Let Me Save You

Like Friends Do

"Like this?" She sighs, her breath heavy, her lips pulled into a sly grin, then parted. Then up down, up down. I wince.
"Mhmm."
Whatever this was with Phoebe. It needed to stop. I mean sure I needed to blow some steam and Pope wasn't exactly available... Or gay. But it was unfair to waste her time. Though to be fair, if anything, she's been wasting mine. It's not like she was bad with blowjobs. I think she's just scared of slicing JJ Junior (I know, triple J😬) with her braces. To be honest I am too. That's why I don't clutch her hair anymore, I just run a hand through mine and let her find her rhythm.
But before JJJ can give his score, she's up, at my face. Her mouth reeking of me and my Axe perfume, slobbering over my neck. I twist away as her lips, trying to meld with mine, and she notices this, because then they fail, then purse again. Perhaps in contemplation. I watched the way her eyes flickered as they drank me in, my repugnance, if she could even see that. I couldn't care less if she could, I really just want it over. But like, how do I do that though? Am I just like "hey you're really great and all but I'm not really into blowjobs in the girls toilet anymore cuz I'm kinda sorta pretty much in love with my best-friend, no homo- You can't tell him though, cuz he's kinda sorta pretty much into my other best-friend."
But then the girls bathroom door opens, swinging, smashing into the wall and announcing someone's presence. Someone brazen. Someone nonchalant, uncaring. Someone with a heavy air of importance that sinks our tension to the floor.
Phoebe's hands fly all over, for her headscarf, her bra (what? A little foreplay never hurt anyone), and mine scouring for my trousers, my vest top- And then she's flying out the stall, eyes stone cold against the floor. As the stall door flies back into my face I hear her footsteps pit patter out the door, bashful and unnerved, and then I hear it:
"Hey Kie."
Shit.
Of course it is.
I flush the toilet and scuttle out to find her eyes, bewildered and glassy with a subdued mocking laughter.
"Why am I-?"
"Not surprised? Save it. You're just mad I'm macking on someone and you're still in... Whatever-you-are with John B."
The door slams behind her.
"OhmyGodshutthefuckup!!!" She shrills coming up to me, the venom of her voice nearly omnipotent, she sighs, "this is why I don't tell you anything."
"You didn't have to tell me," I grin, watching through her feigned stoicalness the crimson of her boil lava red. I draw my voice to a whisper, my face right up to hers in a scorning leer, "I know your heart better than you do, love."
She shoves me, an intense I-hate-you shove that I don't take personally cuz I'm being mean but also mostly cuz this means she knows I'm right.
"Whatever. He'll never see it. It's like he doesn't want to."
It's true. Everyone's been telling John B about Kie's crush on him since the 8th Grade and he still remains dubious, "no way she's into me, it's Kie," like, yeah man, it's Kie and she's fucking in love with you. You've gotta love John B but he's really really reeeeeeaaaally dense.
"Well maybe it's time to move on. I know a guy who'd make the perfect boyfriend. He's smart, like neek smart, he's handsome-ish, he's probably good in bed, probably doesn't have any kinks or anything-"
She slices in, shattering my rhythm. "I'm not going out with Pope, JJ."
"Why not? And don't say-"
"He's Pope!"
"You're literally pulling a John B right now. Maybe it's all karmaic or whatever..." — she cuts in again with a "karmaic?" but I tread on — "...and if you like give Pope a chance maybe your luck with John B will turn around."
"You don't really believe that?"
"No," I reply plainly, "but you could at least make him jealous."
She contemplates this for a second, but I never learn what she makes of it because then Mrs Turner swoops in.
"Kie you've been in here for-" and then she drinks in the sly of my grin, "get out."
"But i didn't even get t-"
"Now."
I'm out, ducking out into the hall, away from Mrs Turner, away from Kie, away from John B and Phoebe and Pope and all the crap that comes crashing down on me all the damn time. You're probably wondering why I'm setting up Kie with Pope if I'm so into him. Right? He's my friend. He's my best friend. And I love him, platonic or not, I love him. And there's nothing I wouldn't do for him. That's what friends do. I know he's crazy about Kie, just like how I know Kie's crazy about John B, and John B's too stupid to be crazy about anyone, and me...? Who cares about me man, I'm just here for a good time. I'm not like the rest of those losers. I'm better with secrets. In the group there's always got to be the one that's good with secrets.