Moonlight Kisses

when shit hits the fan

"Sophie, please just let me explain," I plead. I don't want her to walk away today thinking something happened between me and Beau other than what actually happened. We got drunk and like idiots we left more than a few deep purple bruises on each other. That's all it was and I desperately need her to understand that. She's been my best friend since the beginning of this whole mess and I can't let her walking out of my life be one of the consequences to my horrifying actions.

"Explain what, Jordyn? How you fucked my brother? No thanks, I can do without the fucking play by play," she relentessly spits. My face meets her back as she crosses the room with heavy footsteps.

Pretentiously, I follow her and gently shut the door so we don't disturb anyone, if we haven't done so already. "I didn't have sex with Beau," I whine. I'd expect everyone else to believe that, but I hardly expect her to draw the same conclusion. The marks on my neck alone speak for themselves, but I'm surprised she knows me so little to assume that I'd give up my honor and dignity for a drunken one-night stand.

"We didn't do anything," I defend.

She scoffs, so loud it echoes through the room. "The evidence is all over you in case you didn't notice."

"I know how it looks, believe me. I already saw what he left on me."

"Okay so can you blame me for assuming what's so blatantly fucking obvious?" Both of her hands shoot out to gesture to my neck.

My hands fly up to cover the disgusting remnants of last night. Even though she's already seen the purple-stained surface, I still feel uncomfortable being so exploited like this. "I promise you it's just this. Nothing happened."

"Yeah well I think everyone at the party begs to differ," she barks in accusation.

Not knowing what to do with my profound shock, I stand there and blink as I'm struck dumb. There were so many people at the party. People from school. People that I have to see on a day to day basis. People I have classes with. Not every single person from my school was there, but I can guarantee something to this extent would get back to the entire student body. It's bad enough that my role in the social hierarchy has been cemented through being Beau's girlfriend, but now I have to deal with the repercussions of everyone knowing more than I care for them to know. Sex is supposed to be a private thing, but clearly I wasn't thinking of that when all I wanted to do was make a point.

Sophie stares pointedly at me as the thoughts race through my mind, prohibiting me from speaking. I snap my head out of my over analytical inner voice and blurt out, "That was the point."

"Oh so you wanted me to find out about you and Beau through other people because you didn't have the guts to tell me about it yourself?"

"No, Sophie, that's not it at all." Now's a better time than ever. Drop the bomb. I sigh deeply, inhaling as much oxygen as I can to exhale the nerves building in the pit of my stomach. "We wanted people to hear us last night. Because it was all fake. I went upstairs to sober up and he came with me in case something bad happened. Some other people noticed us walking into the room together and lingered outside the door to see if we would do anything. Of course we didn't, but we thought it'd be funny to pretend to have sex. We wanted to make it believable, so we left these nasty marks all over each other's necks, but I swear they're only there, nowhere else. Whatever anyone else says, it's not true, I would never lie to you, Soph. I made a promise to you and I intend to keep true to it."

Her indignation keeps her from showing any sort of understanding, but her tense shoulders visibly drop as relief washes over her body. I'm just as relieved as she is, if not more. "Fine I'm sorry for being so quick to jump to conclusions, but I'm not sorry for calling you out on that." She points to my neck, the very source of our issue. "Seriously Jo, that's gross."