The Hazards of Skinny Dipping

Chapter Nineteen

To: juliethegreat14@mail.com

From: amy_monroe@mail.com

Subject: Re: sigh

Dear Juliet,

Whatever happened, you'll get through it.

Your Always There For You Cousin,

Amy

There was nothing fun about being the only one at a date party without a date. It was even worse when your friends got there late because they were having dinner with their dates. After walking aimlessly around the bar for a few minutes, I ran into the last person I wanted to see. Well, maybe second to last.

"Hi Amanda!" I said with fake cheerfulness. I could do it. I could be the bigger person-or at least pretend I was.

"Hi... can we talk?" Amanda asked nervously. I didn't think Amanda got nervous.

"Why?"

"Come on, please."

I nodded. What else did I have to do? "Whatever you have to say doesn't matter. We were already broken up. I don't care."

"I messed up. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You wanted to screw with me. Or sorry, you wanted to screw Dylan."

"He's the only guy who's ever turned me down." She flipped her hair off her shoulder.

"He turned you down?"

"Yeah... I always had a thing for him and finally decided to make a move the first time I saw him this semester. He wasn't interested. He claimed there was someone else."

"Oh."

"It didn't take long to realize it was you."

"That's why you've been a bitch to me this whole time?"

"Pretty much, yeah. If I'd known before bid day...well, you wouldn't be in the house."

"Honest. Wow."

"It's the truth, so I'm glad I didn't know."

"Wait, are you actually saying you're glad I'm pledging?"

"You're pretty cool."

"Good to know."

"He's still crazy about you. He may have slept with me, but he didn't really want to. He wanted you." It sounded like it was hard for her to say it.

"He doesn't actually want to be with me. I'm not sure where this obsession came from."

"Me either. Well, I should probably find my date. I'm hoping for a more, uh, a better night tonight."

I laughed, assuming she referred to the sex with Dylan. "I get that. Have fun."

"You aren't here alone, are you?" Her words sounded more surprised than malicious.

"Yeah, I'm going it alone."

"Wow, that's brave."

"Brave or stupid." I shrugged.

"Can I get you a drink?"

"You're offering to buy me a drink?"

"Well, I did sleep with your ex-boyfriend right after you dumped him-"

"When you put it that way..."

I followed Amanda over to the bar. She leaned over to talk to the cute, young bartender. "She'll have a sex on the beach, and keep them coming."