Nodus Tollens

LXVI.

"Juliet, pay attention to me," Jade whined, flopping down on my bed.

"I'm paying attention," I lied, my eyes glued to my computer screen. "You said something something something James something something something."

"You suck," she declared. "Like honest to God suck."

"Oh, no! Jade thinks I suck? However, shall I go on?" I smiled, shifting around so I laid a bit more comfortably against my pillows.

"What are you even doing that's so much more important than hearing about my date with James?" She asked, sitting up so she could peer properly at my screen.

"Jade, I could compile a list that consists of ten million things that are more important than your sexscapades with James."

"Don't be a bitch," she perked up. "Are you fine-tuning your takedown of Mouse?"

"Miss K is a H.O.B. requires no more planning," I informed her. "All I need is a sign and I'll get things moving."

"A sign? What are you waiting for exactly? God to send singing angels down from up above?" She asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Possibly," I smirked. "I told you not to worry about that so don't worry about it."

"Ugh, whatever. So then what are you doing," she adjusted my laptop so it was slightly facing her and the curious look on her face was replaced with one of confusion. "You're...book shopping? Jules, are you feeling alright?"

I slapped her hand away when she went to feel my forehead and continued scrolling through the endless selections.

"I'm fine. I'm looking for Arsen's birthday present."

"You already bought Arsen a present," Jade pointed out. "Several to be exact. I remember because you dragged me to the mall at ten am on a Saturday to purchase basically the entire. Thanks for that by the way."

"I want to get him just one more thing," I said ignoring that last bit. "Something to really top it all off."

"Doesn't he hate it when you buy him presents?"

"It's his birthday! It's the one day where it's actually appropriate to shower him with gifts. I'm well within my right to use it to my advantage," I reasoned although, I knew perfectly well Arsen was going to be more than a little bit difficult when the time came to give him his presents.

"What book are you getting him?"

"Well, he loves this author, Emily Dickinson-"

"Emily Dickinson?" Additri squealed, skipping into my room with an armful of snacks. Oh, she's an icon! Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops at all..."

She trailed off, probably because of the utterly perplexed looks on Jade and I's faces, and sighed shaking her head looking a little troubled.

"My best friends are illiterates," she dropped the snacks on the bed. "You guys, that's, like, her most famous poem and arguably one of the greatest poems in the English language."

"Well, it's no Cat in the Hat," Jade shrugged. I giggled as Additri clicked her tongue.

"Being stupid isn't cute, Jade," she hopped on the bed, jostling me a bit. "Why are you talking about my queen Miss Dickinson?"

"I am looking for a first edition copy of her book, Poems," I informed her, switching to another website when I realized I was getting nowhere with the one I had spent a good thirty minutes on.