The Thing About Flip Flops

Chapter Sixteen: Has The Sauce Gotten To Your Head And Made You Delirious?

I am getting books out of my locker the next day when Henry arrives, beaming. It doesn't take a genius to guess why he's so happy.

"Guess who's here?" He asks me, and then dashes back to pull Melissa out from behind a corner. She has the same ecstatic expression on her caramel-toned face. Her frizzy black hair is much shorter than it was when I last saw her, but otherwise she looks the same.

"Was the whole dramatic reveal really necessary?" She teases Henry, and then says "Hey, Audrey!" I hug her and we catch up for a while.

After a few minutes, Henry buts into our conversation to suggest surprising Natalia next. Melissa, who knows him too well to say "no, that's unnecessary", just rolls her eyes and says, "Catch you later, Audrey!" Henry practically drags her away.

As I grab my backpack and head for my class, I notice Jack on the phone nearby. I don't necessarily eavesdrop on his conversation, but as I walk past him I can't help but notice a few things he's saying.

"Yeah. Don't worry. I'm not going to." He's silent as he listens to the other person speaking. "I told you, don't worry. I won't-" He pauses again. "I know, I promise. Love you too."

Who's he talking to?

Suddenly I feel like I shouldn't be listening to his conversation. I make my way past him, avoiding eye contact.

"Hey- A, wait up!" Jack calls, and I look back, seeing him hastily stashing his phone in his pocket.

"Oh. Hey, Jack," I say in a colder voice than I meant to speak in.

"I'm not going to be able to hang out with you guys at lunch today. Tell the others, okay?" He looks genuinely regretful, and it makes me wonder if the phone call has anything to do with why he's cancelling.

Testing the waters, I ask casually, "How come?"

"I'm busy," he answers, avoiding the question. He glances down and brushes hair away from his face.

"Okay..." I say hesitantly.

"Thanks. Um, I appreciate it."

"No, it's not a..." But he's already rushed off, leaving me to end my sentence abruptly and awkwardly, "...big deal."

***

Chris drives me home from school, blasting rock music as loud as the stereo gets.

"You like this band?" He yells over the thudding bass guitar, and I have to pretend to like it so I don't hurt his feelings. "I thought you would!" He grins. "My dad knows the drummer. We can go to a gig sometime, if you're down. I actually have two tickets."

My eyes light up. "Really? That's awesome! As long as they don't play this song!"

Chris laughs. "Are you kidding? Audrey, c'mon! This is their best one!"

I roll my eyes, but despite the shitty music, I can't help feeling like this car ride is a lot more fun than any of the other ones I've been on with Chris.

I do an air drum solo along with the track, my blonde hair whipping around my face as I shake my head, and Chris looks at me happily. "You know, you're cute."

I stick out my tongue at him, secretly pleased. "Aw, stop it."

"I'm serious!"

"When's the concert?"

"Friday."

I choke on air. "That's tomorrow!" Chris looks at me, confused, and I have to point at the road. "Eyes on the road, please."