Page 109 of June

Caroline got up and hurried out of the room, leaving the door open like always. Then, she walked down the hall and knocked loudly on Jodie’s door, which was closed.

“Yeah?”

Caroline heard Jodie’s voice, so she opened the door and walked in, closing it quickly behind her.

“I just saw you. What’s up?”

“Ask her out.”

“What?” Jodie asked as she sat up in her bed.

The desks in Jodie’s room were at the ends of the bed, and they didn’t have a TV, but their mini fridge was at the endof Jodie’s desk. Caroline walked farther into the room and sat down in Jodie’s desk chair, wheeling it over closer to her friend.

“Ask Viv out.”

“What are you talking about, Care? She likesyou.”

“No, she doesn’t,” Caroline replied. “She likesyou.”

“You’re crazy. You’re the one who said she was acting weird after she walked in on you and Enidandafter I told her about–”

“You and me? Yeah. I think we both got it wrong.”

Jodie stared at her in confusion.

“Viv was mad atmebecause I’d had sex withyou.”

“I know that. That’s what I–”

“No, because I was withyou, Jodie. That’s the expression I was reading on her face that I couldn’t explain. She didn’t really care about Enid. She just didn’t want to touch her underwear.”

“Viv touched Enid’s underwear?”

“No.” Caroline laughed. “I’m telling you, it wasn’t that I was with Enid. She was mad that I’d been withyou.You told her about that, like, the day before that. What were you two talking about?”

“I told you. Our first times and stuff.”

“Andwhywere you talking about that?”

“I don’t know. We were just talking, and the fact that we were both single came up. She said something about not being a virgin or anything, and we started talking about that. She asked me about you, and like I said, I didn’t want to lie to her. I really like her.” Jodie paused as she looked down at her hands in her lap. “So, I told her what happened, but that it was just two horny people who like each other as friends but don’t actually want a relationship with one another.”

“She glared at me, Jodie,” Caroline said with a laugh. “I just thought it was because of Enid. I don’t want to hurt Viv, so I–”

“You actually think she likes me?” Jodie asked.

Caroline smiled and said, “You two were so cute in the store earlier. You bought Viv her favorite candy.”

“Yeah, but that’s not a big deal.”

“She bought you that drink you like.Ididn’t even know you liked that drink.”

“It’s just juice. Viv and I hung out once, and she saw it in my fridge.”

“She saw itonce,and she cared enough to remember? Jodie, that says something. Ask her out.”

“But what if she says no? It’ll be awkward. You two live together, and you’re my best friend.”

“She asked me out twice, and she’smyroommate. Be brave like Viv, Jodie.”

---