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“Uh, good?” I say. “You don’t expect me to give details, do you?”
“Jake always gives details about his dates,” Jefferson says.
“Yeah, but Jake is an asshole!”
All three of us laugh, and Jake shrugs shamelessly.
“You know you love me,” Jake pats my face, ignoring my narrowed eyes.
“Well, then expect a punch in the face,” I counter.
“Want me to call a minister to officiate the wedding?” Jefferson asks, adding to the banter.
“Shut up!” Jake and I say in unison.
The food arrives, a large plate that would serve at least four people, so there will be plenty of sushi for the three of us. I start digging in, but Jake places a hand on my shoulder and continues yapping.
“Look at you, man! Staying late after work with the boys, laughing, being happy. This girl is doing you good. I say keep her!” he says, and I cringe.
But the truth is I’m happy that he has come around. It’s nice to have at least one person around that approves of all of this.
Chapter Twenty-One
JOYCE
It’sFridaynight,andinstead of being out and about, I’m sitting in a stuffy classroom with fifty other students, wanting to be anywhere but here.
It’s the last class of the semester and we’re all antsy to leave. We are all taking the final.
Lylah, my closest friend in college since Jane graduated, is silently mouthing the answers she needs, but I beg for her silence and to remain still. I am terrified that Miss Donovan, who has eyes in the back of her head, will see her and fail us on the spot.
“Is there a problem here, Miss Andrews?” Donovan asks, her unpleasant face frowning under her graying hair.
“Not at all, Miss Donovan!” I smile awkwardly. “I’m done!”
I take my sheet of paper and bring it to her desk. Just like she did with all the students before me, she starts correcting my work the moment she gets it.
I watch with apprehension. She shows absolutely no emotion while working, but I’m happy to see that her red pen is leaving more correct ticks than incorrect ones.
At the end, she turns the sheet around, then puts it in her folder.
“You passed, Miss Andrews.” She shows a minuscule smile that disappears in an instant. “Now off you go!”
I let out a few giggles and wave to Lylah that I’ll wait for her outside. I walk out and glue my bum to the bench waiting.
While I was among the first to finish, it takes Lylah a good extra while to get through the test. When I finally see her, it’s more than one hour later. She comes jumping over to me, full of excitement.
“I passed!” she sings, and I hug her, sincerely happy for her accomplishment. “Wanna go out and celebrate?”
“Sorry, I need to pick up my sister before the neighbor falls asleep,” I say. “I’ve been going out too often these days.”
“Nah, your mom is coming home now,” Lylah leans her head on my shoulder as we walk. “You’ll have more free time.”
“You think?” I scoff in disbelief. “I think is going to be the same, if not more, because now we have to cook her a special diet. But I don’t care about that because I’m happy that mom is home, she’s in remission, and she has a chance again!”
“Remission?” She jumps and hugs me at the same time. “That’s incredible! Did you tell Jane?”
I lose my good mood in the same instant, feeling guilty for losing Jane’s friendship again.
