The Thing About Flip Flops

Chapter Twenty Three: I Can't Tell If He's Telling Me Dirty Jokes

The day after my dad gets engaged, and the day my house-arrest sentence ends, I celebrate both by meeting all my friends at our town diner after school. All but one exception, Jenna.

I cram into the end of a both, followed closely by Jack. Henry and Natalia sit across from us. I think back to the last time I visited this diner with my friends. When Jack came in, and the rest of us all left because we were intimidated by him. The same guilt that I felt when my dad yelled at me for being out all night comes back as I remember the way we acted.

Under the table, I reach next to me to squeeze Jack's hand, quickly letting go. He looks over at me, confused. My cheeks heat up.

"What was that?" He asks quietly, a weird look on his face.

"Just an apology," I say vaguely, giving him a small smile.

We're about to order food when the door bangs open, sending the little bells above it flying around, ringing furiously.

It's Jenna. She notices us all sitting together, without her, and her face tightens. "I didn't know you were here," she tells us, already leaving.

But before she can go I get up, climbing over Jack, whose body is blocking my way out.

I catch Jenna outside, storming out of the diner. "Jenna. Stop. We need to talk."

She whirls around to face me, her black hair framing her angry face. "Yeah? What the fuck do you have to say to me?"

I bury my face in my hands. "It was all a misunderstanding. If you'd just listen-"

"Listen to you?" She spits. "I thought you were my friend. And then I found you and Natalia talking about me, and from what you two were saying, I know exactly what you fucking told her."

"I never-"

"And now you have the nerve to deny it, even after what you did! I can't believe this. I can't believe I was ever stupid enough to trust you."

"Jenna! I didn't tell Natalia that you're in love with her. We were talking about her."

"Yeah? Then why did I hear the words, "she caused a fight just because she was too stupid to consider telling her own friend the truth?"

"That was about Nat herself!"

"Like hell it was. Why would she say that shit about herself?"

"Because she was upset that she called you a bad friend and didn't apologize! She never said that about you. And I never told her anything about your feelings for her. You have to believe me."

"She doesn't know?" Jenna asks quietly.

"No one except for the two of us know. I swear to god, the time I tell anyone any of your secrets is never going to come."

All of a sudden, Jenna is hugging me and crying. "I'm sorry, Audrey. I shouldn't have- of course, you didn't say anything! You're my best friend. I'm sorry I ever doubted you. God, I'm a terrible person."

"No, you're not," I reassure her. "Of course that's what you thought, you only heard half the conversation. I get it. So, we're good now?"

She nods, furiously wiping the tears from her face. "Yeah. But what the hell am I supposed to say to Natalia now? I'm sorry for overreacting, I just wrongly thought that my best friend told you I was in love with you?"

I sigh. "I don't know. I think you just need to tell her the truth." She looks at me like I'm insane, and I hastily add, "Not everything, just what she needs to know to forgive you."