Photo Booth Queen And The Not So Cinderella Not So Story

Tearstained T-shirt

I grimace at the digital clock's red numbers that tick forward slowly. It reads 3:22 am. Tears begin to stream down my face. Not just because I'm a BIG SENSITIVE CRYBABY but because it hurts more to lose your best friend than any guy. We were supposed to graduate together, go to college and come visit eachother, staying up all night to tell one another about the cute guys at our different campuses. I quietly squeeze my knees to my chest on the love seat across from a sleeping Zach. I take quiet shallow breaths.

"Adri? What's wrong?" An awaken Zach asks groggily. How did he hear me?

I clear my throat, "what do you mean?" That made my voice sound normal. He turns on the lamp on the table next to his chair. I try to quickly wipe the tears but he clearly sees me.

"Adri," he scolds seriously, "if you don't trust me, I'll understand that- it will hurt a little, but I can understand." He kneels in front of me on the floor, "but don't lie to me."

I nod. Looking into his eyes. I try to hold in my tears but it just makes them pool into my eyes and everything look blurry. Eventually they release themselves, but when they do, Zach tackles me into a hug.

"Zach," I say trying to push him away.

"Just cry on my shoulder," he says holding me tightly, " and we'll figure the rest out later."

And right on command, I poured all of my tears onto his grey short sleeve v-neck t-shirt. After a few minutes, Zach let out a chuckle.

"What?" I sit up, wiping my bright red eyes.

"Your crying is like your come backs, sloppy but on command."

"Like your kissing, I imagine." I shoot back.

"I rest my case." He says smiling.

"Whatever." I return his smile.

"Wait." He says before disappearing into the kitchen and then returning with a box of tissues, 2 spoons, and a party sized container of rocky road ice cream. He returns to his seat beside me, "you're welcome to continue using my shirt as a tissue, but if you change your mind..."

I chuckle and a bright smile creeps onto my face. He places the tissues into my lap.

"And ice cream is good for crying." He says offering me a spoon. I gladly accept and we begin eating.

"Thanks," I pause from eating to say.

"No problem." He meets my eye contact.

"Who or what made you need a
Party sized container of ice cream?" I ask curiously. He seems like he has a perfect life.

"It was a 'who'. And she is-was," he quickly corrects himself and breaks our eye contact to hang his head, " was my girlfriend."

There's a pause of awkward silence, and I debate to myself because it's only fair that I tell him my problems in exchange and it's better than keeping it to myself.

"I had 2 best friends," it completely kills me to past tense our relationships, "we all grew up together. They were always way prettier and funnier and more popular than I ever was. When I was in the 2nd grade, I was being bullied by this girl over a rumor and they both stepped in and stood up for me. From that day I vowed to be there for them and to love them forever. Nellie and Yessica. Nellie is dating this guy named Kole. They are like a power couple. He doesn't really know me. We've met but we don't talk, I don't think he even remembers my name. Well, tonight, at that party, we accidentally kissed."

"-woah, woah, woah. Wait a minute. How do you accidentally kiss?" He asks with his mouth full of ice cream.

"We were in a dark attic together and he thought I was her."

"He didn't notice the difference in your voices?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Why not." He said surprisingly non judgmentally even though I deserve to be judged.

"I completely froze. I've had a crush on him since 7th grade. I didn't know what to do."

"Well, I can imagine she wouldn't be happy about that but it doesn't sound like you've stopped loving them or stopped being there for them." He points out.

"They don't know. I don't want to tell them. Kole doesnt even know that it was me."

"Well you can always talk to me. I'll give you my number, so you can call anytime you need."

"The thing is, Kole has my phone. He accidentally walked in on me at my play rehearsal and I grabbed my things and ran but I forgot my phone and he took it. He wasn't there when I went back."

"So.... You might need more ice cream." He chuckles making me laugh.

"You think," I laugh it off.

"So how are you going to get your keys back? Or your phone? Or your car?" Zach bombards me with logical questions that I don't have the answers to. I shrugg. He stares at me confused as I carelessly continue scooping ice cream.

"What?" I ask confused, fiddling the spoon in my mouth, "you said we can figure out the rest later." He chuckles at me, "well aren't you going to share about your ex?"

"No." He says firmly. Making me jump at how deep and cold his voice sounds.

"OK." I say surrendering and turning away from him.

"Adri, I- I'm sorry. It's just that, I'm over her so I try not to talk about her." He softens.

"It's whatever." I say remaining faced away from him. Not saying I was looking for us to share secrets and braid each other's hair, but he didn't have to be so rude about it.

"You know how, you're riding with a friend, or someone, and you both don't know where you're going and...." He continues. But the only thing running through my mind is:

"She's lost." Yessica states bluntly in an overdramatic tone.

"No. I come this way all the time. Yessica, we don't need a backseat driver, right Adri?" Nel shoots back, while keeping her eyes on the road.

After a few seconds of hesitation I continue, "Well, Yessi, she does have a liscenes."

"Oh. My. God. It was one test and I missed it by 1 question. No need to rub it in my face!" Yessica screams.

It turned out we were lost. But I've always let Nellie and Yessica drive the relationship. I think it's time I start controlling the situation.

So far, Nel and Kole only knows what I tell them. Kole thinks Nel is mad at him- which she is, because he didn't meet her at the party- so I just keep them at bay. It sounds terrible to do but, I'm doing this for her. If she found out she'd hate me, and I don't know what we'd do without each other.

".... And I let her drive the relationship. And she drove us down the wrong road. By the time I said something, we were lost. She was lost. I was lost, and most of all, I lost myself." He finished off staring at the spoon in his hand.

I feel guilty about asking him to share. "We we're perfect for each other, Adri, and we crashed and it cut me. Deep. I try not to think about it. It's still healing. I'm still healing. And she's off. Perfectly fine. So I'm sorry if I'm rude about it but-" he looks up at me.

"Don't. I get it. I'm sorry too." tears stream from my eyes. He smiles and hugs me again.

"Maybe I should be a spokes person for the sad SPCA commercials, since I touched your heart, ever so delicately." And just that quickly, the touching moment was gone.

"OK." I break out of our hug.