Less Than Three

Chapter 40: Color My World

"It's not what you think. We were just talking," Madison said. That was right before I hung up on her. I started to call her back to tell her what I really thought, but the look on my mother's face stopped me.

Perhaps I should consult with Craig before I did something stupid, I thought.

I pulled out my own phone. I scrolled down the list of friends, my finger poised to click on his name, and then I remembered ...

I couldn't talk to Craig. Not anymore.

Screw them. Maybe I'd move to Tazmania. I had some experience with devils.

From the blog:

herbestfriend: Cut the crap, Summer. We really WERE just talking. He's got to talk to SOMEBODY and lately you've made it clear that it can't be YOU. Call me.

summer: Call you what? I have a few things in mind but I'm open to suggestions.

herbestfriend: This would be easier if you'd talk to me on the phone ... or in person.

summer: And I exist to make your life easier?

herbestfriend: You know what? I DON'T CARE. Screw the beach. Screw five years of best-friendship and SCREW YOU. Brady was just getting my opinion on whether or not you're really sorry and I was only trying to help. But maybe I should have told him the TRUTH. You're NOT sorry, are you? Not about what you did to him, not about what you did to Dave, not about what you did to ME either. Or Craig.

summer: OK, you got me. I am NOT sorry.

1. I never did ANYTHING to hurt you on purpose. I really WAS trying to set you up with Dave (at first, anyway) but YOU made that impossible because you were still crazy in Love with J-a-a-ay-cob.

2. Craig is the one who crossed the line last night, not me.

3. Dave ... the Dave thing is complicated but that's not all my fault either.

4. And Brady, I tried to play it straight with him. HE wanted us to stay together, even when we both knew it was over. I only gave him what he asked for.

herbestfriend: Summer, STOP!

summer: When I'm good and ready.

murderator: Oooooh, cat fight. Mind if I watch?

summer: shit ... deleting ... deleting

herbestfriend: too late :(  remember that privacy thing i keep telling you about?

summer: Huh?

herbestfriend: Guess who's standing right here?

"Summer ..."

You might think my mom's voice, coming from directly behind me, would have startled me. But no. I guess I was just too angry to care.

summer: Who?

herbestfriend: brady.

summer: I HATE YOU ALL.

12:27 PM If anyone wants me, I'll be hitchhiking to Tazmania.

Okay, so I didn't really hitchhike to Tazmania, which is really spelled Tasmania. Instead, I drank another cup of tea while my mom rubbed my back. I finished packing my bag, leafed through my books, and made some serious (no really, really) progress on planning for my Mom's website. What can I say? It was better than crying myself to death.