Bad Boys Don't Date Good Girls

Stop Drowning In Your Tissues

Natasha and I knock on Zahra's front door. It's a good thing Zoey is at volleyball practice. I would hate to see the beast in her natural habitat.

"Are you sure you don't need us?" Chris yells from the car. Logan thumps Chris and tells him to shut up. Chris pulls out a pack of cigarettes. "You want one bro?"

Logan reaches for it but stops when I clear my throat. "Nah I'm good," he says it loud enough for me to hear.

"Cigarettes are very bad for you. They cause lung cancer and many other illnesses." He says it like he's reading from a book. No emotion and very monotonous.

I nod in approval and turn my back. I turn around and catch him trying to sneak the cigarette anyway.

"Shit," he mutters. He grabs the pack from Chris and tosses it out the window. "Happy now?"

I give him a thumbs up at the same time Zahra's mom comes to the door.
"She's upstairs girls. Good luck trying to get her out of her room."

"Thank you Mrs. Lambrio," I say. We walk into the huge home. The ceilings are high with mini crystal chandeliers handing from it. It's bright from the natural lighting. The deep maroon staircase contrasts against the pearly white walls and floor. We climb the stairs and head down the hall to Zahra's room. She hasn't been to school in days.

I knock three times on the door before I try to open it. It's locked.

"Go away," her muffled voice says.

"Hey Z, it's Bella and Natasha," I say.

"Go away," she repeats.

Natasha digs in her hair and pulls out a bobby pin. I stare at her in shock and she shrugs. "I have no shame."

She picks the lock in under ten seconds and then swings the door open. It's dark because the shades are drawn. Zahra is laying under a pile of blankets. No. Those aren't blankets. Those are tissues.

"What the hell?" Natasha exclaims. I swat her arm and shake my head fiercely. She opens the shades.

"Hey Z," I coo. "How ya doin?"

She wipes her nose and squints against the light. "How do you think?"

"What did you say? I couldn't hear you from under all of those damn tissues," Natasha laughs.

Zahra chuckles and sits up. There are dark circles under her eyes and her hair is limp and lifeless. "If you think this is a lot then don't look under my bed."

I push a pile of tissues off the bed and sit down by her feet. "You have to get out of this room hun."

"Tell me it was all a dream," she rips a tissue into multiple pieces. "Tell me he didn't cheat."

"I would be lying. And I can't lie to you."

Fresh tears spill over and run down her cheeks. She doesn't wipe them. She leaves them there until they dry up into little streaks of salt.

"You don't need him Zahra," Natasha chimes in. "He has to live with himself. He has to wake up every day knowing he lost the best thing that ever happened to him."

"Yeah!" I agree. "He lost! You won."

She looks from me to Natasha. "I did?"

"Um? Fuck yes! You're no longer in a relationship with cheater. You will be someone else's everything. And it'll crush him. You won girl!"

"And," Natasha adds, "you're nominated for Fall Formal Queen. With Dylan as the King."

"I told you I'm not going," she sinks back into her tissues.

"Oh you are. Wanna know why?"

She glares at Natasha. "I'm not. But why?"

Natasha puts her hands on her hips and declares, "because you're gonna walk up on that stage, claim that crown and expose him in front of the whole school."

"If you win," I say. "Logan and I are pretty cute."

Zahra throws an empty tissue box at me and we all laugh.

"So stop drowning in your tissues and let's go pick out a sexy dress," Natasha concludes.

"But I have no date," Zahra whines.

We sit for a moment thinking.

"Your brother!" I snap my fingers and stare at Natasha.

"Nicholas? He's in college," she waves me off.

"What better way to piss Dylan off? A college boy! He's hot. Call him."

"Slow your roll!" Zahra stands up. "How hot?"

I smile really big, "Greek God hot."

"Call him. Call him now."

I laugh at Zahra's enthusiasm and hug her tight. "That a girl."

"But will he be okay with this plan?" She asks, worried.

Natasha pulls out her phone. "When he sees you? Yes. And he owes me for that time I helped his friend..."

We stare at her expectingly.

"Should I tell you the PG-13 version or the R-rated version?" She cocks her head.

"Anyways!" I yell. "I'm so proud of you Z. We're slaying this formal."

"As long as I get the Greek God I'll be fine."

I laugh, "We need to get you a dress ASAP."

And I need to get prepared for whatever it is Zoey has up her sleeve. I might be occupied with helping Zahra but I am definitely on guard.