The New Dudez

Chapter 19

“SB is done!” I shouted.

Cole chuckled. “You know, it’s kind of hot when you shout like that.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t you have a job to get back to?”

“Speaking of jobs, when do you get off?” Well, that was kind of a subject changer. I mean, it went from him to me.

“I clock off at six. Why?”

“Cause… The interview for the guys and I kind of has to do with you girls too. I mean, it’s not just about you. But management said they’d like to have you there with us.” He sounded a bit flustered with his words. Did he think I would be mad about it or something? I don’t even know what to think about it.

“Okay… But do you want me there?” Here's the real testing question.

He rubbed the back of neck with his hand, answering hesitantly, “I… I don’t know. I guess only if you want to be there.” So he doesn’t want me to be there. That kind of hurts. My heart broke a bit.

“I don’t care. If you want me to be there, I’ll be there because you know I care about you. I’d do anything.” What is this girly nonsense coming out of my mouth? I’m talking more about the last few words. Honestly, I do care about him. But obviously more in of a friend kind of way.

He nodded. “Yeah, I know. It’s just… the other night.”

I shook my head. “Cole, it’s in the past. Dalton and I have been friends for a while. We’ve been through things together that you wouldn’t understand. He just wrote the song about me in a friend kind of way.”

“Friends say they love each other? And that they made one another learn how to love again?” Cole snapped.

I nodded slowly. “Yes, friends can say they love each other. It’s not a big deal. Now, do you want me to go to the interview or not? I have no other plans for tonight so it wouldn’t conflict.” My voice was a little edgy. This is one of things I don’t like about Cole.

He sighed. “Yeah, all the other girls will be there. The interview is at seven.” Cole checked his phone then said, “I better go. Thanks for the SB.”

I sighed as well. “Alright. I’ll see you then.”

Did we just have our first real fight? Over something that isn’t a huge deal? At least it’s not a big deal to me. I’m just going to go with he’s jealous about Dalton and I’s relationship. I’m not bragging about it or anything, but it is kind of special. We’ve helped one another out in situations some can’t understand. They’d just say, “So what? Get over it.” It’s not as easy as that. It’s kind of a mental illness and it’s hard to pull away. It really is. If the other person who is trying to help doesn’t understand it then they won’t know how to help. But Dalton did.

Not saying I don’t go to the dark place once and a while, sometimes it just can’t be helped. And like that one night with Dalton, it wasn’t that he wanted to do it, his mind just convinced him he needed to do it. But he’s better now. We still hang out as if nothing happened. We’re best friends; it’s what we do.

What I do think is a big deal is Cole still hasn’t opened his gifts. The gifts I spent an hour at the mall shopping for and I had to go into Ralph Lauren for. The black bag is sitting in my room; waiting to be opened. He will open them, and tonight. I’m not sounding like a psychopath, am I? If I am, feel free to shoot me because I, myself, feel like I am losing my mind.

***

I headed into the back room to take a small break. Where is Tea? At that thought, I heard some crying come from the employee’s only bathroom; the door was ajar.