Page 66 of False Start

She's just sauntered off when Maya rounds the corner with a clipboard and a walkie talkie.Great.I guess these kids aren't the only ones around here bringing the drama.

"You handled that well," she says. I look for any trace of condescension or smugness in her face and find none. Instead, she looks wistful, almost sad. "I wish one of my teachers had intervened when I was her age. It might have saved me a few thousand dollars in therapy."

I know for a fact that when Maya was in junior high, her crush stood by and watched while the head mean girl and her posse tore into her at a school dance. Even with Tiffany there to have her back, the trauma from that day plagued her all the way to when she met Adam last year. Existing in a larger body can be challenging when facing the world's harsh opinions or narrow-minded beauty standards, but it can be especially brutal togrow upin a bigger body, when you're supposed to becuteandfitandperky.

Maya wasn't fitorperky. Neither was I. We both dealt with that in our own ways: she struggled with insecurity and feelings of unworthiness, and I developed a thick skin and made clothes to not just fit butflattermy body. Regardless of the outcome, that shared experience was one of the reasons Maya and I clicked almost immediately back in college. She became one of my best friends. And now, I don't know what we are…

"Thanks. Boys like Jordan deserve a knee to the balls," I grumble. Maya suppresses a snort.

"Can we talk?" Maya asks tentatively. "After the show, I mean."

It kills me how awkward things are right now. I nod.

"Sure." Maya turns to leave, but I place my hand on her shoulder. "Thanks for showing up to help, by the way. This was way too big to do on my own."

She offers a small smile in response.

"Of course. What are friends for?"

I just nod, not ready to address the loaded comment, and get back to wrangling sixty kids—thirty designers and their "models"—in my first ever student fashion show. I hope it's the first of many.

The door closes after the last stragglers leave, and I collapse against it. Thank God I was smart enough to call out of work tomorrow; I have a feeling I'm gonna sleep until noon.

Tiffany rounds the corner to meet me, broom in hand. Maya's with her, carrying a box with extra programs and the paper plates and napkins used for the refreshments. I clear my throat awkwardly and start towards the back table in the cafeteria to grab my purse. Tiffany holds her hands out plaintively between us.

"Enough!"

I stop in my tracks at the intensity of her voice.

"D, you just put on anamazingshow. I wouldn't be surprised if it were featured in a blog or two based on who I saw in the audience. And you," she turns to Maya, "are one of my most valuable teachers. The students love you and this place wouldn't run without you." She drops both her hands and they slap against her thighs. "Both of youare my best friends and I'm sick of being in the middle of your bullshit. Talk it out!"

With those parting words, she stalks off towards her office, muttering abouthaving to do everythingthe whole way.

"Thank you," I start. Maya lifts an eyebrow in question. "For helping out. You didn't have to, and I know Tiff probably pressured you, but I really needed the help."

Maya scuffs her feet along the faded linoleum tiles.

"Of course. I would do anything for the center. Tiffany knows that."

So she did do it for Tiffany. I shouldn't be surprised, considering I dated her husband's brother in secret, but I honestly didn't realize it wasthatbig of a deal. People hook up all the time.

It hadn't been just hooking up formonths, the annoying voice in my head adds unhelpfully.

"I get it. I fucked up, and I don't blame you for being mad. You'll likely see me around the center now and then, but let's not make it weird, OK? Just because we're not friends anymore, doesn't mean we can't wave when we see each other, or something."

I pull my purse onto my shoulder and start back towards the door. Maya reaches out to grab my elbow.

"Wait! So that's it?" I turn to look at her.What else is there to say?She sighs.

"Tiffany may be the main reason I volunteered to help out today, but she wasn't theonlyreason. What you did wasn't cool—Cory is Adam's brother and, if things didn't work out, that could've made things super awkward. But I understand why you did it. As much shit as I used to give Adam for being a man-ho all those years, I never really saw you doing the relationship thing, either."

I clutch my chest in mock outrage.

"Maya!" I gasp. "Are you calling me aho?" She presses her lips together to keep from smiling and I bark out a laugh. "You're right. I am a bit of a ho. Anything men can do, I can do better, right?"

She considers that, her eyes taking on that same keen edge Dr. Jamison has.

"That's not what it looked like when I walked up that morning. You two seemed…cozy."

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