Miss Matched

Chapter 12

Outside the station, Tay and I giggle uncontrollably.

"I'm not a hundred percent sure I understand why you got arrested, but I'm thanking all my lucky stars you did. He's gorgy!"

"He is, but you're practically married. Doesn't mean you can't look, but you were seriously flirting with him."

"Not anymore."

"What?"

"We broke up. I'm not practically married anymore."

I can't say that I'm surprised they broke up, but I am surprised by her flirting. I've never seen that before. "You split up again? When?"

"Three days ago." Tay's eyes don't stray from the road.

I'm hurt that she hadn't told me. I know that I've been less available with all the filming and stuff, but still, we had texted numerous times. "Why didn't you say anything?"

She shrugs. "I'm telling you now."

This isn't like her other break-ups. They usually had a big fight over something small, and had make-up sex by that evening, or the next day at the latest. The other reason this feels different, is because whenever they broke-up before, she'd lose her cool. She'd yell and scream at me about what a douchebag he could be. It was my job to listen and nod. But she wasn't yelling, and she hadn't called him any names.

"What happened?" I ask as she drives faster and faster, using my feet to brake, even though I'm not the driver.

"He cheated on me, Freddie. Not once, but the whole time since he moved away. I saw a weird comment on a picture he'd been tagged in and when I asked about it, he admitted everything." Tay brushes one stray tear from her cheek. "He doesn't plan to stop. He told me she's the perfect girl for him and he was freeing me to go and find the perfect guy."

What an asshat!

By the time we reached Villa Matchmaker she'd given me more details and I'd assured her she was better off without him. Way better.

"It's definitely over this time. No make ups. Of that I'm sure. So why not flirt with that guy. It the best thing that's happened in the last three days."

"Absolutely. Flirt away!"

"My other big news is that I start a new job next week." Tay smiles for the first time since we left the gas station.

"What the what!"

"It's not a biggie. I'll be doing administrative work for the University, but at least I won't be moping around the apartment."

"That's great. I'm really happy for you."

Even though this whole conversation started because I didn't want to talk about my arrest, this is more important. Her last couple days have been a lot worse than mine, and it seems stupid to talk about my problems.

In my bedroom, Tay kisses the cheek of Justin Bieber. "I can't believe you haven't taken him down since you've been back."

In middle school, at fourteen, I was an original Belieber. I listened to his music non-stop and invested in a life-sized poster that I hung on the door to my walk-in closet. In high school, even as he fell out of vogue, I kept the poster in the same ironic way that the cool kids carried Power Ranger or Spidey back packs. I didn't take him with me to Pepperdine, and once I was there, I used every excuse in the book to not come back to Villa Matchmaker. During this recent sabbatical from my regular life, I've just been too busy to re-decorate. And honestly, in a way he keeps me company.