Side Swiped

Chapter 8: Make it Clap

     The afternoon I spent with Autumn and Chloe went well. We had to give her a few slaps to on the head before she snapped back into reality. After she thought about her behavior for a few minutes she went from being unusually fidgety, back to being her normal care free self. She had forgotten about whatever was bothering her about last night, and it was relieving for me to see her smiling again because I just wasn’t used to a melancholy Autumn.

     She was sad as if she was pregnant or something. If she was I guess if wouldn’t be the end of the world. Of course I wouldn’t want to share her with a living breath time-pocket-tornado, but I’m sure that the baby and I could work out a deal. Maybe it could have her from 9-5 on the weekdays and I could have her for the rest of the time.

     There are worse things than being pregnant. Like it she was pregnant by someone like... I don't know...my father or something outrageous like that. I chuckle to myself when I think of the absurdity of that scenario.

     Anyway, back on subject, we had a good time flirting and joking around with the nerdy waiter at the restaurant who had quite a bit of potential to be cute. He was nervous at first, but by the end of our time there he had gotten so comfortable that he was literally sitting with us, eating our bread and joining in as we threw little pieces of paper at each other.  He was having a great time with us until his boss walked by, which was his queue to get back to work.

     After eating we went to this great paintball place that was well known in the city. Three hours later we were exhausted, covered in paint and in desperate need of long showers, as we all had paint in places that paint should never be. Excuse me for being so graphic, but if my next period is the color of the rainbow, I will know exactly why.

     It was genuinely a great time, as was every other time I spend with my friends. I must admit though, my mood was hampered a bit because I still hadn’t told them the truth about Jason and I. We were the kind of friends to each other that if someone crossed one of us they crossed all of us. I was oddly afraid for Lyndsey. She wouldn’t be the same if they had a nuclear reaction. So when the laughing had died down, I mustered up enough courage to tell them.

     “So…I have something I need to tell you guys,” I say as we get into Autumn’s car to head back home.

     They look at me, with anticipation in their eyes, waiting for me to continue.

     “So you all remember Jason, right?” I ask and they nod their heads.

     “Of course I do,” Autumn beams. “He’s the hunk of gorgeousness that was eye raping you at Ryan’s party.”

     “Huh?” I ask bewildered. Him, eye raping me?

     “On my way to the restroom after Luke…Ugh. You all know what he did…” she says rolling her eyes, “Stupid idiot. Anyway, I saw him watching the bar from across the room. I didn’t know who or what he was looking at, but then on my way back out the door I saw him talking to you. I was like ‘Score for Mackenzie’s Team Down Low’” she says and we all laugh.

    “Well that information is…interesting,” I say thoughtfully.

     How long was he watching me?

     “Anyway,” I continue. “What you didn’t see was Nate talking to me after you left, but Lyndsey definitely saw it and I guess she’s under the impression that he wants me, which is absurd. Now she’s making me flirt and date Jason so that Nate will quote ‘forget about me’,” I say making air quotes. I continue to recall the events of that night and this morning to them, with Chloe adding in details on that parts that I missed when I was passed out. By the time we finished telling them the story their jaws were basically on the floor.