Girl Crush

Chapter 35

 "Happy New Year!" Robin yelled as she flung the front door open, sweeping in in grand Robin fashion. Vicki followed behind her, shaking her head but smiling. Robin held two bottles of wine in front of her, displaying them proudly. "I raided my mom's stash. She has so much wine, she'll never notice. I have no idea if it's good or not but it will do the job."

"As long as that job doesn't involve vomiting or a pounding headache in the morning," Vicki commented, walking in behind Robin.

Dani laughed, but her laugh died quickly when she saw Steve walk in after Vicki. She hadn't talked to him much since the Family Video incident when he'd helped her hide from Eddie. There had been a time at Family Video when she went in to pick up some movies for her and Eddie and she had briefly said hi a couple of times when he came to school to pick up Robin. She didn't know how to talk to him now that she was with Eddie. What was she supposed to say when he asked what she'd been up to lately?

She hoped they could stay friends, but having him and Eddie here at the same time did not seem like the best plan. In theory, it had seemed fairly simple to be friends with him, her and Steve had done pretty well when it was just them or them and Robin. But how was he going to feel watching her with Eddie? It kind of felt like rubbing salt into the wound and she already felt so guilty about hurting him. She really didn't want to make it any worse.

"Hey there," he said with a small smile, his hands in his pockets as he rocked back and forth on his heels. "Happy New Year Dani."

"Happy New Year Steve," she replied, returning his smile. "How have you been?"

"Oh, you know," he shrugged. "Same old shit. Working and hanging with Robin and...well, that's pretty much about it. My life...always the exciting roller coaster of fun."

"Hey!" Eddie yelled, walking out of the kitchen, a bowl of chips in his hand. "Welcome to the party! Happy New Year!" He froze in place, the smile instantly falling from his face when he saw Steve standing there. "Hey Harrington. Dani didn't mention that she'd invited you."

"Yeah, well she didn't. You can blame Robin for me crashing your party. She kind of insisted," he explained, rolling his eyes in her direction.

"I wasn't going to let you sit home alone on New Year's Eve and be all mopey," she insisted, looping her arm in his. "Look, this is clearly a little awkward." She gestured between Steve, Eddie, and Dani. "But we're all friends. I'm not willing to let anyone be weird. We're going to all hang out, have a good time, and get over all this bullshit. Steve and Dani were together and now Eddie and Dani are, but this circle of friends is going to remain tight knit. You are both my best friends and I am not playing the game of trying to work around you two being in the same place. So, everybody slap a smile on your face and have some drinks. Alcohol will melt all the awkward away! And if it doesn't, it will at least make it bearable. So, where are the glasses?"

Dani gestured to the kitchen and Robin headed that way. God bless Robin who just rolled with the uncomfortable and unpleasant and kept on going. She was trying to think of what to say as she stood there, Eddie to her left and Steve to her right. The two guys weren't exactly offering up anything in the form of conversation and relief flooded through her as the doorbell rang.

"Saved by the bell," she muttered, racing to open it, grateful for the interruption.

Dani opened the door to find Dustin, Mike, Lucas, and who she assumed was Will. She beamed, pulling each kid in for a big hug. Will had been the boys' best friend but he had moved away to California earlier this year and was visiting for the holidays. When Dustin asked if he could tag along for the party, Dani had said of course he could. Any friend of theirs was always welcome as far as Dani was concerned.