That's What friends are for

Chapter 7

"Don't blame you." Normani sighed. "Not for nothing, but a couple of us told you she was stringing you."

"I'm glad you told me, Normani, but I don't need I told you so right now, okay?"

"That's cool man. I won't bring it up again." She laughed.

"What the hell is so funny?"

"I was just thinking I won't have to say I told you so, and neither will anyone else. Fucking Mila will be telling you that for the next six months. She had that bitch pegged from day one."

"Thanks for giving me that to look forward to," I told her dryly. "Thanks again, Normani. Now go try to have some fun."

"Yeah, I will. You be cool, bro, okay? She's not worth anything stupid and there are plenty of girls who have a thing for you. Hey! Lauren, you should give Ariana a call! She's told you point-blank she wants to fuck around with you."

"Ariana's ... kind of slutty."

"So what? She wants to fuck, then go ahead and do it. Get yourself over this bitch and have some fun. You got her number, call her! You got the house to yourself. Imagine waking up to her in the morning!" She whistled into the phone. "I think she's home tonight, too, so give her a call."

I pictured Ariana with her long red hair, perfect little ass, and perky tits, and recalled her telling me, "Screw Lucy, Lauren. I'm a hell of a lot more fun than that stuck-up bitch."

"You know, maybe I will."

I ended the call without saying goodbye and sat back against the couch. I couldn't believe Lucy had done this to me. I wasn't sold on the idea that she and I would be in it for the long haul, but I hadn't thought I was going to be part of a rotation.

I felt like a fucking loser. She was probably fucking Luis's brains out right now and planning on showing up here tomorrow like nothing had happened.

I briefly considered letting Lucy come by and fucking her anyway. I had been so close to my first time. At this point I would know it didn't mean anything, but it would still be sex.

No, I wouldn't let her laugh at me like that. Normani was right. Ariana had been flirting with me since tenth grade. One phone call and she would be on her way. Again, it would mean nothing. Ariana was a big-time party girl who just liked to screw around. But unlike Lucy, Ariana would point-blank say all she wanted was fun, so it wasn't as if I'd be using her or getting used.

Used. How many times had Mila said that to me just today, never mind over the last six months? She'd been absolutely right. Now I felt even worse. I'd been shitty with her earlier. I rubbed my eyes. To my dismay, I felt tears. I could act mad all I wanted to, but I was hurting. I should have fucking known not to trust Lucy. She was nothing like me or the rest of my friends.

In a way, I had been like my father, thinking with my cock—not my head—and acting like a jerk just to be with her, in the hope of eventually getting some. I'd have gotten some all right. Some of Luis. Some of whoever she had been with last night.

I wiped my eyes again and realized I wasn't hurt as much as I was frustrated. I'd made good on my promise to my mother, and in all honesty I was proud that I had tried to do it the right way by finding someone I could say I loved, someone to make it special with.

For all the good it did me.
I'd made the mistake of waiting for a girl who was only waiting to 'throw me a bone' while sucking everyone else's. Now I was back at square one.The thought of meeting someone, dating them for a while, and seeing if they were the one was out of the question. I was done with that shit. Time to do what Normani and all my other friends had been doing for the last couple of years. Get fucking laid.

I scrolled through my contacts looking for Ariana's number, when I thought about Mila. Even though I was not in the mood to hear her tell me how right she was, I owed her an apology and wanted to get it over with.

Fact was, Mila was usually the first person I called when I was pissed off or upset about anything, and I was the one she always came to when she was in the same boat. I hated to dump stuff on her. But like she always said, that's what friends were for.

She answered on the second ring. "Hey, lover girl, what's up?"

"Listen, Mila, I—"

"You need help cleaning another park tonight to make sure you get your piece tomorrow?"

"Thanks, Mila." I said, "That's not what I needed to hear right now."

"Sorry, did I say that out loud?"

"You say everything out loud," I said softly. "But don't worry; I didn't call to ask you for anything."

"Hey, everything okay?" she asked. "You don't sound good."

"I'm not. I just got some bad news."

"Oh, shit! I'm sorry, Lauren! I feel like a jerk! What happened, are you okay?"

The sincere concern in her voice made me feel even worse. Not just for earlier today, but for doubting that she had been looking out for me all along with Lucy.

"I guess. I mean it's nothing that serious, I guess."

"What is it?"

"Normani called me. She's at a beach party in Jamestown. The same one where Lucy is and ..."

"And what?"

"Mila, you were right. Normani said Lucy was slutting around cock teasing all the guys and that her and Luis went into her uncle's house to fuck around."

"Holy shit! And right in front of her? " "Yeah. She ... she was even telling people she was going to do me tomorrow. She said she figured she would throw me a bone."

"Oh, wow. That's crappy, Lauren. I'm really sorry."

"Are you? You called it all along."

"I ... I guess I'm not sorry in one way because this would have been worse if you found out after you slept with her, but I'm sorry for you."

"I'm sorry too, Mila. I'm sorry I was an ass today, and I ... I've been one since I met her."