When Perfect Meets Crazy

“What could you possibly have to be sad about?” I couldn’t not roll my eyes as I asked the question.

Considering the fact that the girl I was talking to was on the verge of tears, my tone was less than friendly.

I knew I had signed up to play point guard for Mae’s crush on Zach when I agreed to go to Finch’s party but I honestly hadn’t counted on her getting irrevocably emotional-blubbering-mess drunk. Had I known, I would’ve unapologetically declined. I had enough on my plate as it was and even if I didn’t, I just wasn’t one for the full range of human emotions. It wasn’t my thing. It was like asking Coco Chanel to wear a knock-off or Einstein to organize a fun day off. No. Just no.

“He won’t even look at me.” She sniffled, turning the full effect of her wide teary eyes on me.

I gritted my teeth, an inborn defense mechanism to having my barely-there heartstrings tugged.

“So? You started liking him, what? Last week?”

She raised her head to meet my gaze, her smile wobbling in a way that made it clear water works would follow if I didn’t tread carefully.

“Sorry.” I pasted a congenial smile on my face, sighing inwardly.

I could have been at home, battling virtual characters, reading a novel or even watching reruns. Anything beat sitting in a corner of Finch’s kitchen, consoling a friend over another friend she started liking less than fourteen days ago.

I heaved a sigh, staring longingly out the window.

One of the guys getting high out back popped in, heading straight for the fridge. He paused briefly, sending a nod our way. I nodded back, my impersonal smile making it clear it was not a good time to approach us.

“You don’t understand,” Mae wailed, throwing herself into my lap.

I drew in a fortifying breath and reminded myself that roughly pushing her off might make her throw up. And that under normal circumstances, I actually did like her.

“I really don’t,” I replied a beat later, my irritation under control.

Boys were just boys. As friends, they could be pretty great but I didn’t see what was so amazing about crushes and boyfriends. They came and went. I definitely didn’t date with thoughts of marriage or ‘forever’ in my head. Not many people my age did either so I just couldn’t see why, despite knowing they’d only break-up, they still took boyfriends and crushes so seriously. It was just high school. If the feeling wasn’t mutual, it was as easy as moving on to the next crush.

I forced a smile as Ashley, one of Claire’s minions –Charlie’s angels as Masked Idiot dubbed them- walked into the kitchen to refill her cup of soda.

“That’s because guys always like you first.” Mae sighed, pushing her lips into a pout as she sat up. “You’re like catnip for them.”

I rolled my eyes, taking a sip of my drink to steady myself before replying, “Catnip? Really?”

I could’ve been having fun right now. Seriously. I wasn’t trying to be an unsympathetic friend. Anything but boy drama and I might’ve taken it seriously. Boy drama was just something I could never get behind.

“And you’re never invested. I don’t know how you do it. Like how did you walk away from Rigo? Rigo!” Her gaze, wide and confused, latched onto my face. “How did you even get him to fall that hard for you? He’s practically a serial player.”

rolled my eyes again.

be true but at the time, I did not know that. Mae was stupidly drunk so I was more than a little suspicious of his intentions when he claimed he was going to be a ‘gentleman’ and walk her home. Everyone at Claire Anne’s knew Rigo. He was the biggest player there was and he was

compartmentalize the different parts of my life, I instantly decided that was what I needed. A causal situation. No strings attached. No meeting the parents. No picking me up from home for dates. Nothing that would inform my parents

worked. All the other guys I ever tried going down that road with wanted real relationships and things either ended because I wasn’t a good girlfriend -calling everyday, asking about their

of my

At all. Unfortunately, bodies have cravings that need to be satisfied or I would’ve laid

was Rigo and ‘Rigo doesn’t do relationships,’ and I

least

can’t tell you how it happened. I did nothing

It was just the occasional heated make-out session on his

nothing else could be done, she’d have to

want them and even when you do, you don’t want them badly. It’s like; if it works, it works. If it doesn’t, next.” Another

wasn’t because of the Pepsi. I pasted a smile on my

no such word

mine even though I knew she’d be uninterested in

want them badly. There are lots of boys so why stress over one?” I had enough highly demanding people to please already

at Louise who

try. I wanted to work things out with Paxton, remember? He was the one who ended things. And lastly, I don’t see

paper, he was the perfect candidate for a boyfriend. He was smart, cool and kind. He had the best smile and prettiest eyes. The fact that he had won the male category of ‘take home to mama’ two years in a row now said it

short lived. He was busy a lot with extracurriculars and sports, and expected me to always be the one to reach out as if I didn’t have a lot going on with my three jobs, ‘interning’ at my mom’s firm,

into a living breathing punching bag who temporarily had to take over the post of editor-in-chief of the magazine for my aunt who

every time. A lot of time, I really just want to scream, ‘I’m a

for a whole week? You didn’t even

best girlfriend but he knew that before getting into the relationship and it wasn’t like I wanted to bail on his birthday. My dad was in one of his moods that day and I

later, after the party was over. No way on God’s green beautiful earth was I going to tell

was all I said

it. I care too much. You’re... you. No one else can be. Not

you weren’t my friend, I’d so hate you,” she added,

thing we’re friends then.” I rose to my feet. That was

“So fast?”

“It’s past midnight.”

locking her arm with mine. Her head found a

patted wisps of

right back, babe,”

the kitchen to my car took fifteen minutes. We kept having to stop to chat with one person or the other. Claire included. She wrinkled her nose at my dress and

my infamous eye