“Like getting raised with three older sisters left me with any other option than treating her right,” he scoffs. I feel myself turning red as I don’t like to be the center of attention. I could have gone without Shelby knowing what Dean and I did and now it’s just getting uncomfortable. Besides, it's not like Dean and I are going steady or anything.
“I thought you didn’t want to be in a relationship anymore,” the blond-haired café owner points out as she talks to her brother.
“That hasn’t changed. Morgan doesn’t want to be in a relationship either at the moment, so that’s turning out wonderfully.”
There’s disbelief in Shelby’s eyes as she squints them and then looks at me, as if she’s trying to figure out if Dean’s right.
“It’s okay, Shelby,” I say. “We’re all good. We’re on the same page.”
With her hands on her hips she stares at me. “You come to me when that changes,” she says. “I’ll whoop his ass on your behalf if I have to. It’s my prerogative as a sister.”
I love this girl. She’s so open and warm and has only shown me kindness in the short while I’ve known her. It also helps that she serves kick-ass food and drinks.
“I’ll do that,” I agree and her posture relaxes somewhat.
As she lays her hands on Dean's shoulders, she pushes him to the kitchen again. “Now go make something to eat for Morgan’s friend over there. Be creative.”
Dean disappears in the kitchen and Shelby walks back over. She gives me a stern look as she approaches me. “If that boy causes you trouble, I want to hear all about it.”
“Yes ma’am.”
As she turns to a giggling Meggy, her demeanour changes and she softens.“Okay, so I’m sorry friend of Morgan, but I’m afraid Dean will make you whatever he wants to make now. I promise it’ll be good though. I’m Shelby. What do you want to drink?”
“I’m Meggy, can I get some tea?”
“Sure thing, Sugar. Don’t I know you from All-Out Food on Main street?”
Meggy nods as she makes the you-got-it gesture. “I’m there all week.”
It's wonderful to see a friendship bloom right in front of your eyes. I love how easygoing both of them are. I can use both of them in my life as I need some girlfriends to even out all the testosterone that my new friends provide. Damn, my mother would be proud of me, being all social and stuff.
“Do you girls want to come over tonight and watch a movie and eat crap?” I ask them before I can let myself become too conscious about the what ifs. Normally I would freak out what would happen if they would say no, so I just blurt it out before I can sabotage myself.
Meggy squeals. There’s no other way to describe it, and my eardrums hurt. There’s too much energy in her little body for her to contain. She starts clapping her hands.
“I’ll take that as a yes?”
“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, fuck yes.”
“Damn girl, you need to get laid,” is what Shelby says when she watches what happens with Meggy.
“O no, I get laid enough, this is me getting excited for girl time.”
I snort. Leave it up to Meggy to talk about her sex life to someone she just met.
“I’d love to come over sweetheart, I’m not staying late though. I’m so damn tired I could sleep for days,” Shelby says while she stretches her arms over her head.
“No worries, sleeping is my idea of a good time,” I answer as Shelby leaves to go make Meggy’s tea.
“Funny,” Meggy interjects, “because my idea of having a good time involves sleeping with someone.”
I’m all settled. We’ve got chips and chocolate, there’s ice-cream in the fridge and there’s bags of candy. Yeah, I’m a big kid and I’ll probably never change. It’s also the reason I always brush my teeth religiously, because my dentist could make good money off of me if I didn’t brush like I did.
The girls arrived a little after the time we agreed upon and we settled down on the couch in the living room. I pulled out some blankets and they both grabbed one without me needing to force them on them. These girls get me. They’re my spirit animals. Girls rule, boys suck and blankets are the best in the whole motherfucking world, thank you very much.
I’ve put on a movie, but we’re not really watching. We’re gossiping and talking and drinking tea. I try not to talk about the situation in my not-love life because it’s a little weird that Shelby is Dean’s sister, and she doesn’t need to know what’s going on between him and me.
Meggy stands up mid-sentence and walks over to the window. It has the perfect view of O’s house, and she tries to peep through the windows.