Chapter 1 #3
She looked back at Will, who was also watching the situation unfold, his expression an understandable mix of bewilderment and concern.
She wondered if she should attempt to give him the Cliff Notes version of what was happening.
But when she glanced back at the bar, she could see Abby’s shoulders had crept up towards her ears and she decided he would have to wait for answers.
“Sorry,” she held up a finger. “Give me one second.”
She walked the handful of steps across the gym to the bar.
“Abby?” She put a light hand on her friend’s shoulder.
Abby turned and Naomi didn’t miss the flush in her cheeks and haze across her eyes that suggested she was less than sober.
Abby had a nearly full glass of blue liquid in her hand and three matching—and very empty—cups sat on the bar behind her.
She and Will had been talking longer than she’d thought.
She was going to need to get her friend some water, STAT.
“Oh. My. God.” Freya put a hand on her stomach as she laughed. “And there she is, right on cue.”
“Hi, Freya,” Naomi said in a neutral tone. She wasn’t, had never been, intimidated or impressed by the other woman. Her haughty act always felt contrived, like she was putting on a show, one that Naomi wasn’t interested in attending.
“Abby,” Naomi repeated, giving Abby’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Can I steal you for a second?”
At the sound of footsteps, Naomi looked over her shoulder to see Will come up beside her, his face maintaining the look of confusion.
“Ah.” Freya sighed. “Honestly, this is exactly how I imagined it. You, peaking in high school—if we could even call it peaking—and ending up as an old cat lady who is still obsessed with your ‘friend’ from high school.”
Abby looked back at Freya, her eyes dark. “I am not—”
“Freya, um, I think they’re getting ready to start the program,” Will said in a hesitant voice that suggested that while he didn’t know what was going on, he was gathering that it would be best to help Abby and Freya separate. “Maybe we should head over to the stage.”
“Finally,” Freya said to Will and then back to Abby. “It’s certainly been a pleasure. For me, anyway.”
Naomi had to stop herself from making a shooing motion with her hands. Off you go, she wanted to say. Maybe she should have. Maybe she could have stopped Freya from tossing in one last dig.
“See you at the next one, then? I seriously can’t wait.” The derision in her voice was unmistakable.
Naomi saw it out of the corner of her eye. A single flick of the wrist. And then a splatter of blue liquid from Abby’s cup flew directly onto Freya’s very expensive-looking suit.
“Ohhh,” Naomi said as droplets of blue rolled down Freya’s jacket. She covered her mouth to hide both her astonishment and her amusement. Freya had clearly come looking for a fight. And though she’d gotten one, Naomi couldn’t think of a time she had seen Freya clearly speechless.
Before Naomi could decide what to do, Abby let out a single, braying laugh.
Freya found her words. “Really?”
Abby’s laugh grew louder until she was nearly howling.
It was becoming clear to Naomi that she didn’t need to get Abby some water; she needed to get Abby out of here.
Which was for the best anyway. She’d already made things weird with Will when she didn’t take his card, and she couldn’t imagine it getting any better after all this.
A swift exit now would allow them both to fondly remember their brief, magical encounter together.
She put her hand back on Abby’s shoulder. “I think we’re going to, um, head out now; come on, Abby. Let’s go this way.”
Abby, still cackling, let Naomi lead her towards the exit.
“Don’t be mad, Naomi.” Her words had a definitive slur around the edges.
“You can’t be mad. I had to. I finally got to show everyone that I am the one who will get the last word.
Sorry, Principal Baxter, no detentions today!
By the way, I kind of had a lot to drink. ”
“I noticed,” Naomi replied, gently.
“I don’t know what happened. I was talking to that cute bartender, and she was making me these tequila cocktails.” Abby gripped her arm and said softly, “I think I had like four.”
“Well, then I believe we know exactly what happened,” Naomi said in a motherly tone. “You had four drinks. On an empty stomach.” Naomi fished her phone from her purse and requested a ride.
“I’ve made better decisions in my life.”
“You have.”
“But the bartender was, like, so hot, Naomi. How could I say no to her and her southern accent and her tattoos? And then suddenly … boom … Freya.” They had reached the doors to the school and stepped out into the thick Chicago summer night air.
“Yeah,” Naomi said. “And then suddenly … boom … a drink in Freya’s face.”
“I can’t believe I did that.” Abby cackled.
“It’s definitely not how I pictured things going,” Naomi said.
“Hey, remember when I said you shouldn’t be mad at me?”
“I do.”
“I give you permission to be, like, a little mad at me. I kind of ruined the reunion.”
“It was time to get going anyway. But it’s definitely a night I’ll never forget.
” Of course, there was Freya. But also Will.
It was truly Some Enchanted Evening, and she had met a stranger across a crowded room.
And their brief meet-cute encounter had showed her that maybe there was a chance for love again someday.
Maybe she would let Abby talk her into downloading another dating app sometime. Maybe she was ready to try again.
Their car pulled up and they both got in. As the car began to drive, Abby leaned against the window. As the minutes dragged on, the silence began to weigh on Naomi. She needed to tell someone what had transpired. And there was only one person who would truly understand.
She pulled out her phone.
NAOMI: O.M.F.G.
RILEY: Here’s my cup. Pour me some tea.
NAOMI: Literally everything has gone sideways. I flirted with someone. Abby threw a drink on Freya. Now she’s very drunk in the car ride home.
RILEY: Ok - listen. You cannot TLDR something like this. I need you to start AT. THE.BEGINNING. and give me all the details.
“Naomi,” Abby said, dropping her head onto Naomi’s shoulder. “I’m beginning to suspect this wasn’t my finest hour.”
“At least it will make for a good story.”
“No,” Abby said, drawing out the vowel. “It’s a bad story. Very bad, embarrassing story. You can’t tell anyone. Promise you won’t tell anyone.”
“Ummm …” Naomi looked down at her phone.
“This one goes in the vault,” Abby said.
NAOMI: I’ve been sworn to secrecy. You’ll have to live off the crumbs I’ve given you. And don’t say a word to Abby!
“Okay,” Naomi said. “Into the vault it goes.”