Twelve Boyfriends

Chapter 14

"Hello?" My mom answers her phone.

"Hey Mom." My voice is still a bit nasally.

"What's wrong?" She asks, concerned.

"I'm fine. I had a great time at the barbecue. This guy named Griffin kinda harassed me. He thought I was 'looking at him'. I asked Jay where the bathroom was, and Griffin took me to the guest bedroom instead. He pushed me and almost hurt me real bad, but Jay saved me. If he wouldn't have come in when he did, I could have been raped or maybe even killed. He saved my life."

She sucks in a quick breath, and gasps. "What?!? That's terrible! I'm coming to get you. This is ridiculous."

I quickly object. "No! No. Mom don't. I made so many new friends. I want to spend the night at Jay's house."

"There is no way I'm going to let you spend the night at someone's house after what just happened to you. ESPECIALLY if it's a boy."

"I wouldn't spend the night with a guy I just met if I was alone, but I'm not. There's two other girls staying over, and they're my new best friends. Please Mom. This could be my chance to make school friends. These girls could be my friends for life."

"Why don't you want to come home? You should already be here, judging off of what just happened to you."

"Mom. I'll be fine, I promise. I'll have Jay's Mom call you. I really like Jay. I think we'll be great friends."

She thinks for a moment, and takes a deep breath.

"Oh, alright. If this is really what you want. I'm happy you made some new friends. Your sister is having more of a hard time doing that."

"Okay. I'll have Jay's Mom call you. Thank you so much, Mom."

"Yeah yeah. I love you. Stay safe! If you ever feel un-safe at any point in being there, you come straight home, you hear me?"

"Yes Mom."

"Promise?"

"I promise. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Bye."

I hang up the phone.

"Jay!"

I yell.

He immediately shoves open the door, and almost topples over, but he plays it off.

"Hm?"

I giggle, and he giggles too. It's contagious.

"My Mom said yes. Can you give your Mom my Mom's number?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"222-386-1572."

"Okay. She said she's gunna call her." He says. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Before I can reply, Selene and Dee come running in and slam themselves on me, squeezing me with all of their strength.

"OH MY GOSH! Jay told us what happened! Are you okay??!???"

I make a choking noise.

They let go.

"Sorry."

"I'm fine. I'm just pretty shaken up."

Just now, Jay's phone rings.

Ring. Ring.

Excuse me ladies. I'll give you some time to talk." He politely leaves the room.

"So how did you get him to stop? You know, assaulting you? Violating your privacy?"

They don't know?

..Jay didn't tell them that he saved me.

"He didn't tell you?"

"Didn't tell us what?" They look at each other, and then back to me.

"Jay saved my life. He came in right on time. He looked so...angry. So violent. He easily jerked Griffin off of me and punched him straight in the face. Told him to leave, then came and comforted me."

"What? No way!"

"Yea. I owe him."

They look at each other, and giggle.

"Shh! Don't tell her!" Selene loudly whispers to Dee as she hits her on the shoulder.

"Don't tell me what?" What are they hiding?

"Nothing!" They both say in unison.

Jay walks in.

"Sorry, I-" he suspiciously looks at the two girls giggling and shoving each other around.

"...What's going on?" He furrows his brow.

"Nothing. We were just gonna go get our sleepover bags from our car. Good thing we brought extra clothes, right?"

Before they leave, I interject.

"Actually, I have clothes in my car. And a toothbrush. I really have everything I need. We haven't fully moved yet, so I have a few clothes left in my car." I tell them.

"Oh, ok! If you need anything that Jay can't provide, we'll be back in a bit." They say, leaving me and Jay alone once again.

"So..do they spend the night here a lot?"

"Oh yeah. Not all the time, but a lot. We've all known each other for a long time, and our parents are all friends." He says.

"Wow. That must be nice."

"What?" He asks.

"I, uh...I just think that's nice. That your parents are all friends and that you guys have known each other for a long time. I just...I never really had that."

I was never close with anyone.

I was, but we all eventually grew apart by the end of second grade. Well, I grew apart from them. They all really stayed friends, and even made new ones. I made new friends, but I never really fit into one particular group. I've always been a floater.

He hesitates, as if he's tiptoeing around my feelings.

"Well...it's never too late. You may not have childhood friends, but you will have good friends. You'll make lots. I can feel it."

"Don't do that." I tell him.

"Don't do what?" He asks, lost.

"Don't tip-toe around my feelings like I'm a lost puppy. I hate when people do that. Why can't people just give it to me straight?" I rant.

"To be fair, I want to state that I told the complete truth." He continues. "I speak what I feel. I don't believe in tip-toeing around feelings."

I smile.

Finally, someone who understands.