Hundred Words

Six

Six

I twiddled my thumbs, my phone nestled in the crook of my shoulder. It beeped into my ear, a metallic buzz like an angry swarm of bees filing into my ear.

One beep.

Two beeps.

Three.

Four.

Oh come on lady. Pick up the phone.

"Hi!"

I stop twiddling. "Hey. You'll be proud of me!"

"Why? Did you finally kiss Avery?"

My breath huffed out in front of me. "Okay, first off, no. I mean, why? No, I made a list!"

"So you... Called me? Wow." Her amusement makes me giggle. "A list."

"Okay, you make it hard to give me some satisfaction for once." I mock grumbled.

"I'm like the army. Gotta break you down." I shake my head, smiling at Jess's reasoning.

"I'm not even gonna ask. But really, I made a list of things to do this school year, and-"

"Resolutions!" I imagine Jess tssk tssking.

"God," I shook my head in frustration. "I made some resolutions, and I thought you would be proud."

I can imagine Jess, a smile on her pearly teeth, probably looking at her perfect nails. "Remember?" Now I picture her pointing to her forehead. "Army."

"Yes sir!" My hands flies up to my forehead on impulse, even though Jess can't see me. Max trots into my room as the two of us burst into laughter.

The thing I love about Jess it's that she gets me. She knows when to balance my mood, and when to contradict it. She's like a sturdy wall that I can pour my problems onto, and yet she is also gentle. I remember when I met her, a Chicago girl thrust into a Daytona beach elementary school, 5th grader wearing a Wicked t-shirt, too-short jeans, and these Converse knock offs. I thought she was plain weird. My fifth grade mind was whirling. What the hell was Wicked? Doesn't she know her pants don't fit? And those shoes? I was confused.

But then, through friends, I got to know her, and we've been inseparable ever since. It's funny, how I thought about how I didn't need to know her, and then the two of us up and become the best of friends.

I rub Max behind the ears, were he loves it. "Yeah, I'll just have to show you. We should do something soon."

Jess pauses. "I'm available Monday. After school, of course. Unless you are planning on playing hookey."

"No.. but really. Do you want to come to my place then? I have to study, we won't be doing anything life changing, but still, it's something."

"Sure. My mom will have to drive, but aside from that, it'll be good." Jess's voice curves upward in some sort of whine. Another thing about Jess: she is very, no, scratch that, extremely obsessed with getting a car. Driving, just owning one to look at, I don't know the details, but she is pretty sure that if she doesn't turn sixteen soon, her whole life will implode on itself.

" 'K" I answer.

"Yep. Well, this is a plan. See you later?"

"Yeah, bye!"

"Bye."

I click my phone off, ending the call and crossing my fingers that this production will be fine with my parents.