The Music of What Happens - Bill Konigsberg Page 0,78
goes by Zay-Rod,” I say.
“Whatever. He’s hot.”
Kayla is off her diet and is eating a chocolate chip cookie from Panera for dinner. “How come you get the hot one and I get the one I’m not interested in?”
Pam shrugs. “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful. And anyway you have Shaun.”
“That’s not gonna happen,” Kayla says, pouting. “He was absolutely, one hundred percent leading me on, which, if you think about it, is ironic because two years ago I would have totally ignored him in the hallway.”
“Which speaks highly of your character,” I add.
“Well, yes. But really we’re talking about the social order here. And speaking of which, I feel like there are gonna be two couples and I’m gonna be stuck with Ron Betts, who is … basic.”
“Basic dude bro,” Pam says, slurping her soda.
“Agreed,” I say. “Is Max?”
Kayla shakes her head. “That boy is quality. You need to keep riding that.”
“I’m not —”
She smiles in a way that tells me she’s somewhat kidding.
“So let me run something by you,” I say.
Neither girl stops chewing in any way that connotes, I’m listening. I go on anyway.
“I’m working on this poem. I’ve been thinking about the connections between people. That Max and I have gone to the same school for all these years and we didn’t even know each other until some crazy coincidence that he happened to walk by the food truck when my mom was melting down.”
Kayla suppressed a smirk. “Did we know that?”
“I think so?”
“Lydia Edwards in Super Fragile House Widows of Chandler.”
A bubble forms in my throat, and I swallow it. “So anyway, a big coincidence leads us to meet, and now, I don’t know if he’s like my forever boyfriend, but he’s important in my life. And maybe you and Zay-Rod? I dunno.”
“I’m not even tryin’ to —” Pam says, but a look in her eyes tells me she’s thought a lot about it since the other night when the six of us got together.
“So connections. How does it all work? Is there a God that does this, or is it all just coincidence? And like the movie Sliding Doors. Did you see that? Gwyneth Paltrow gets on a subway, and in an alternate universe she doesn’t, and her life is drastically altered either way.”
I have so much more to say, and I know this is a stretch. I knew it when I started talking. But that’s probably why I did. Because I feel like with Pam and Kayla, I’m forced to play this character. The GBF. Gay Best Friend. Campy and snarky and all on the surface. And I know that I’m not just that. And neither are they. I’ve known both Pam and Kayla for a long time, and while the moments have been few and far between, they’ve happened. I like them. I want more of them.
“It’s summer,” Kayla finally says.
“Yes …” I respond.
“I don’t do ideas in the summer.”
Pam says, “I’m with K. Save that shit for fall.”
I’m used to trash talk, but for some reason this hits me hard in the chest. Like a sucker punch. I clench my teeth and avert my eyes so I don’t say something I can’t take back later. They don’t seem to notice my reaction. Kayla kind of looks at me for a second and I wonder if she’s going to apologize. But then she doesn’t. At all.
“Let’s do another makeover,” Kayla says. “You’re not as white as usual. Probably because of the food truck and you being outside so much. Plus we need to find you food truck chic.”
Pam says, “Yes. That.”
I stand then, because I’m so not in the mood.
“Pass,” I say.
Kayla laughs. “Pass? You can’t pass.”
“Queer card,” I mumble, but I’m over it.
She says, “Overruled. White girl card.”
And for once in my life, I say no to Kayla.
“Overruled. Human,” I say, barely choking the words out. “Taking an Uber home. Bye.”
I ignore texts from Kayla and Pam as I wait for the Uber. While I wait, I get a crazy idea. I tell the driver to take me to Whole Foods instead of home. I know it’s expensive, but enough is enough. The Go-Gurt episode really bothered me. I need to help Mom eat healthier.
So even though we’re at a money deficit with the truck I buy loads of fruit and vegetables, and stuff like unsweetened almond milk, and boneless, skinless chicken breasts and things I can use to make a marinade, because I’ve been watching Max for the past few weeks