We were in the Uber, about to arrive at Maya’s, the best place to get breakfast in the world in my opinion, when I mentioned it.
"I told Mom that you might sit with friends instead of them," I said.
I was holding her hand and watching her as she turned to me.
"What?" Laura asked. "Do you think I should sit with them?"
I could see the stress bubble up.
"It's up to you. They're cool either way. I just wanted you to know that you don't have to sit with them in case you felt like you did," I explained.
The car pulled into the parking lot and we got out. I met her by the door and we walked in.
"I want them to like me," she said. She took my hand and held it. "You know them better than I do. You should tell me what to do."
"They'll like you either way. If you want to get to know them a little you should sit with them. They're excited to meet you. My mom keeps asking me about you when we talk," I replied.
"I just know I'm gonna screw it up," Laura sadly laughed. Her hair fell in front of her face and she pushed it back behind her ear as we walked to the hostess stand. She'd dressed up for me: makeup, heels, everything. She looked sexy. I had to stop myself from smiling. It was actually really hard.
"You're not going to screw it up. Just be yourself and it'll be great.”
The hostess seated us in a booth next to the window and toward the back. Alma was nowhere to be found, which bummed me out a little but I hoped it meant she was having fun somewhere like attending a birthday party or something. From where we sat, we could see everything.
Laura turned in toward me and touched my thigh with her hands. "I don't think parents like me," she spoke honestly. "There's something about me."
Hell, she was so beautiful when she said this.
"They're going to love you because I love you and you're awesome. They're not normal parents," I soothed.
"They sound normal," Laura said. She cuddled her body against mine and laid her head on my shoulder. “And you sound like Amy Poehler in Mean Girls,” she joked.
"I know,” I laughed. “I just mean they're not judgemental and they pretty much treat me like an adult.”
"Yeah," Laura sighed. She hugged me tighter and lost the urge to speak for the time being.
The waitress came and took our drink order. I was secretly glad that I hadn't seen anyone I had to talk to. I just wanted to focus on Laura.
I looked up when the bell over the door jangled and then I froze.
"Fuck," I whispered.
"Hm?" Laura looked up and then quickly buried her lips and face into my neck. "Dammit," she muttered. Aggression dwelled inside of her and I very rarely got to see it bubble up. Her fingers tightened on my shirt as it tugged at my side.
"What are the odds?!" I asked.
Vic strolled in all sassy and hot. I frowned and looked away as she spoke to the hostess. She hadn't seen us yet but she would in:
5… 4… 3… 2…
Her face dropped and she pretended to not notice but it was clear that she had seen. I watched as she fixed her hair and pretended to be casual. She was with a guy I didn't know.
They were seated across the way and she could clearly see us from where she sat across from the boy I could only assume was her boyfriend.
"Just ignore her," Laura whispered. She still held me close.
"Sounds good," I said.
They brought our coffee and water. It was hot and steamy. I stared down at the black liquid and reached over for the sugar shaker.
"What the hell is she doing here though?"
"Getting breakfast," Laura soothed. She placed a kiss on my neck to try to distract me.
"Yeah, you're probably right," I said.
It still felt like a provocation. I moved my hand to Laura's thigh and squeezed. Then, I opened the menu in front of us with my other hand.
"I'm thinking egg white omelette and turkey bacon," I said.
"Yeah," she teased. "Is that what you're thinking?"
She smiled over at me and moved to actually look at the menu. There wasn't a delay or anything and she hadn't looked back to Vic since she first saw her which surprised me.
"Well, I'm also thinking about you," I said.
"Mm, I hope so," she said, glancing over at me. "That's her boyfriend Pete," she added on. "She's a jerk so she dates jerks."
She added cream to her coffee and poured some sugar. Still, she refused to look up at them.
When I looked over, Vic was checking us and agitated.
"Is it bad that I want to make out with you right now?" I asked.
