. “So, we’re going to eat pizza, watch a movie, and then go to your room, get all dolled up, and go out dancing. And we’re going to show you how to flirt and have a good time without getting attached. We’re going to show you how to play these men just like they try to do us on a regular!”

I flopped back down on the couch. “I don’t think I’m in the mood for that.”

“Well too bad!” Angela said. “You have no choice because we’re not giving you any other choice.”

With that, she disappeared into the kitchen, rummaging for plates, cups, and soda, while Jessica grabbed the television remote from me and began searching On Demand for movies. “No chick flicks. We need something funny and raunchy with handsome guys to drool,” she said, winking at me.

I leaned back on the couch, torn between being happy they were there to cheer me up, and wishing that they would leave me alone.

Jessica turned around to face me. “Angela told me a little bit about what happened,” she said, “but I’d like to hear from you exactly what happened if it’s all right.”

“Yeah,” Angela said, returning with the cups, plates, and soda. She popped open the pizza box and then took a seat on the floor beside Jessica. The aroma of cheese and pepperoni drifted through the air. “You kind of left me hanging last night, Ari. I was worried.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, taking the slice of pizza she handed me although I didn’t really want it. “As you probably know by now, it was Gio that I’d seen at the club. He was there meeting with another woman. I freaked out and didn’t know what to do. And then I just wanted to be alone.”

“Where were you guys at? The usual hang-out spot?” Jessica asked.

I nodded.

“Well, then it’s settled. We have to go back there tonight.”

“Excuse me?” I said, not following her logic at all.

She smiled. “That’s our favorite spot! And it’s the best local nightclub we have in town. So, I refuse to let that place become a source of bad memories for you. We’re going back, and we’re going to turn those bad memories into good ones.”

I took a bite of pizza and nearly choked on it, the tomato sauce was too hot. I coughed. Angela reached over and thumped me on the back. “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea,” I said, once I could speak again.

“And why not?” Jessica asked, taking a large bite of her own pizza.

“Because I met Gio in that club. I fell for him in that club. I did things with him in that club…”

Now it was Jessica’s turn to nearly choke. “Oh, my God, Arianna. You did not tell me that!” Her expression was a mixture of shock and elation. “Details! I want all the details!”

I set the pizza down and placed my head in my hands. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“This guy apparently has friends in high places,” Angela said, clearly deciding to spill the details for me. “He was able to rent them a private room right there in the club. And things got kind of sexy and heated on the pool table. And then continued later that night in his apartment.”

Jessica squealed, while I, on the other hand, wanted to sink into the couch and disappear. “Must you sound so impressed?” I said, folding my arms.

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