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“Of course, I will!” she says, and the two hug.
Michelle orders another drink, and I struggle to find a new subject and get the conversation going before they ask for updates on me.
“So, aside from Kathy, who’s dating?” I say, slamming my fist lightly on the tabletop.
Michelle is the first to raise her hand. “His name is Brian and he’s a loser,” she says, and I let out a loud laugh. She continues, “but I might marry him just because of the sex.”
Jane dismisses my question with a wave. “I’m too busy to date right now.”
“And what about that kid at Dancing Tony’s?” I say, a hand on my waist.
“That wasn’t dating, that wasfun,” she says, looking at me from the corner of her eye.
“And you, Joyce? Are you dating someone?” Emily asks, leaning forward with interest.
I had planned on lying if things got to this point, but I forgot that Jane knew about my secret boyfriend.
“Oh, she’s been seeing some mystery man, alright!” Jane says, tapping my back. “Refuses to say anything about him!”
“Come on, Jane. It’s not like that!” I say, sipping my drink. It’s warm and watery, the ice already gone. “I was getting ready to tell, but…”
“But what?” Emily demands.
“I need to tell Jane first.” The girls blink around me with blank stares and I continue, “I mean, I need to tell her alone.”
“Okay!” Jane grabs her purse with one hand and me with the other. “Bathroom, now!”
Leaving the sound of the other girls’ laughter behind, we head for the ladies’ room, Jane dragging me behind her. There is a lounge area inside, so Jane sits me down on the couch and takes me by both shoulders.
“You have a secret just for me?” she says, ecstatic.
“U-huh,” now I’m terrified. I’m definitely going to deflate her balloon in just a second. “Jane… The guy I’m dating, he is…”
“Quit stalling, Joyce!” she cries out, shaking me gently.
“He’s someone you know!”
Her face lights up, and her smile is crushing my heart, because I know it’s about to disappear.
“From where?” she asks, and I can tell she is loving every minute of the guessing game. “From college? The Villas?”
I just shake my head, and keeping my eyes down, I say softly under my breath, “From your family, Jane.”
“Family?” She’s taken aback by my reply, her index finger on her chin and her eyes fluttering wildly around. “But you only know Logan and Anna— Ooh! My cousin Mark was in town recently!”
I bury my face within my hands. “I don’t know who Mark is, Jane,” I say, in a heavy voice.
I see realization hit Jane’s narrowed eyes. After taking a deep breath, she says to me in ultimate scorn, “Since when?”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath of my own, “It started at the ball. I… I got a serious crush on Logan since the day of my interview, and he was so dashing, and charming! I couldn’t resist.”
Jane crosses her arms and looks me dead in the eye. “You took advantage of my brother.”
“No! Jane, no!” I place my hands in front of my body to defend myself. “It was mutual! He actually insisted more than me on seeing me, but anyway, this is the reason why I’m working at a different place now!”
“You are manipulating my brother, aren’t you?” Now she’s genuinely crying.
“I knew this was a bad idea,” I touch my forehead and sigh.