"I'm having the exact same feeling actually." As casual and smooth as she could manage, Laura took a sip of her coffee and set it down.
"Is it awful of us?" I asked.
I really didn't care about Vic's feelings at this point but it was Laura's ex-whatever so it wasn't my place to just make the call.
"Not that I really care," I followed up.
Laura turned and smiled at me before gazing and touching my face. "I think it's okay," she said. Without hesitation she pulled me in and started to kiss me. Her tongue swelled inside me and her chest lifted, pressing into mine.
It was enough to make me forget about Vic for a minute. A swell of pleasure took me over. I don't think we would have stopped any time soon if the waitress hadn't come back and cleared her throat, looking pretty amused.
"Oh, uh… sorry." I looked at the menu again and then back at her. "I'll take the Southwest omelette and a side of turkey bacon," I said.
She wrote it on her order pad and didn't even look before replying. "You want the salsa and sour cream on the side or on the omelette?"
"On the side," I answered.
"And for you?" She asked, gesturing to Laura.
"The weekend special sounds good. Regular bacon," she smirked between the waitress and me.
"And eggs? Toast?"
"Just like the picture," Laura said. She waved her hand to motion at the picture and smiled sleepily. It was cute.
"You're so cute," I whispered.
Laura beamed and bit her bottom lip to try to keep herself from glowing. Once the waitress left, Laura turned her body again to face mine, her knees came up and touched down onto my thighs and into my stomach. She grabbed for her mug and drank a bit more. So close now like we usually only were in our room or alone. "You tasted so good last night," she flirted. "I already need you again."
"Okay, you know how to start the morning for sure,” I laughed. “I'm definitely voting to put that on the agenda when we get back.”
“Wait, where’s the agenda,” she asked. I felt her hands reaching and purposely groping my body as she pretended to look. Her palms shifted over my thighs, fingers tugged at my pockets and the tops of my jeans.
“Jesus Christ. I get it. You two are fucking.”
Startled, I looked up. The voice was close to us. I saw that Vic was standing at the edge of our table and staring down.
“Ah shit. What the hell do you want,” Laura grumbled.
“I don’t want anything,” Vic said, annoyed. “But you obviously want me to know that you’re fucking her so. Good job,” Vic said. She started to slowly clap. “Is there anything else?”
“Yeah, whatever,” Laura said.
“Uh-huh,” Vic baited and nodded. Instead of asking Laura something Vic’s attention turned toward me. “So, tell me the truth girl scout. How is she in bed?”
Laura laughed. “Wow,” she chuckled.
“I’m not talking to you,” Vic snipped at her. She put her hands down on the edge of the table and leaned down so her face would be closer to mine. “I bet she’s amazing,” she whispered sexily. Her eyes rolled back in her head so hard that her eyelids repeatedly fluttered.
“Okay, fuck you Vic,” Laura snapped. A packet of sugar flew by me and hit Vic hard on the cheek.
Vic scoffed and stared over at her, amused, before looking back at me. “She’s a good fuck, isn’t she. That’s what
Logan always said.”
“You’re so full of shit,” Laura said.
“Uh. I’m not, actually. And I’ve actually seen you explode on him. It was hot. I know you’re good. I just want to hear her say it.”
“Okay, wow. I don’t even know what’s happening here,” Laura expressed to me nervously.
“Go ahead sweetie,” Vic said. “I know you want to tell me how good she is. Why else would you two be making out over here pretending not to see me when I know you both did?”
“Not everything is about you,” Laura suggested.
Vic chewed on her gum and kept staring at me. It wasn’t intimidating, more just awkward. “Is that true, Sporto?” Laura called me that sometimes. I didn’t think Vic could guess it or ever speak it to me.
"Why would I tell you anything? You obviously didn't appreciate Laura enough on any level. We're happy. If you really loved her, that's all that would matter.”
