Page 12 of Here's to Yesterday

“Anything you need to tellme?”

Rae shrugs. “Nah. Notyet.”

I throw another banana at her. “Brat.”

“So are youcoming?”

“Is that a real question? Of course I’m coming, ya weirdo. I wouldn’t missit.”

“Tucker will bethere.”

I instantly bristle because deep down I know exactly what she’s getting at. I ask anyway. “And why does thatmatter?”

She stares me down. “Don’tplay.”

I sigh harshly. “What has hesaid?”

“That you’re avoiding him. And that you were kinda a bitch to him yesterday. Only he said it in a much nicerway.”

I want to roll my eyes at how accurate Tucker’s assumption is—again—but instead I take the high road and admit my wrongdoing. “Well, he’s notwrong.”

“On all counts?” Raepushes.

“Unfortunately,” I mutter. “I…he pissed me off, okay? He was acting all nosey and whatnot. It wasannoying.”

“You mean offered to take you to your parents’ dinner and give up a Saturday night to help out a friend? Yep. He’s a realdick.”

“Don’t start. I already had to hear it last night from Kassi. I get that I messed up and was rude. He was being nice and I was irritable. I apologized tohim.”

She narrows her eyes at me, clearly not believing me. “Did younow?”

“Fine. Iwillapologize to him.Happy?”

“That my best friend and my boyfriend’s best friend are going to get along from here on out? Why yes, yes I am,” shesmirks.

“You need to stop hanging out with Hudson. You’ve got his stupid smirk down pat and it’screepy.”

Rae gives a dreamy sigh. “Ilovehis stupid smirk. Andhim.”

I roll my eyes. “I will barf,woman.”

“You love me and my stupidsmirk.”

“Marginally.”

“And by ‘marginally’ I know you mean a lot,” she says confidently. Rae leans forward and rests her head on her hands, getting serious. “What are you going to do about the Tanner thing? You gonna endit?”

“Is it horrible if I say no? I mean, not yet anyway. I want to do it face-to-face. He needs to see that I do care for him, and I know doing that over the phone won’t cutit.”

Nodding, she says, “That sounds reasonable. But you’re definitely gonna break itoff?”

“Yeah. I can’t keep pretending. I feel terrible about it, but it’s not fair to either one ofus.”

“Preach,” she saysseriously.

I laugh because this girl—this strange auburn-haired girl sitting across from me—she completes me. She’s thebestbest friend a girl could ask for. Even when she says odd things in public. Her word vomit makes her who she is, and I adorethat.

I envy how sure Rae is of herself. Her self-confidence is inspiring. She’s not the type of girl to beg for attention or pretend to be someone she’s not to impress people. She’s Rae. Loud, outgoing, sarcastic, fun, and full oflife.

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