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“What’s that?” asked Jessica.
Elizabeth looked at Jessica with a serious look in her eyes. “I just noticed you have yet to say a swear word. I know it’s shallow, but I have never known anyone to talk that clean. Well, except my mom.”
Jessica laughed at her new friend. “Yeah, well, get used to it. I am that girl.”
“Alright, Jessica, tell me something. Swear words aside, what was up with you and Jacob? How serious were you?”
Jessica looked at her, then turned her head to look over the water with a thoughtful expression.
“Well, if you must know, he is really an amazing guy. We had a lot of fun together. Deep conversations; that kind of thing. There was a time I thought he was the one. Even though we only dated eight months, it was an amazing eight months.”
At this, Jessica looked at Elizabeth with a huge grin. “You might think I’m an innocent girl, but trust me when I say, that I am not that innocent. I can tell you all you may ever want to know about that man. And yes, there is a lot to know. If you understand where I am going.” Jessica made a sign with her hands. Her hands were together then drew far apart.
“Oh, my God! Jessica!” The two girls fell into each other laughing hysterically. Eventually Jessica caught her breath and continued.
“Seriously though, Jacob and I had a good relationship until that one evening when we had a stupid argument. Kristen tends to be a… well you know, a…”
Elizabeth finished her friend’s sentence. “A bitch!”
Jessica grinned and rolled her eyes. “Exactly! I’m glad things happened the way they did. I really am over Jacob. I realized that we get along better as friends than we ever did as a couple.” Jessica took a short pause, then looked at Elizabeth and bumped her shoulder. “Why are you asking? Is it that someone might be interested?”
Elizabeth looked at her and raised her eyebrows. “Well, let’s just say he’s easy to notice, and having him as a neighbor isn’t a bad thing. Is it okay if I am interested? It wouldn’t be awkward, would it?”
Jessica put her arm around her new friend. “No! Of course not. Do me a favor, though, and keep an eye out for Kristen. She can really be… you know… That B word with a capital B!”
“Thanks for the warning. I’ll keep it in mind. Come on. I’ve got to get going.”
The girls walked back to the boutique arm in arm to get their cars and head home.
The week flew by as Elizabeth got back into the groove of being home. Most of her days were spent going through the boxes she brought home from her dorm room, purging her room of all the unnecessary memories, and putting mementos she felt it was important to keep into one container for storage.
Elizabeth finally made it to the last box, her ongoing chores almost complete. She reached in and pulled out a couple of empty liquor bottles and a corsage, from the first formal she and Trina attended.
Elizabeth smiled at the memory of Trina and her getting ready for that formal.
Elizabeth attended with Brady, and Trina with Trent. That was the first official date the girls had with the guys. The liquor bottles were a reminder of how special the girls felt. Hot guys were interested in them; very interested. They drank and danced well into the early morning. Elizabeth ended the night in Brady’s bed, and Trina with Trent.
Thinking back now, Elizabeth felt very different. Did Brady ever really like her? Would she consider any of them friends now? She’s been home for a couple of weeks and hasn’t even thought about any of them much at all.
Thinking back on these memories made her uneasy. God, she acted awful in college. What was she thinking? Elizabeth couldn’t help but dislike the person she was just a few short weeks ago. Her behavior upset her. Why couldn’t she be more like Jessica, less like herself?
“You’re fine, Elizabeth. You’re better than all that now. Move on.” Elizabeth looked in the box she almost had empty, and put the liquor bottles, corsage, and the rest of the contents directly into the trash bag. These were definitely objects to purge from her life.
Work thankfully kept her busy when she wasn’t at home, and she and Jessica had become fast friends, like they had known each other forever. There was something about being home and getting into a new schedule that was fun, exhilarating, and exhausting all at the same time. Elizabeth needed this change of routine.
Another fun routine was the fact that whenever Elizabeth went to her car, the mailbox, or came home, she couldn’t help but glance next door. She realized, rather quickly, that she wanted to catch a glimpse of Jacob. She hadn’t seen him all week, and she missed looking at that sexy body and seeing that amazing smile.
It was Saturday night before she saw him again. She and Jessica were working when Jessica noticed him through the window, walking across the parking lot toward the entrance of the boutique. She nudged Elizabeth and nodded in the direction of the door.
Elizabeth looked up as he walked in. Their eyes locked on each other immediately. Elizabeth felt a smile creep over her face, and her insides warm, as he walked toward the girls.
“Hey, y’all.” He flashed them that perfect, toothy grin of his, and ran his fingers through his hair.
“Hi, Jacob. I need to get to the back and look up some stock. Umm, see you later.” Jessica wiggled her eyebrows at her friend as she walked away.
“Bye, Jessica.” Jacob laughed as he watched his ex-girlfriend walk away. “Well, I guess she’s busy.”
“I guess,” Elizabeth answered looking confused yet amused at her friend’s retreating back. “So, what brings you in here?”
