Slammed

Will.”
     
    She takes a sip of her drink and returns it to the coffee table. “Speaking of Will .”
     
    Here we go.
     
    “ Layken, I’m trying so hard to mind my business. I really am. But you’re in his house! You’re wearing the same clothes I dropped you off in last night. If you don’t at least deny there’s something going on, then I’ll have to assume you’re admitting it.”
     
    I sigh. She’s right. From her standpoint, it seems like more is going on than there really is. I don’t have a choice but to be honest with her or she’ll assume the worst of him.
     
    “ Fine. But Eddie, you have to-”
     
    “ I swear. Not even to Gavin.”
     
    “ Okay. Well, I met him the first day we moved here. There was something there, between both of us. He asked me out, we went out. We had a great time. We kissed. It was probably the best night of my life. It was the best night of my life.”
     
    She’s smiling now. I hesitate before I continue. She can tell by my body language that it’s not a happy ending and her smile fades.
     
    “ We didn’t know. Until my first day of school, I didn’t know he was a teacher. He didn’t know I was in high school.”
     
    She stands up. “The hallway! That’s what was going on in the hallway!”
     
    I nod.
     
    “ Oh my god. So he ended it?”
     
    I nod again. She falls back onto the couch.
     
    “ Shit. That sucks.”
     
    I nod again.
     
    “ But you’re here. You spent the night,” she grins. “He couldn’t hold back could he?”
     
    I shake my head. “It’s not like that. I was upset so he let me stay here. Nothing happened. He’s just being a friend.”
     
    She slumps her shoulders and pouts, making it obvious she was hoping we caved.
     
    “ Just one more question. Your poem. It was about him, wasn’t it?”
     
    I nod.
     
    “ Nice,” she laughs.
     
    She’s quiet again, but not for long. “Last question. I swear. For real.”
     
    I look at her, letting her know it's okay to continue.
     
    “ Is he a good kisser?”
     
    I smile. I can't help but smile. “Oh my god, he’s so freakin' hot!”
     
    “ I know!” She claps her hands and bounces on the couch.
     
    Our laughter fades as the reality of the moment returns. I turn and look out the window again and gaze at our house across the street while she takes our glasses to the sink. As she’s walking back through the living room, she grabs my hand and pulls me off the couch.
     
    “ Come on, we’re going to talk to your mom.”
     
    We? I don’t object. There’s something about Eddie that you just don’t object to.
     

12.
     
    “ With paranoia on my heels
    Will you love me still
    When we awake and you see that
    The sanity has gone from my eyes?”
    -The Avett Brothers, Paranoia in B Flat Major
     

 
     
    Chapter Twelve
     
     
     
    Eddie has never been inside my house before. You wouldn't know that by watching her bounce through the front door. She's still pulling me along behind her when we walk inside. My mother is sitting on the sofa, watching this stranger scamper toward her with a smile on her face, dragging her angry daughter behind her. I have to admit, the surprise on my mom's face is gratifying.
     
    Eddie pulls me to the couch and pushes my shoulders down until I'm seated next to my mother. Eddie proceeds to take a seat on the coffee table directly in front of us, posture straight, head held high. She is in charge.
     
    "I'm Eddie, your daughter's best friend," she says to my mother. "There, now that we all know each other, let's get down to the nitty gritty."
     
    My mother looks at me, then back at Eddie and doesn’t respond. I actually have nothing to say either. I don't know where Eddie is taking this so all I can do is allow her to continue.
     
    "Julia, right? That's your name?"
     
    My mother nods.
     
    "Julia, Layken has questions. Lots of questions. You have answers." Eddie looks at me. "Layken, you ask questions and your mother will answer them." She looks at both of us simultaneously. "That's how you do it. Any questions? For me, I mean?"
     
    My mother and I both shake our heads. Eddie stands up. "Alright then. My work here is done. Call me later."
     
    Eddie steps over the coffee table and heads for the front door, but spins on her feet and comes back to us. She wraps her arms around my mother's neck. My mother looks at me wide-eyed before she returns the hug. Eddie continues to squeeze my mother's neck for an unusually long time before she