my own car I don’t always have the logistics hammered out. Usually Beck drives me back here Monday night and if he doesn’t have an early morning meeting Tuesday, he’ll spend the night. I’ve always figured out a ride to Jay Beach Thursday night, usually with Taylor though last weekend it was Zora. She said she was going to stay in one of the guest rooms and surf there all weekend since she’d be going to the Brazen party anyway.
Knowing I’m not the only one she’s been lying to soothes the burn a little bit.
Zora’s car pulls up then, and when she sees all of us waiting for her quietly instead of our usual loud greetings, she hesitates, watching us through her open window.
Her eyes move to Taylor behind us. “Did you tell them?”
“Sydney did,” I answer.
“Sydney! What the hell?” Zora’s momentary anger apparently gives her the courage to open the door and stand in front of us, hands on hips. “You guys have been hanging out with Sydney?”
Ellie nudges me with her elbow. “Yeah wait, why were you talking to Syd anyway?”
Lucy brings us back on point. “We’ll talk about Syd in a second. Zora, why haven’t you told us?”
“It’s still new. I just wanted a chance to talk to all of you at once and since you’re with your boyfriends all the time, it’s never just the four of us. I’m not saying that because I’m pissed about it. We still hang a lot and your boyfriends are cool so it’s all good,” she adds. “I’m just saying, it’s like two big things happening here. One, I’m a lesbian. That’s a weird thing to tell you in passing. And two, I have my first relationship, which also deserves an actual conversation. I have no idea what I’m doing and it’s not something I could just be like, oh hey, I know you’re about to head to class but by the way I finally accepted I’m into girls not guys and I think I might be falling for someone too.”
She rushes all this out so fast and all I want to do is give her a hug. So I do. I wrap my arms around her tight and tell her I’m really happy for her. Lucy and Ellie want in on the hug too, and pretty soon it’s a four-way hug and I think I’m actually crying. “I’m so happy for you!” I blubber.
We hear Taylor behind us. “We haven’t even started drinking yet. This is going to be quite the night, isn’t it? Should I leave you ladies with the food and booze and get out of here?”
We all pull away to look at Zora. “Well, I already invited Brie and she’s on her way.”
Coby pulls up then with a car full of his friends. “Guess we’re having a party then?” Ellie asks.
“Finally, I get to be Brie’s girlfriend in public!” Zora exclaims. She turns to me. “I so feel for what you and Beck went through now on a whole new level.”
“Uh, yeah, except you did this to yourself,” I remind her. “And we’re still having a heart to heart about all of it. All four of us without our significant others,” I tell her. It might have taken a full year, but I’m finally at a point where I can make these kinds of demands in my friendships with these girls, even though they’ve been friends much longer. “So don’t think just because we’re partying tonight you get away with not giving us all the details.”
Zora grins. “You really want allllllll the details?”
Ellie puts a hand up. “No, Zora. Not those kinds of details. You’ve always been an over-sharer and you know how uncomfortable it makes Lucy.”
Lucy snorts. “Admit it Ellie, you’re the prude in the group even if you’re also the biggest flirt.”
Ellie glances behind her, and fortunately Taylor isn’t listening as he’s greeting Coby and the guys. Probably trying to keep them away since we’re all still emotional over here.
“And you haven’t gotten out of telling us about Syd either,” Zora reminds me.
“I know,” I agree. “Later.”
“Brunch tomorrow,” Lucy declares. “We arranged to have Fridays off to hang together but we’ve all been off with our significant others instead. Tomorrow we’re doing brunch and talking about all the things.”
I’m down for that. I love these girls. It’s only one more day without Beck, and one more day without practicing the 720. But if I don’t stay up too late maybe I can get a