Page 124 of When Ben Loved Tim
“Oh hey!” Tim says, as if surprised. “What are you doing here?”
“Entertaining myself while the others eat at the food court,” she replies. “What areyoudoing here?”
“Just buying some clothes.”
“Wow, a whole pair of socks. You must be exhausted!”
Tim laughs. “I didn’t find anything else that I like.”
“I thought you had some sort of family thing tonight,” Stacy says pointedly.
“I did. It got canceled.”
“You should have called us!”
“I thought you guys were going to that party downtown.”
“We were. It got canceled.”
“Oh.”
I listen to Tim laugh nervously. “So uh… What are you up to?”
“We decided to catch a movie. Wanna come with? Krista will be there.”
“You know that it’s over,” Tim says, perhaps for my benefit.
“Well sure, but I‘d rather see her with you than Darryl.”
“What?” He sounds concerned. “When did that happen?”
“It hasn’t. Yet. Even if you don’t want to get back with her, your presence will at least remind her that she has better options. Oh my gosh… Is that Alli-gator?”
I turn around to glare at Stacy. She came up with the mean-spirited nickname in eighth grade after Allison broke out in a rash. Which should be ancient history, but bullies never let you forget.
“Oh my gosh,” Allison says, mimicking her tones. “Is that someone who thinks she’s still in junior high? I’m sure your name-calling skills will be appreciated by whatever horrible sorority you join next year. I’ve had my fill though, so leave me and my friends alone.”
Ronnie puts an arm around her protectively.
My own boyfriend doesn’t say or do a damn thing.
“I always liked you,” Stacy says, not seeming the least bit offended. “Anyway,” she says, turning to Tim again, although her gaze does linger on me along the way. “The others should be done eating by now. Let’s go find them.”
“Oh.” Tim says, lifting the socks up for her to see. “Uh…”
“Are they really worth standing in line for?” Stacy says. “Especially when some people don’t understand which way they’re supposed to face.”
That means us, I guess. I roll my eyes and turn around. Allison and Ronnie do too.
“Let’s go,” Stacy insists.
“Yeah, okay.”
Such simple harmless words, but they feel like the ultimate betrayal.
I glance over my shoulder in shock, but it’s Stacy’s gaze that I meet. She smiles sweetly at me. I turn my back to her and don’t look again, even when my friends do.
“Is he coming back?” Ronnie asks in confusion.
