Because You Exist(51)

Instead, I sat on the couch with Jo mocking everything. Jenna was in the bathroom with Mary. Mary had caught Lance cheating again, and Jenna was in best friend mode. It had been her idea to invite Jo along to the party. In fact, it was Jenna who called her and did it. I was surprised Jo accepted, but now, with Jenna stuck in the Why Do I Date Losers Cry Fest, I was glad to have the company.

On the other end of the couch on which we sat, Kim was talking to Lisa about some boy. Either as a result of the alcohol they both were consuming or their inability to judge the volume of voice needed to be heard over short distances, both cheerbots were screaming.

“So, then I pulled out my blackberry and called him,” Kim squealed.

“You didn’t!”

“He didn’t answer, but he texted me right back.”

“He was totally afraid to talk to you in person,” Lisa responded.

“In person? On the phone?” Jo mouthed to me.

I grinned at her.

“So, here’s how it went down,” Kim began, her hands already moving like she shot sugar straight into her veins. “I was like what the hell, dude. Then I sent him the emoticon with the squiggly eyebrows. Then he was like calm down. So, I sent him the emoticon with the one eyebrow raised. I mean he knew what he did. How dare he act like he didn’t? So, then I sent him the emoticon with the crossed eyes cause he was driving me crazy.”

Jo turned to me, her eyes bright. “I’m going to send you the emoticon with the judging eyes and smirking mouth. You know the one I’m talking about, the one entitled You Should Be Ashamed of the People You Hang Out With.”

I nudged my shoulder into hers causing a small bit of her drink to dribble out of her mouth. We both started laughing as she tried to quickly wipe it off her chin. “Well, I’m going to send you the emoticon with the wide open mouth and glassy eyes. You know the one. It’s called, Somebody’s Tipsy.”

This only made Jo laugh harder. It was weird seeing her having such a good time, so unaware of the way people threw glares her way. They let her in because she came with Jenna and me, but I doubted they’d ever truly accept her. You can’t erase over a decade of being Scary Carrie. No matter how hard you tried or how much beer you drank. I liked seeing Jo laugh and joke, but I wished she could do so without the alcohol that warmed her cheeks.

“You don’t have to be a dick, Logan,” Lisa snapped, pulling Kim by the hand away from us.

“Great. I guess they heard us,” I said.

“Pity,” Jo remarked before taking another swig.

“You want to slow down there, partner?” I asked. Of course, I was being pretty hypocritical. If I wasn’t planning on popping one of the pain pills I got after the fake accident the minute I got home, I’d be downing it myself.

“I’m trying out being a teenager for the night, Logan,” she replied, tapping her red Solo cup against my forehead.

“Maybe this isn’t the kind of teenager you should be,” I said, flicking the cup.

“What are you talking about? I’m at a party. I’m hanging out with football players and cheerleaders. I’m drinking this nasty ass stuff just because others are. What else do I need to do to make you accept me as one of your own?” she replied, faking desperation.

“You can start by giving me that cup.”

Jo sighed dramatically. “Fine. I’ll give it to you.” I reached out my hand to take the cup from her when she titled it back and downed the contents. She smiled at me, raising her eyebrow. “Now you may have it,” she said, thrusting the empty cup into my hand.

“You’re ridiculous,” I said, not wanting to laugh but finding it impossible not to do so.

Jo made a circle with her finger. “You do realize everyone keeps looking at us right?”

“They don’t like to see me having a good time,” I replied.

“More like they don’t like seeing you have a good time with me,” she corrected.

I shrugged. Not exactly sure how to reply to that. I couldn’t change how they felt about her no matter how much I wanted to. And I had been wrong about her not noticing the looks people gave her. Of course I was. Even tipsy, Jo was always on alert.

“It’s stupid. Their whole attitudes. I dressed in my best hoodie for them,” she whined before winking at me. She had replaced her typically black hoodie for a red one. Though the more I stared at her face, the more I was convinced she was wearing makeup as well. It was subtle.

But she always looked pretty.

As far as totally platonic friends go.

Suddenly, Jo elbowed me in my injured ribs. I was about to protest when she pointed across the room. Apparently, Brent had really made an impression on Shelly. Jo erupted in a fit of surprisingly girlish giggles as he walked out of the back room with Shelly’s throw up all over the front of the pants.