The Cutting Edge

Thai Food and Boy Talk.

The doorbell trilled in that special peppy tune only Bethany seemed able to draw out of it. And as Paige walked over to open the door, she wondered why it seemed to sound one hundred percent more cheerful when Beth ringed it. Maybe it was all in her head.

"Paige, darling, it's so good to see you!" Bethany gushed as she swept into the house, continuing to talk as she headed straight for the kitchen. "Oh my dear girl, you've had me so worried these past couple days. You really shouldn't vex me so."

Paige rolled her eyes and followed her into the kitchen, hopping up onto a bar stool and resting her chin in her hand as she watched Bethany unload enough Thai food to feed a football team.

"I mean, really, it's practically a breach in protocol to go four days without contacting me."

"Come on Beth, you know me."

She snapped a pair of chopsticks down onto the counter and looked up, her large doe eyes full of authority. "I do! That's why I rushed over, we just can't have you sulking about, it's not good for your health."

Paige idly twisted the barstool back and forth as she replied. "Honestly, Beth, I've been fine."

Beth tossed her thick black curls and scoffed. "Well you know me, and Bethany Hopkins does not settle for 'fine'." Her thick bow shaped lips split into one of her dazzling smiles, and she held up a pair of chopsticks. "Before this evening is done, you will be fabulous!"

Paige took the offered chopsticks and slid off the barstool. "As fabulous as you?"

Bethany's honey coated laugh echoed through the house as she scooped up several of the take out boxes. "I'm not a miracle worker. Come on! Romantic comdey marathon!"

Paige gathered the rest of the Thai boxes and followed her into the living room. Setting the food down on the coffee table, she nudged her friend's hip. "Scoot your curvy booty over."

Bethany obliged, scooting over slightly to make room for Paige. "Girl, you need to stop with the body image! We've talked about this."

Paige sighed. "Well you can talk, you've got amazing curves." She'd always envied Bethany's full figure, society nowadays would call her too curvy, but Paige loved it, and Beth had long since embraced her hips and chest and rocked her curves.

"Paige, you may not have my amazing curves,"

"Or any curves." Paige mumbled.

"Oh hush! Remember what we say?"

Paige spoke in unison with Bethany as she quoted her motto. "Beauty is more than just what I look like."

Bethany smiled brightly. "Right! And although you might not have curves, you are cute as a button!"

Pagie smiled. "Well thanks. But you know I'm still jealous of you, right?" Although only a quarter African American, Bethany had inherited the full lips, mocha skin and thick natural curls.

Bethany flipped her hair and smirked. "Well of course, I'm fabulous."

They both laughed and Bethany gave Paige a hug. "Now stop thinking about this. Kiera Nightly has no curves either!"

Paige smiled. "True." Then scooping up one of the boxes, she sat back and stirred the contents with her chopsticks. "I'm glad you came over."

Bethany grinned and switched the TV on. "Me too. Now what should we watch?"

Paige shrugged. "I'm not really in the mood for anything."

Bethany opened Netflix and selected "White Collar" then turning the volume down, she turned to Paige and smiled. "Well then we'll play this as background and talk."

Paige swallowed a mouthful of Thai and raised her eyebrows. "Talk about what?"

Bethany let out an exasperated sigh and dug around in her takeout box. "I don't know! Ask me something!"

Paige laughed. "What have you been up to lately?"

Bethany's eyes lit up. "Finally! I've been dying to tell you all about my week! So Charlotte totally messed up the orders and we recieved three times as many crates of vodka then we were supposed to, then she completely forgot to tell me that the cherries went bad, so I have a pile of costumer complaints that I need to sift through, and to top it all off, my mother is coming into town!"

"So, life as a club owner is far more exciting than you originally thought?"

Bethany put a hand to her brow dramatically. "You have no idea." She let out a sigh and then straightened up. "But enough about my drama, what's been up with you?"

Paige suddenly became very interested in her food, her cheeks tinging pink as she stammered. "Me? Nothing...well nothing important, not much going on in my life."

Bethany gasped and poked her friend in the side. "You met a boy!"

Paige's eyes widened. "Did not! And how could you possibly know that?"

Bethany squealed. "You so did! And honey, please! Your cheeks are redder than an irsh girl's sunburn!"

Paige held a hand to her cheek self consciously. "I did not meet a boy!"

Bethany wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Oh, so it's a man then." Then she burst into giggles at Paige's embarrassed face.

"He's a regular at the coffee shop." Paige finally confessed. "He wants to meet there next Friday."

Bethany clapped her hand excitedly. "Oh darling this is just too much! Is he cute?"

Paige's blush deepened. "He's not bad looking..."

"Oh babe this is fantastic! Can I come?"

Paige shook her head vehmently. "No! Are you kidding? I don't know if I'll even survive on my own, but if you were there I would die of embarrassment."

Bethany giggled. "Fine! but you will give me all the delicious details afterwards."

Paige poked sulkily at her dinnner. "Let's change the subject."

Bethany shook her head. "No way! You don't get off that easy! I want to know what he looks like!

Paige shrugged. "He's tall...probably six one or six two, has this kind of...sandy blonde hair, and big brown eyes..." She trailed off, an almost wistful look in her eyes.

Bethany wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at Paige and grinned. "Mmm-mm! He sounds positively delicious!"

Paige rolled her eyes. "I don't even know if I'm going to go yet." She jumped as Bethany smacked her thigh with her chopsticks. "Ow!"

"Girl, if you don't go I will beat your sorry little ass clear into next week!"

Paige rubbed her stinging thigh and shot Bethany a half-hearted glare. "Fine! I'll go."

Her friend clapped her hands. "Yay! And you have to let me help you pick out an outfit! And help with your hair and makeup, I'm thinking we'll go with..."

Paige smiled and tuned her friend out, turning to thought of next week.

She felt excited, but anxiety clawed it's way into her mind and consumed her thoughts with insecurities and doubt.

What if he didn't show? Or worse he did but after getting to know her better, didn't like her?

What if he did? Was she ready for a relationship?

She wasn't sure she would be able to let anyone in...it had been hard enough with Bethany, although she hasn't really had much of a choice, and Bethany wasn't one to give up easily.

Could she be ready to finally open herself up and let someone in?

Was she stable enough to let herself care for someone again?

Or would she fall apart like she always did?

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Hey everyone! Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and be sure to let me know what you thought by voting/commenting!

Thank you for your support! Love you guys *blows kiss*

~Wendy