Vic chewed on her gum and stared at me for a few seconds. I wasn’t sure what she was thinking. Eventually she rolled her eyes and took the gum out of her mouth, pressing it down onto my napkin and balling it up. “I do love her,” Vic said, like it was common knowledge. “But whatever, right,” she laughed and then looked over at Laura. The smile she’d been wearing before was now gone.
"You don't act like it most of the time," I spoke softly.
Vic smiled at that and narrowed her eyes while she focused on me. After what felt like a minute of staring she looked to Laura. “Does this bitch want me to like kick her ass or something?”
“Don’t call her that,” Laura said.
“Yeah, whatever,” Vic said. “Keep it up, Sporto.” I think she was ready to go.
"That's what I'm talking about. Why would you beat up the girl Laura cares about if you want her?"
Laura reached for her mug but Vic snatched it up first and drank the remaining coffee in front of us. “Mmm,” she teased, licking her lips and then her finger after she rubbed it onto the rim of the mug.
I watched her, shaking my head. My only goal was to keep my cool and shield Laura. I edged my body in front of her so Vic would have to go through me to touch Laura.
"Don't you have a boyfriend waiting on you?"
“Yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you,” Vic said. She set the mug down on the table and twisted it around for no foreseeable reason. I realized, late, that she put the part of the rim that she’d licked facing Laura so she’d have to taste it too if she drank from it.
"I honestly don't care but you're making a scene and you're gonna get kicked out if you aren't careful," I said.
All of my words were calm and measured.
“God, she really doesn’t know me,” Vic said to Laura, shaking her head. “Well, it’s been fun. Have a good breakfast Lo.”
Vic pushed the mug a little closer to her and walked away.
At the door of the diner, Pete was waiting for her with his jacket on. They’d already been ready to go.
"You good?" I asked, turning to Laura.
Laura was holding her mug and staring at it. There was a lipstick stain and all the coffee was gone.
"I'll ask for another cup," I said.
Laura swallowed hard in her throat and stared up at the door with agitation in her glare.
"She's jealous. She's just mad that everything changed and you're gone," I said.
“Can you let me out,” Laura asked.
"Uh… yeah," I replied.
I scooted to the end of the booth and got up, standing aside.
Laura moved out of the booth and started to walk toward the door with her mug in her hand. She pushed through the door and ran through it.
"Shit," I said, following her.
Once outside, she ran to catch up with Vic and Pete. They were getting in their car. Their tail lights came on.
As soon as Laura saw the car start to move she chucked the mug hard at the roof. A loud thump came next. The car stopped and pulled back in. The mug bounced off the roof and shattered into several pieces once it hit the actual ground.
“Laura. What the fuck?!” Vic asked, storming toward her.
“Fuck you!” Laura spat, pushing Vic back hard with both of her hands.
Pete got out and lit a cigarette. He wasn’t at all going to get involved.
I caught up to Laura and Vic and wrapped my arms around Laura, pulling her back a little and slipping in front of her.
"No way," I said, holding my arm out with my palm up towards Vic.
It was hard to hold Laura back. She was normally puddy in my hands but she was so pissed off. It gave her strength I wasn’t used to knowing about.
Laura pushed forward again, moving me a little and managing to push Vic back once again.
“What?! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!” Vic shouted, annoyed. She wasn’t trying to fight her and she was honestly surprised by her. Instead of fighting, pushing back, she kept back and wondered, honestly.
Maybe they needed this, a final confrontation. I really didn't think Laura wanted to physically hurt Vic but I also didn't know what Vic would do.
"Baby, please," I said.
I needed her words.
“NOTHING!” Laura yelled. It was loud and shrill and honestly out of nowhere. I’d never ever heard her sound like that. It was like all the things she never said all boiled into one loud scream and it escaped her. Her whole body shook just to let it out.
"Jesus," I muttered, far too late to cover my ears. I had let her go, of course. It was too hard to hold her like that.
Vic stared at her, and swallowed.
“Nothing,” Laura croaked, tears flooding her. She looked to me guiltily, and then to Vic with anger still. The tears started to fall and she turned away from us, walking off toward the road.
