Page 70 of Make Me Laugh

“I think I’d like to get to know her too.” West’s smile chases away the cold fear threatening to paralyze me for this out of the ordinary decision I’m making.

Car lights beam down the street, announcing the car’s arrival before it pulls up to the curb outside my house. The neon logo on the dash acts as the Bat Signal for the boy’s getaway car.

“What about you, Hotshot?” I ask, curious to know what West is hoping to get out of all this.

Clumsy footsteps echo down the street, followed by what I can only assume is Kell screaming around a spoonful of ice cream. “Way foh eeee!”

We both turn in his direction and watch Kell nearly eat shit and lose the three cups of ice cream balancing between his hands.

“I hope to have more nights like tonight,” West tells me softly, like it’s a secret.

He caught me staring at him at least ten times throughout the night. This time, it’s me who catches him staring, and he’s much closer than he was before.

West grazes the bottom of my chin with his thumb so delicately, I almost wonder if I imagined it. “And I really look forward to hearing your laugh some more, Joey baby. It’s healing something inside me.”

Kell somehow manages to make it to us without losing anything.

I hadn’t realized West took a step back until the smell of his cologne is no longer wrapping around me like a safe hug.

“Wah-one?” Kell offers, talking around the spoon in his mouth.

I shake my head, unable to trust my voice.

“I was gone for eight minutes and you’ve found ice cream?” Enzo breaks my trance, reminding me to put some more space between myself and West.

“I got something with almonds in it for you,” Kell informs Enzo with a smile.

My ears pop when I swallow down a swell of nerves.

West catches a cup of something chocolate before it hits the ground.

“Nice catch!” Kell exclaims, passing the other ice cream to Enzo before disappearing inside the waiting car. “Bye, Jo! See you tomorrow!” he yells before closing the door.

I give him a stiff wave, doing the same to Enzo when he grumbles something about Kell after saying his goodbye.

“Night, West.” I’m finally able to speak, my voice’s smoothness shocking me. I don’t feel anywhere near as calm as I sound.

“Goodnight, Joey.” West scoops a bite of chocolate ice cream into his mouth, twisting the pink spoon upside down and using his tongue to clean it off before returning it to the cup. “I hope you have sweet dreams.”

West’s sticky lips and sugary tongue are the thoughts that keep me up all night, tossing and turning in bed next to my best friend.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

THE ONE WITH THE IVY LEAGUE

WestParkerComedy: ONE MILLION FOLLOWERS? Insane. You’re all insane. Hope Yale’s ready to celebrate with me this weekend. How hard can an Ivy League party?

Comment reply: It’s been a week and you’re still ignoring us… ARE YOU AND HEX TOGETHER?

WestParkerComedy comment reply: Yes, we’re together rn actually. Hex is drinking a latte with a triple shot, and I’m worried about her heart.

Comment reply: they’re fucking with us

On top of an added show, the club near Yale offered us a furnished apartment only a few blocks from the theater where we can spread out instead of living on top of each other like we’re used to, and I’ll take any excuse to get a bed bigger than an RV bunk.

After a short two-and-a-half-hour drive from Boston to New Haven, where I got what Joey called my first magic M, she tucked into one of the bedrooms, letting us know she’d be ready in time for sound check.

Enzo sets himself up at the dining room table, answering what I assume are emails about more shows, podcasts, and TV appearances. Each of the videos Joey has posted to my account have received over two million views each, some across multiple platforms, and the Hex video she posted yesterday is somewhere close to five million on a single app.