Melanie Parks had it all. An amazing childhood best friend Lauren Porter, they're attending one of the best colleges in the country together, a great family, and a longtime boyfriend, Jamie Sanders, she loves and who loves her back.
Or so she thoug...
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Lauren lets herself into my bedroom where I'm curled up under the covers, almost hiding from the real world after the long week back at school early Sunday afternoon.
I've been trying to read the newest book from one of my favorite authors, but it hasn't been going well, my mind is too distracted. My phone has been pretty silent since Jamie left on Wednesday.
"So," she murmurs, fiddling with her nails. "Where's Jamie been this week?"
Yeah, I thought this was going to happen.
"Oh, he's just been a little busy with classes."
"It's the first week, he can't be that busy."
"Lo," I sigh, rubbing my hands over my face.
"Are you guys fighting?"
Knowing I can't get much past her, I concede. "I don't know."
"So, he's ghosting you?"
I shrug.
"What happened?"
"He got mad on Wednesday because I got partnered up with Spencer Bowers."
"Bowers? Why is that name familiar?"
"We kinda run in the same circle, but we've never met."
"Wait! Isn't that the guy whose dad represents Jamie's dad?"
"Apparently. For the firm."
"I didn't know he went here."
"Neither did I. I didn't realize I was sitting next to him in class that day. We got randomly paired together for a semester-long project and then Jamie told me he doesn't want me to work with Spencer."
"You can't control who you get paired with."
"That's what I said. Then he got mad and he left," I partially lie to her. I might trust Lauren with a lot of things, but I'm not going to tell her about how he initiated sex to try and make the tension between us better.
"Are you okay?"
"I just don't like when he acts like this. I don't know how to fix things."
"He started this, there isn't anything you need to fix."
"He doesn't see it that way though."
"Well, that's his problem, Mel-Mel. You haven't done anything wrong."
I shrug with a small sigh, burrowing further into my bed.
"Come on, why don't we go do some shopping or something, get your mind off of this?"
"I uh, I have to meet Spencer in a little while to start work on our project."
My best friend claps her hands together and lets out a giddy laugh. "Ooh, secret meet up, you've been reading that book I gave you."
