Defining Love

Chapter 1 - Part 2

The next morning she was on Gemma's front porch at seven thirty on the dot. We spoke of our classes, and she let me in on some of the need-to-know stuff about some of my teachers. She asked a little about my previous school, but I got the feeling Gemma had filled her in a little about my past, so it seemed she was playing it very safe about what and how she asked.

That first day she introduced me to Daphne and Audrey, two of her best friends since grade school. Right off, I realized Audrey wasn't as friendly as Daphne and Edi.

"So you won't be on the bus anymore in the mornings?" Audrey asked, her brow lifting.

"Hell no," Edi said with a giggle. "Why would I continue to wake up at that ungodly hour and take the stupid bus when I can sleep in and ride with Henri way later."

Audrey's eyes had swept over me more than once that first introduction. Months later I still couldn't put my finger on it, but obviously taking her bus buddy from her had not been appreciated. The fact that even though Audrey lived only blocks away and I couldn't offer to drive her in, too, didn't help. But I was under strict orders from Gemma, and I was not about to blow it.

After a few months, Edi's friendship had become one of the best I'd ever had, which didn't say a whole lot since I'd made few friends my entire life, but still she was everything I could've asked for in a friend. Her friendship couldn't have come at a better time either. I'd begun to hear less from Celia. She and her boyfriend had visited a few times, but as the months passed, I heard less and less from her. It would've probably been more heartbreaking for me if I didn't have Edi to distract me. I let Edi in on my fear that it felt as if Celia were slowly drifting away from me. Some nights I'd be up all night, tossing and turning, and my heart wrenched at the thought that the only real family left in my life—the only person who'd ever loved me—was disappearing.

Edi began calling me late in the evening when I was already in bed to ask how I was doing. Talking to her magically made things better. At least she got my mind off Celia. She was really good about starting off asking about Celia and then casually changing the subject so by the time I got off the phone with her, my mind was on something else completely.

As I got to know Edi better, she let me in on the dynamics of her friendship with both Daphne and Audrey. All three had met in kindergarten. They all lived right around the corner from one another and had grown up almost like sisters, often sleeping over at each other's houses. Their parents all knew each other, and they even spent vacations like camping and trips to the beach in the summer together. She finally mentioned that Audrey had always been the drama queen of the three.

"I won't talk shit about her because, no matter how difficult she can be at times, she's still one of my best friends. She's just one of those who take everything so personally. And God forbid and Daphne and I plan anything without her. Audrey's so damn paranoid that we're booting her out."

"Why would you plan anything without her?" I asked curiously and trying desperately not to sound paranoid.

After only a few months of hanging around with Edi's crowd, I was included in everything they did. I was certain that if I found out they did something and hadn't told me about it I'd probably feel a little paranoid too. From the way Edi spoke of Audrey, it wasn't a likable quality, so I'd probably never admit to it. Still, I couldn't help feeling nervous.

"We never have!" Edi laughed. "But there are times when Audrey's just not around, so maybe Daphne and I start planning something, fully intending to include Aud, but when she finds out about it, she always has this attitude of, 'You two discussed this without me?' She's always been like that, ever since we were little. She has a really hard time sharing us. Her neediness has always been her weakest, not to mention most annoying, personality trait."