Not The One

Ch. 5

Never in all my life had I been so relieved to be back home after visiting my dad. I stopped by the door with my small suitcase, one hand in my pocket with the keys and the other holding my phone. I'd seen these pretty blue chucks on somebody's Tumblr and had tunnel vision in my quest to hunt a pair down. So far, all I knew was that they were called 'radio blue'. I needed those shoes like I needed air to breathe. "Back!" I yelled into the house, not sure whether my mom and grandma were even home yet. After being met with silence, I locked the door behind me and made my way to my room, glancing up from my phone every now and then to make sure I didn't walk into the wall.

"Jazzy?" I stood in the doorway in disbelief, not sure how to take in the sight of my best friend sitting crossed-legged on my bed, a cookie sheet with cookies that spelled 'sorry'. Wordlessly, I sat next to her but we both reached out for each other at the same time, thinking the same thoughts. "Your mom let me in before they left. Please don't be mad at me," she spoke into my hair. I pulled back from her hug and ate a cookie.

"I don't know, if fights mean you bring food to make up, then you can stay mad at me as long as you want!" This earned me a punch in the shoulder and I laughed before turning serious. "So you wanna tell me what they hell is going on with you and Matthew?" I crossed my arms and Jazzy sighed and looked down at her painted toes. "Me and Matthew are taking a break..." she began, and I narrowed my eyes confused, trying not to scoff. "You found it hard to tell me that you're breaking up with your boyfriend," I scoffed anyway, but held back some of my snark because I knew there had to be more.

"And..." I gently prompted. She looked up at me and took my hands and squeezed them gently. "No, we didn't break up exactly, but...promise me you won't judge?" She gave me a stern look but I laughed.

"Have you even met me?"

"Georgia!"

"Kay, okay, judge-free zone, I swear." I made an exaggerated motion of crossing my chest with my finger. Not even the crack of a smile on her lips. "So me and Matthew...we..." Jazzy tossed her hands around as if it would suffice for actual words and I rolled my eyes. "Seriously Jazzy? I know you're not a virgin. We all know you're not virgin," I reminded her, referring to our friends. "I," I continued, slightly incredulous, "am pretty much the only one at that party." I laughed in spite of myself. "But let me tell you, it's a damn good party, y'all are missing out."

When tears started streaming from her eyes, slowly then all at once, I knew my jokes had to stop. Realization dawned on me. "Oh my God Jazzy! Are you pregnant?" I leaped off the bed ready to fight Matthew, even if he wasn't the only one to blame. "No Georgia, I'm not pregnant." She sniffed and wiped her eyes dry, trying to smile. I didn't sit back down though.

"I do have chlamydia," Jazzy finished lamely. "Well, did." This time I did manage to sit down. On the floor. "No that man-child did not..." I stared at the cover that hung off my bed nearly touching the floor. "Wait till I see him at school," I shouted, but in my haste to find my phone, Jazzy cut through my impending yell fest. "Georgia no! Please let me get through this...and you wonder why I didn't tell you," her voice cracked on the last word and I climbed back on the bed to embrace her. I vowed to shut up, but Matthew was still on my hit list and guilty until proven innocent, if he even got that far. "I got tested, 'cause it hurt to pee, and I told Matthew to get tested with me 'cause I thought...I was thinking maybe..." I nodded to show her I understood.

She took a huge breath and continued. "Anyway, we got our results back and he was clean. And I... wasn't...and now he thinks...I cheated on him but I didn't and he doesn't believe me!" The last part was swallowed and drowned in a sea of tears, but I understood every word. I patted her head to soothe her and caught sight of my phone. Reaching for it, Jazzy grabbed my hand and shook her head.