Fucker. She's a mess, but I've got it under control. I'll deal with you later.
I exhale and set my phone down. Tobi is with her. She's going to be okay. Or at least as okay as she can be. I go back to clumsily chopping carrots and broccoli and bok choy and onions. I send Tobi a text back thanking her for taking care of Freya. She just sends me an angry emoji as a response. Got it.
I finish making my stir fry and toss it in the wok, but I have no desire to actually eat it. After forcing a few forkfuls into my mouth, I put the rest in a plastic container and set it in the fridge. I clean the kitchen within an in inch of its life and think about maybe doing some homework when there's a loud knock at my door. I nearly break every bone in my body rushing to open it, but instead of Freya, I find Tobi on the other side.
"Hey," I say, stepping back to let her in. Her face is thunderous as she stalks inside and I shut the door behind her.
"Hey, asshole. I don't know what you did because she won't tell me, but you've done a number on that girl, and it's taking everything in me to not set you on fire right now." I sigh and go to sit on the couch, putting my head in my hands.
"I'd let you," I mumble. She reluctantly sits down next to me and crosses her arms.
"But," she says, and I raise my head.
"But? There's a but?" I ask. Her eyes narrow.
"But, I know that you didn't do anything malicious to her. You were trying to do something nice, and it backfired. She pretty much admitted that to me. I know Freya can . . . go a little overboard with her reactions about things. That's just how she is and you take the good with the bad. Not saying I'm perfect either, but we all have flaws. Once I got her calmed down and got her talking, I think she was regretting how things turned out. I'm not saying that she's going to let you in or forgive you for whatever it was, but you might, might, have a shot. Maybe. I'm still trying to decide if you're worthy of it or not." I shake my head.
"I'm not. But I'd like to give it a try anyway." Tobi gives me something that's almost a smile and pats my arm.
"I know you care about her. Anyone can see that. And I know you care about her in the right way. She's definitely been a lot happier since you crashed into her life. I can see you're good for her. Don't think this is an endorsement." She points at me and I put my hands up.
"I know."
"Anyway. What I'm trying to say is that I hope you can work things out. Because she was pretty devastated, and I don't like seeing my friend like that. You hurt her, and that's not just going to go away because you flash a smile and make her all gooey in her girl parts. You're gonna have to work for it. And I'm going to be supervising you closely. So don't fuck it up. Again." With one last hard look, she's off the couch and heading out the door.
"Is she okay? Or as okay as she can be?" I ask.
She turns. "She's a tough one. She'll get through it." She is. Freya is the strongest person I know. I can't even imagine the courage it took for her to pack up her entire life and move here to Maine to find her birth mother. I know I couldn't have done it.
I get out my homework after Tobi leaves and consider texting Freya, but I think I should give her at least a day before I try that. Besides, I'll see her tomorrow morning for our workout. I hope.
* * *
She doesn't show. I ask Tobi about it and she just tells me that I should give her time. Okay, I can do that.
But then she doesn't show up at practice. Tobi texts her, frowning at her response and then has a word with Coach. I try to get her attention, but she ignores me.
Fuck. This is my fault. Coach is flipping out and scrambling the stunt groups, but it just ends up in disaster, so we go through the motions with Freya's stunts. No one else seems to be all that concerned about her, and it's making me angry. Freya just doesn't miss practice.
"I'm going to check on her, relax," Tobi says as I bolt out of practice.
"I just . . ." I say, holding up my hands and then dropping them.
"I know," she says. "I'll call you."
Freya
Tobi made me some brownies and shoved a plate of them in my face when I opened the door to my apartment. Gwen, Willow, and Carrie were behind her with bottles of wine and other salty snacks. A cheer-up-Freya party. I wasn't in the mood.
"Here, eat your feelings," Tobi said. I opened my mouth to yell at her, but nothing came out. I know I'm being a bitch. I know I overreacted and shouldn't have let my emotions get the better of me like that. But it happened and now I'm shit out of luck.
And then I let them in and we eat and do pedicures and bitch about the fact that Coach changed our music again, but all I can think about is the fact that he found her.