The Thing About Flip Flops

Chapter Two: There Are Probably Hallucinative Drugs In My Lemonade

Audrey's P.O.V. - Present Day

I shouldn't have ordered an iced strawberry lemonade. It's four degrees outside.

But honestly... who cares? It's sweet and sour and pretty damn near perfect.

I take a few sips of it, the ice clinking in my chilled glass, before addressing the two people sitting across the booth from me.

One of my best friends, Jenna, was the one who decided to come to this small diner near our school. I've never come here before, which is strange since I love diner food. But I was slightly worried, because she'd said she needed to talk to us, and that it was urgent.

"So... why did you bring us here?" I ask her as soon as the waitress finishes taking our food orders. My other friend, Natalia, leans in to hear what Jenna has to say in response.

Jenna grins mischievously and pulls her long braided black hair back into a bun at the top of her head. "Well..." she draws it out for extra suspense. "It's actually a funny story. You'll love this. So you know how I'm on the soccer team?"

Natalia lets out a little laugh, "I don't think we could ever forget that, Jen."

I snicker at that, taking another sip of my lemonade. As if we haven't watched Jenna play since we were kids. She's been on the team for as long as any of us can remember, and it's become a tradition at this point to have sleepovers after every one of her big games.

"Well basically..." Jenna drags out without acknowledging Natalia's snarky comment. She pauses again for dramatic effect, taking a sip of hot chocolate. "As I was saying, it's a great story, like one of those no way Jen, that's crazy what the fuck kind of stories, and it stars.... yours truly!"

"Hurry up, you idiot, we haven't got all day to sit around," Natalia says and picks up her half-eaten BLT and takes a large bite from it with a roll of her eyes.

Jenna flicks her arm in annoyance but leans back in her chair, "You'll want to sit around all day for this story, it's a good one I'm telling you."

"Oh! Wait, is this about-" Natalia starts suddenly, looking amused, and Jenna shushes her.

"Yeah, yeah, except shut up and let me tell," Jenna says.

Natalia tosses her dark red braid over her shoulder, folds her arms crossly and says, "Don't shut up me, that's very rude."

"Well you're interrupting," Jen rolls her eyes in annoyance and grabs Natalia's sandwich, stealing it away and taking a bite. She holds it out of Nat's reach despite her friend's flustered protests.

Natalia's mouth falls open and she yelps, "Hey, that was mine!"

My best friends act like they're five years old.

"Jen, give her the sandwich back you're better than that. Nat, don't be stingy you have another sandwich," I say to them in a motherly tone because our usual "mom friend" isn't here right now so I'm filling in.

"But Audreyyyy," Jen groans, "She's not sharing. Sharing is caring."

"Well I don't care," Nat says dryly.

"What are you, five?" Jen scoffs.

"Oh, you're in for-"

"So the story?!" I exclaim, trying to get us back on track. Please, I can't take this anymore.

"Oh yeah! I know what she's gonna say," Nat says proudly despite the other girl's action to keep her quiet.

"Ok but shut up and let me tell," Jen scolds her and finally leans back in her seat to tell the story.