Page 44 of Just the Tipsy
I give Jada a silentthank you.
“True.” Jeremiah levels me with a serious look. “But we’re just getting to know each other.”
I shift in my seat. I can sense the intimidating, protective edge in Jeremiah’s tone from a mile away and I don’t want to bring it out further.
“Relax,” Jada says, lightly smacking her brother with the back of her hand. “We got bad vibes from the ex all the time.
“Sorry,” Jeremiah murmurs, picking up the pitcher and glancing at me, as if to ask if I’d like more. I nod and push my glass toward him. “Can you blame me for being skeptical? I just don’t want Waylon to go through what he went through last time. But I hope you don’t think I’m assuming the worst of you.”
My heart softens, especially since I can tell how sincere he is about all of it — being protective of Waylon and not wanting to make me feel bad.
“I don’t think that. And thanks.” I take my topped off drink. “I like that he has friends who truly have his back.”
“We always do,” Jada says. “And we’ll tell him if he’s being dumb as hell too. But that’s support in its own way.”
“Yeah. I know you guys are pretty casual right now, but we’re glad to see him dating again,” Jeremiah says.
“Especially someone who doesn’t make me want to yank my locs out at the root,” Jada says, lifting her glass.
My face is burning and thankfully my skin tone is deep enough to hide it. Now I feel like complete shit for basically lying to them. For giving them some shred of hope and excitement for someone who’s clearly important to them. What’ll happen after Waylon and I “break up”?
Still, I lift my glass and tap it against theirs, the pit in my stomach growing.
“They didn’t grill you, did they?” Waylon asks as he slides back into his seat.
“We lightly sautéed her,” Jada says.
“It was fine,” I add.
“Good.” He rests his arm across the back of my seat, lightly touching me.
Greta taps on the mic again to announce the next round and people start heading back to their seats.
“Last round, guys! The next category is calledold and new. These answers will be a good mix of things from the past and present,” Greta says into the mic.
“Isn’t that just…everything?” I ask.
“Knowing Greta, maybe.” Waylon rests a hand on my knee, almost unconsciously. I love the feel of it and keep my leg in place, even if Jada and Jeremiah know we’re just bullshitting.
“Right now, Team Lizard is in the top spot,” Greta says. “Followed by Harold’s Heroes, and the BFN Squad in second and third.”
“We’re losing,” I say, swallowing.
“Bianca, it’s fine, really. And it’s not like you’ve given us any wrong answers. We can pull through at the end,” Waylon says.
Fine, he has a point. But I haven’t helped either.
“Okay, question one — name at least three artists who have had Billboard Top 100 charting hits across four decades,” Greta says.
“Oh! I know this!” I say. I lean in to tell Jada what to write down.
“See, we wouldn’t have gotten that at all without you,” Waylon says.
“It’s just one question.” I sip my drink.
“One question can be the difference between winning and losing,” Jada says.
I glance around to see how people are taking the question. A lot of people seem confused.
