Page 126 of Party Favors

“Considering the fact that there wasn’t a news report tonight about you locking him up in his apartment and setting it on fire, no, I don’t think you overreacted.” When I didn’t smile at her joke, she added, “Someday you’ll look back at all of this and it will just be blood under the bridge.”

She was right. About everything. I had to be better about setting boundaries and standing up for myself. I couldn’t let myself get into a situation like this ever again.

I curled up on the couch, again trying to shrink away. We both heard my phone buzz in my purse. Vella got up, found it, and shut itoff. I wouldn’t be able to shut off the outside world for forever, though. At some point I was going to have to figure out what to do about a job because I still wanted to be able to eat and have electricity.

She set my phone down on the counter. “I want to show you something.”

“What?”

“My bedroom.”

It was so entirely unexpected that for a few beats I didn’t react. “Really?”

“It’s time. Come on.”

Despite my bone-melting sadness, I got to my feet quickly. I didn’t want her to change her mind. Would there be a pile of rodent skulls? The dried hearts of her ex-lovers? Barbie posters? I just didn’t know.

I wanted to tell someone that it was finally happening—and I was crushed when I realized that the person I most wanted to tell was Max.

“If you have puppies in there and you didn’t share, just know that I’m going to be furious,” I told her.

She put the key into the lock and swung the door open. “Have a look.”

My heart beat so hard as I crossed the threshold. It was a normal-looking room. No frills or expensive furniture—a mattress with a basic frame and a beat-up dresser.

But what drew my eye was four rows of shelves against a wall, stacked with trophies, sashes, and pictures.

And the photos were all of a blonde-haired Vella, wearing high heels, sparkling evening gowns, and tiaras.

“Cosmetology school is not the only reason why I know how to do hair and makeup,” she told me.

“You were a beauty queen?” It was so unlike her I couldn’t reconcile the idea that the person standing next to me was the same one in the photos.

“Yes. And I keep all this stuff to remind myself on a daily basis of who I used to be so that I’ll remember to not be her again.”

“You could just keep a scrapbook or a private Pinterest board like a regular person,” I said.

“What’s the fun in that? Who you used to be doesn’t dictate who you’re going to be. It’s why I can’t settle on one job. I’m not sure who I want to be yet, and I’m going to try everything out until I find exactly what I want. It’s why none of my relationships work out, either. I don’t know who I am, so how can I be with someone else? But you? You already know who you are, Everly. And you’re more than just your insecurities and fears. You can deal with anything that comes your way. And I really admire that about you.”

Even though I’d thought all my tears had fallen, some reserves showed up. “You’re really good at this supporting-your-friend thing. Have you thought about becoming a life coach?”

“Can you even imagine how many people I would permanently mess up if I did that?”

“You’d do a better job than you think.”

She shook her head like she didn’t believe me.

“So all I had to do to see inside your room was get fired and have my heart broken?” I asked.

“I kept this from you, and you’re my best friend. I didn’t let you see this side of who I used to be because it would have changed how you thought about me now. And I like the way you see me.” She paused for a few seconds and then said, “I would bet Max found himself in the same situation.”

“But you didn’t lie about what was in your room.”

“No, I get that. I’m just saying I understand why someone might do it. Because in a sense I’ve done it, too.”

There was merit to what she was saying. I was focusing solely on the lies Max had told without really wondering why he had done it. Maybe his reasons would matter. Maybe they would even change how I felt right now.

But I was too upset with him, too hurt, to give those thoughts much consideration.

---