Page 91 of Phishing for Love
“Yeah?”
“Why do you have at least ten takeout containers of labeled Thai food in your fridge?”
“What?” I get to my feet and stare in amazement at the stack of containers. I pull out the top one. The label readsPad Thai.
“I don’t believe it,” I whisper, feeling my face redden as warmth spreads through me. “Aaron must have returned to the food truck last night and organized all this.”
“Wow,” Sofia breathes out.
“What a sweet gesture,” Kenzie says.
“What ameaningfulgesture,” Sofia adds.
Kenzie’s whole face lights up. “Meaning, we were right, Aaron really likes you.”
“And now that you’re no longer with Nathan...” Sofia raises her eyebrows, about as subtle as a bulldozer.
Without a word, I close the fridge. I don’t want to analyze the meaning behind Aaron’s gesture, which feels both simple and complicated at the same time. It also feels private, something I want to hug to my chest. Not something I feel like sharing with even my two closest friends.
Besides, I don’t possess the mental or emotional energy to even think along those lines right now.
“How are you doing?” Kenzie asks softly. “I mean,reallydoing?”
“I’m sad,” I say simply.
Am I sad because I’ve lost Nathan? Yes. Though, the more I think about it, the more convinced I am that my sadness stems more from the fact that I might have wasted a year of my life. Sure, I can tell myself that in my year with Nathan I’ve grown in character, learned valuable life lessons, had fun, and so on.
Still, I can’t shake the feeling that I wasted my love, my affection, my secrets on someone who didn’t value them enough. Who didn’t valuemeenough.
When I tell my friends a little of what I’m feeling, Sofia says sharply, “That crap excuse of a human being will not make you doubt yourself. You’re going to get dressed and go to work and show him you don’t care.”
I close my eyes, feeling more tired than I’ve ever felt in my life. A bone-deep ache in my body and spirit.
Sofia is still talking, but for once I tune her out.
In the boxing ring that is our life, she’s always in my corner. She’s my trainer wiping away my blood, sweat, and tears, yelling at me to get back into the ring and fight. Except, sometimes,like now, I long to sit quietly in my corner and give my bruised and battered spirit a moment to catch its breath. I’m starting to understand I don’t have to return to the ring right away. It’s okay to rest for just a little while.
I open my eyes when I feel a warm hand squeeze my shoulder. Kenzie smiles at me. She gets it. “Tess is staying home today,” she says firmly. “And we’ll cover for her with Calvin and anyone else who asks.”
“But—”
“No buts, Sofia.”
After only the smallest hesitation, Sofia relents. “Okay, Plan B. I’m fully on board.”
As my friends murmur how much they love me, how beautiful I am, how undeserving Nathan is, I think,thisis what everyone deserves to have. And I’m so very, very grateful I have it, because when that giant tidal wave comes out of nowhere and breaks over you, threatening to drag you under, friends and family are who you cling to. People with deep, strong roots.
I close my eyes and take comfort in two truths: I am strong. I am loved.
CHAPTER TWENTY
[MESSAGES]
Mevia:A certain someone may have received a glitter bomb greeting card yesterday.
Tess:Yes!
Mevia:Happy Revenge Friday.
