How To Be The Best Third Wheel

Original Edition - Tip 29: Keep the Girls by Your Side

"Lara!" Jasmine shouts when she bursts into my room and sees my lifeless body on the ground.

She crouches and turns my face, probably checking if I'm still alive. Maybe taking a long nap on the ground wasn't the best idea because my chest is sore.

"Am I dead yet?" I ask, no expression in my voice. I stare at her and her facial expressions screams, What the freaking heck?

She looks confused. "What happened to you?"

"Well...I took a very long nap on my bedroom floor and now my chest is hurting like crazy." I get up and sit down, taking a deep breath that fills my lungs that are tired from breathing through sobs...and from lying on that hard floor. "Huh. I'm actually really hungry too."

Worry washes over her face and before she says anything to the likes of "what's wrong?", I laugh and act like the optimist that I am. "Let's get going! Those cookies aren't going to bake themselves!"

She holds me back before I can get out of my room. I try not to look at her as my chest starts to become heavy again, I don't want to cry again. Still, the tears come and she gives me a hug, not saying anything because she probably doesn't even know what to say. Her hug is tight is caring, much like the ones I've given her and my other friends. I'm usually the one who comforts, not the one being comforted. I can't even remember a time where I ever cried in front of my friends. They have in front of me, but I never have.

This is the first time so many people have seen me cry. How embarrassing.

Scratch that, I'm just sweating through my eyes.

"I think we need to have an LKJC meeting." she states, as I sob into her shoulder. How is it possible to get over someone who wasn't even yours to begin with?

***

"So you're telling us that you think you might like James? The guy who literally embarrassed you on the first day of school?" Kiera repeats for the third time.

"The guy who you've hated since...forever?" Jasmine continues.

"Yo, is this some sort of prank? 'Cause Kiera told me about that pregnant-girl-California-thing that you and James pulled on her. I can't believe you didn't include me on that one!" she exclaims, hitting my arm.

I laugh when I go back to that funny day. Daniel was so triggered. "I would've included you, but you were too busy with Mark." I scoff.

She shrugs in agreement. "True. But I think we got out of that lovey-dovey-at-all-times phase now, so we won't be acting like that 24/7."

"Thank goodness." I sigh.

"Off topic!" Kiera shrieks. "So what's this about you liking James?"

I dramatically fall onto the bed. "I don't know. He's just...always there. Lately, I've been getting butterflies around him and...I feel really bad when I see him with other girls." I purposely don't mention my past crush on him because I don't want to shock the girls too much.

"I knew she was going to like someone at some point." Jasmine scoffs. "Logan was so right."

We all stare at her, dumbfounded.

"What? What was Logan ever right about? He thought Brazil was in Europe!" Kiera shouts, emphasizing that Logan really isn't the brightest. His kindness makes up for it though.

I roll my eyes. "So what do I do?" Honestly, I'm in a crisis right now because I don't know what is happening! I'm supposed to be bitter and single! Frankly, I kind of like being bitter and single! Now, I'm just single and I feel like someone just stepped on me and crushed my head onto the cement with their foot!"