10. Gwen
ten
Gwen
Present
I collapse onto the couch with my phone and a bag of truffle fries. Turning on the TV, I lie back and dig in.
For a few minutes, I scroll aimlessly through the streaming services before settling on another crime documentary about marriages that turn deadly.
I spent the summer after I graduated college with my grandma Judith—or Juju, as I affectionately call her—at her beach house in Santa Barbara, and she got me addicted to watching them with her.
The show flashes to video of the crime scene as the voiceover of the detective talks about what he saw and how he felt. Eerie music plays as the camera zeroes in on the blood spatter.
My cell phone blares as the mugshot of the suspect appears, scaring the living bejeezus out of me. I grab the device and silence it, only to find my best friend trying to video-call me.
Heart pounding wildly in my chest, I pause the show and answer, “Hey, J.”
Jenna narrows her eyes at me. “Why are you breathing so hard? Is someone there? Please tell me that someone is there with you. You need someone to dust the cobwebs off your vagina.”
“Why are you so mean to me?”
Jenna cackles. “Because I’m your bestie, and I can be.”
“You suck.”
“Lots of big dicks.” Jenna mimics blowing an imaginary dick with her fist and tongue.
“Gross.”
“Ha! You love me and my dirty mouth.”
“I do. So, what’s up? How did the audition go?” I ask, hoping we can change the subject. She’s been bugging me to start dating again, but I’m not ready yet.
My bestie takes the bait. “It was okay. I mean, I did great, but there were a lot of other actresses auditioning too. So, I don’t know.”
“Was Carla there?”
Jenna rolls her eyes. “Yes. Stupid Carla was there, and she’s probably going to get the role.”
Carla Mancini is Jenna’s arch nemesis. They were classmates in the theater program and have been battling each other for roles ever since. Jenna will get a role, then Carla the next. They’ve been going back and forth for years.
“You listen to me, Jenna Noelle Cruz. You are amazing. Don’t worry about what that little twit does. Just go in and do your best. You are a damn talented actress slash waitress on Broadway. I know you can do it.”
Her eyes glaze over as she grins at the camera. “Thanks, Gwenny. I really needed to hear that.”
“You’re welcome. I’m always going to hype you up. You really are talented, Jenna. It’s going to happen, okay? That big break is coming. I know it.”
With her fingers, Jenna wipes a tear from the corner of her eyes. “I love you. I can’t wait to see you.”
The last couple of months have been hard for my best friend. She had to take time off from auditioning after she broke her wrist and needed surgery.
“I love you too. I’m counting down the days.”
“One month, baby!” Jenna is coming to Los Angeles for an entire week so we can celebrate her birthday together. We haven’t seen each other since I stayed in New York to help her get around for the first few weeks after her injury.
“One month,” I confirm.
“Have you seen the hot prick lately?” Jenna asks, making me laugh. She’s such a shit-talker. Especially when someone hurts her people.
“Only every day.”
“Is he still being a dick?”
“Yes. And check this, today he refused to do another video. I don’t mind his not wanting to be on camera, but he’s such an ass about it. Nico and Cam had a front-row seat to his assholery today. So freaking embarrassing.”
“For him, G. You did nothing. You’re respecting his wishes by pretending your all-night sex-a-thon didn’t happen.”
“I really regret telling you about that.” I shove a wad of fries into my mouth.
“I bet you do, my sexy little slut. Truffle?” she asks, watching me stuff my face.
“Duh,” I mumble around a mouthful.
Jenna laughs. She knows they’re my favorite.
The first thing I did was search the internet for the best fry spots in Phoenix. As it turns out, the best spot for fries wasn’t a restaurant. Instead, it’s a tasty little food truck aptly named Mr. Perfectly Fry.
“I think you need to pay the bastard back,” Jenna says.
A flash of him in my office, all flustered and horny from me running fingers down his arm and hitting his cock over his cup, comes to mind. “Oh, I got him back alright.”
“Spill!” Jenna reacts to every detail with glee as I recount what happened in the office. “Girl, that was badass. I am so proud of you.”
“Same. It felt so good to turn the tables.”
“I bet. Also … now you know how he really feels.”
“What do you mean?”
“Uh, hello. He is still so into you.”
“No, he’s not.”
Jenna smirks at me. “Mark my words, that man is down bad for you.” Jenna glances behind the camera and groans. “Ugh. I had better go to bed. I have the breakfast shift tomorrow. Sorry for interrupting whatever murdery show you were watching.”
She knows me so well. “Thanks. I’ll chat with you tomorrow.”
“Until tomorrow.” She blows me a kiss and ends the call, leaving me wondering whether she’s right.
I shake the thought of Lance still being into me away. It doesn’t matter if he is; I’m not going back down that road with him. We spent one night together, and it crushed me when he couldn’t be bothered to call me afterwards.
If I invest more of myself in him and he walks away, the next time I won’t just be crushed.
I’ll be heartbroken.