I followed but turned back to look at Vic.
"She loves you and you threw her away. She wanted you to see her for once. That's all she wanted from you ever," I explained.
“Shut the fuck up,” Vic said, annoyed.
"That's the sad part. You're too pissed off at the world to appreciate what an amazing person you had," I said.
“You honestly don’t know anything,” Vic said. “Just go get her.” She turned to get back into her car and leave.
I turned again and ran to catch up with Laura. She made it out of earshot so I didn't know if she'd heard what we said but she could have.
"Laura," I said.
I started walking beside her and watching her profile.
"She's leaving," I said.
“It doesn’t matter,” Laura wept. She knelt down and sat on the sidewalk to hide her face and hug her legs.
I got down behind her and scooted so I could put my legs around her body and pull her back into my chest.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
Laura turned and cried against my shirt. I hugged her tightly and rubbed her arm.
"It's ok," I whispered. There always had to be some catalyst for her. Otherwise she kept things in.
"Do you want to go back to our room?" I asked.
"I dunno," she wept, holding me. "I'm sorry. I was so excited to go out with you today. We should go back in. I just need a minute."
"Of course," I said.
She looked so sad that I started to tear up but I held it back and wiped her face with the sleeve of my hoodie instead.
She laughed a little through the pain and tugged my sleeve down so she could kiss my palm lovingly.
"You're so pretty. Not even crying changes that. I've never met a girl that looked so good sad," I mused.
She huffed a laugh and groaned. "Well, I feel like an idiot," she confessed.
"You're not that. You are a girl that lost her best friend and first love. That's a lot to process, Laura. You've got a raw deal and it's not fair.”
Her parents, Hanover, Vic, her old friends; all of it was a pile of pain heaped on her shoulders. I kept trying to help her carry it. Maybe I was trying too hard.
"It's cool though. You've got
me at least. I'm not going anywhere," I promised.
"You're so fucking sweet, Char." She gazed at me and touched my face, smiling.
I shrugged my shoulders and blushed.
"I never know what to say when you compliment me. I just get butterflies and that fluttery feeling in my stomach. I'm glad you feel that way though," I admitted.
We were two teenage girls sitting on a sidewalk midmorning in a somewhat busy area. We could be anyone, go anywhere.
I could see us disappearing into the horizon and going to make a life somewhere. No responsibility and no worries besides our own happiness. It was tempting for Laura's sake but impossible.
She hugged me and kissed my face. "I'm glad you feel that way too. It makes me so happy. Eventhough I act like a crazy person," she laughed.
"Watching you throw that mug was all sorts of something. I couldn't decide if I needed to help or just be impressed by your aim. It was somewhat confusing," I joked.
"Well, I didn't plan it," she laughed.
"No, that was pure natural talent, baby.”
I grinned and gave a long sigh. Even our drama was something I appreciated afterward. It was time with her, supporting her. I never doubted for a second that she didn't love me.
"When you told her not to call me that I could feel the fire coming from you. I bet my face was priceless," I said.
"Yeah," she laughed, bothered. "She was definitely trying to get to me."
"Yeah because we got to her by just being there and she was aiming for a confrontation," I said. I shook my head and groaned. "What did she even mean with all of that stuff about you being good in bed?"
"Ug. It's my fault. It's totally my fault," she said honestly. "I wanted her to see me touching you and it set her off."
"She's right about it. You're unbelievable and I'm lucky. It's a miracle we get through any class we have together with you over in your seat looking at me like you do," I replied.
Laura laughed and slid her hand down my inner thigh to touch me. "She's just a jerk," she decided. "I can't even believe she said that shit about Logan. It's so embarrassing."
"That was a shitty thing to say. I kind of hated it," I admitted.
"I'm sure you hated all of it," she smiled softly at me. I felt her hug me then and rub my back.
Love Like Crazy Page 39