“Some people just need a hug around their neck with a rope.” Janice hissed, pulling me through the crowd of students.
I silently followed her, pushing a stumbling guy with a drink in his hand. Wait! How did he even get the drink? This is a school festival, no alcohol allowed. “Hey you!” I shouted at the guy. He turned to face me, his eyes squinting in concentration. “You look like a penguin.”
I frowned at his analogy. Should I be pleased that he compared me to a cute animal or insulted because penguins are pretty fat and walk weirdly? I shrugged it off, narrowing my eyes at the glass in his hand. “Where did you get this drink from?”
He looked at the glass and beamed. “Oh this? That guy over there-” he pointed at a small crowded stall which wasn’t there till yesterday. “-he’s giving this away. Free! I love free stuff! You should try it… it’s delicious. And FREE! Wohoo free!!”
I blew a breath of frustrated air, waving him off. As the slowly crowd cleared I caught a glimpse of the unregistered free drink giver.
Alan Moore, you are in soo much trouble!
“Joanna! Are you even listening to me?” Janice cried angrily.
“Uh yeah of course. You said something about hanging a hug uh I mean hanger?”
She gave me a flat look. “I hate repeating things, so never mind what I said.”
I licked my bottom lip, wanting to go and scream at my dumb friend. But Janice needed me right now. I finally sighed, last day, let them have fun. I turned my full concentration to my best friend. “So what exactly happened?”
Janice rubbed her eyebrow in irritation. “You know that Kathy? Alicia’s right hand?”
“Unfortunately.” I replied, wondering where this was going.
“She kissed Dylan. Oh god! She mother effing kissed him. You know like like lips touching and saliva exchanging! I could swear they had tongue.” Janice exclaimed, pulling me into a room where a couple was making out. For God’s sake this is school festival not a college party. Some are getting drunk and some are getting junk.
“Get out, right now or I’ll let go my pet sharks on you.” Janice threatened and immediately the couple ran out with the guy holding something in his hands which looked suspiciously like a girl’s panties. Eww.
I turned to Janice who was storming through the room. Walk. Turn around. Walk. Turn around. Walk. Turn around.
“Janice, you said you didn’t like Dylan day before yesterday.” I reminded her, when she had spent the morning at my place.
She stopped her pacing. “I still don’t like him.” Her voice unsure now.
I rolled my eyes. “And unicorns don’t exist.”
“They don’t.” She declared. “Anyways I don’t know what to feel Joanna.” She sighed, sitting on an empty chair and then shooting up instantly. “Wasn’t this where those sex addicts were? Oh yucks! I need to wash these jeans now.” She almost debated while wiping her backside and then shook her head. “Do see anything white or that color?” She turned showing me her backside.
I bit my lip from laughing at her, shaking my head.
“Do I have any white substance on my ass?” She repeated, shaking her ass.
I burst out laughing unable to control anymore. “Janice I am sure they didn’t reach till that phase.”
“I hope so.” She said, walking to another chair and resting her butt there. “What do I do?”
“Tell him how you feel.” I suggested.
“No ways, you know I can’t do relationship shit Joanna. I always end up messing it. I-I just can’t seem to handle that pressure of being a perfect girlfriend and trying to hold my jealousy and anger. It never works out.” She muttered weakly.
I put my hand on her shoulder, making her look at me. “Someday, someone will walk into your life and make you realize why it never worked out with anyone else. Maybe that someone’s Dylan, you never know until you try Janice.”
“Yeah, but I am so scared.” She sighed, closing her eyes. “It is all because of Ryan.”
“Janice, he moved on. Even you have to.” I told her. After Ryan cheated on her and said that she was the worst girlfriend ever a year back. Janice was broken, she lost confidence in herself and thought that it was all her mistake. Luckily after 2 months Ryan’s family moved somewhere in Africa and there’s a rumor that no girl likes him there.
Karma is a certified bitch.
It took some time for Janice to return to her older self but eventually she did and slowly all the news about her and Ryan was forgotten, yet somehow she couldn’t be serious with a guy, afraid of disappointing him.
In a relationship, people have expectations and when they are unfulfilled it leads to disappointments which lead to getting hurt.
My logic: Stay single and eat a Pringle.
“I know you can never forget Ryan, Janice. You loved him and he will always have a spot in your heart but you have to make place for someone else. Someone actually worth it.” I told, trying to soothe her.
She hugged me, her head on my stomach as she was sitting. I wrapped my hands around her shoulders. “It will be okay, eventually.” I promised her. It was in my bucket list to find Janice a perfect boyfriend. It was time to have a private conversation with Dylan.
The door suddenly opened and we jerked away.
“What am I missing?” Logan asked raising his eyebrows, looking from me to Janice.
“Nothing.” Janice squeaked, making Logan more suspicious.
“What happened to you?” I asked, noticing his unhappy face.
“We broke up.” He simply stated, shutting the door behind him.
Janice frowned. “You broke up or her?”
“It doesn’t matter Janice.” He dismissed.
“You broke up or her?” Janice repeated with a no-nonsense tone. And Janice hated repeating things.
“She broke up. Apparently it was too much for -”
Logan never got to complete the sentence because Janice got up and rushed to the door. “That bitch, I am going to burn her fat ass and then feed it to my pet sharks.”
“Janice!” I shouted, catching her wrist and Logan wrapped his arms around her stomach. “You don’t have pet sharks.” I reminded her.
She paused, scowling. “I’ll just buy some then.”
“Don’t be stupid, they aren’t like rose plants, found on the streets. And anyways it’s over.” Logan said, struggling to keep his grip on her wriggling form.
“I don’t care.”
“Janice shut up. We don’t want her to think that this is affecting Logan or us. It will only make her more happy.” I said, trying to punch some sense in her.
She stopped, her mind wheels running. “We should make her jealous.” She said excitedly.