“I’m gonna get Connor to kiss me on the cheek and use it as my Twitter icon for the next five years,” Sarah, one of Maggie’s friends, said from the back seat where she sat with Max.
“I’m gonna get the same shot but with Toby,” Maggie added, giggling from the passenger seat, as she fiddled with her seat belt.
“I’m gonna steal Thomas’ drumsticks,” Max announced.
That set all three girls- or should I say fangirls- into a fit of hysteria.
I sighed. This was going to be a LONG day, I could tell.
I drove on and nearly swerved off the road when all three girls suddenly screamed at the same time.
“What?!” I asked, slamming on the brakes.
“STARBUCKS!!” The three of them screamed and pointed at the Starbucks across the street.
“Yes, it’s a café, well-known for serving deliciously blended drinks and various pastries to the general public,” I said in a deadpan voice as I pulled over to the side of the road. “If you guys wanted some, you could have calmly told me instead of attempting to unite the front end of my car to that lamp post over there.”
“It’s not for us, it’s for the boys,” Maggie said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world and I was the biggest spaz for not knowing any better. “We’re gonna get them some GC’s.”
“Just make it quick,” I said as they clambered out of the car.
I dialed Ryan’s phone and he picked up on the first ring.
“Yo,”
“Ry, this has been the most excruciating thirty minutes of my life,” I complained, resting my head on the steering wheel. “and we’re not even at the venue.”
“Well, did you expect it to be fun?” He replied matter-of-factly.
“No,” I quipped. “Which is why I asked you to come with me. At least then I’d have someone sane around.”
“You sure about that? I love boybands! Harry Styles is so hot, OMG!” Ryan joked in a mock girly tone.
I laughed. “You suck, dude.”
“Hey, you know me. I’ll be there for you when you need me. But when it’s fangirl time with Maggie… you’re on your own.”
It was true. Ryan’s been my best friend since I moved in with Auntie and Maggie back in the sixth grade and was branded the new kid in town. He lived three houses down the street from ours and his mom was tight with my Auntie so they introduced us like setting up two five year olds for a play date. That way, I had at least one friend before going to a new school.
It worked, though. We pretty much clicked after he saw my collection of John Mayer CD’s. Turns out, he’s a big fan as well. He complained about people not realizing the musical ingenuity in John Mayer’s songs by saying they were “too sad” and that got the ball rolling. A few weeks later, a new CD came out and we went to the mall to get it together and we’ve been inseparable ever since. He was always there for me when I needed someone, and I, for him. Despite all that, when Maggie would get into her little fangirl hysterics and I was forced to sit through hearing about this new cover some band posted or a new picture they put up, Ryan would always leave me in the lurch. “Gotta go, Jane,” were his famous exit words as he fled from the scene.
“Whatever. But expect random calls from me throughout the day. It’s the only way I’ll come out of this grueling experience alive.” I replied, as I spotted the girls laughing and looking all happy at the queue through the store’s glass windows.
