The Best Mistake

“Aw, are you sure you have to go?” Mom asked Nash after he announced it was getting late.

“Yes, Mrs. Chambers. My dad won’t be too happy if I miss curfew,” he said.

“Oh, dear, please. Call me Jeanine, his mother in Mrs. Chambers,” Mom said, pointing to Jeremy who was doing dishes.

“I’ll walk you to the door,” I interrupted, dragging Nash to the front door by his arm.

“Bye, Nash!” Mom said. “Feel free to come over whenever you’d like!”

Before Nash could reply, I’d pushed him out of the door and followed him, closing the door behind me. “How did you do that…” I asked Nash, amazed.

He looked at me weirdly. “Do what?” he asked.

“Jeremy is cool, he likes everybody,” I said.”But my mom’s found out you’ve slept over twice, and she even likes you.”

Nash snorted. “More like loves me,” he said. I rolled my eyes, causing him to chuckle. “You aren’t the only one who can’t resist my charm.”

“Yeah, right,” I said, rolling my eyes again. “Are you coming over tonight?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said, shifting uncomfortably.

Nash.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I told Ashlyn.

A look of disappointment crossed her face and I almost felt bad enough to tell her I’d come over. “Oh. Why?”

It didn’t take me long to come up with a believable lie. “Your mom might end up checking on you, and even if she likes me, she probably won’t be happy seeing me in your bed again,” I said, not missing a beat.

“I guess you’re right,” she said. “I’ll see you soon though, right?”

I forced a half smile. “Probably,” I lied. I fought the stupid, unbelievable urge to kiss her. “I should go… I’ll see you later.”

“Bye,” she said, waving slightly as I walked away.

Ashlyn.

“Why didn’t you guys kiss?!” Mom asked as soon as I walked in the door.

“You were watching us?” I asked.

“Maybe…” she said. “But that’s not the point.”

I rolled my eyes. “We didn’t kiss because we aren’t dating,” I said.

“Yet.”

“If you like him so much, why don’t you date him?” I asked.

She shrugged. “Fine,” she said. “Jeremy, you don’t mind being in a polyandrous relationship, do you?!”



“Ashlyn, why do you keep folding the same exact shirt?” Susie asked me.

“Because standing here for three hours, you can only do so much,” I snapped.

She glared at me. “One more outburst and you’re fired,” she said.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “I’ve been hearing that for the past like, five weeks; get a new threat or act on it,” I said. I didn’t even care if I got fired at this point. I was in a terrible mood.

It’d been over a week since I’ve seen Nash. Granted, it probably shouldn’t bother me this much, but it does. I’d actually started to think differently about him; that maybe his heart was more than just ice. But turns out I was wrong.

“Ohhhhh Ashy-boo!” Jenn sang, walking in the store with Kat following.

I frowned, seeing their big grins. “I told you guys I’m not coming to Taylor’s bonfire. I’m not in the mood,” I said.

“Exactly why you should,” Kat said. “I took it upon myself to invite Jas, who said she was coming. So you know Levi will be coming.”

“And your point is?” I said, glancing at the clock. Three more minutes and I can leave and go home and sulk. Just 120 seconds- I can do it.

“There’s no way Nash completely forgot about you-“

“Which he did,” I said, cutting Jenn off.

She glared at me. “I saw how he looked at you- he didn’t. So you know that Levi will either a) invite Nash to come with or b) report back to him about you. So, we were thinking of making you look all snazzy and what not and you will flirt and flirt a little bit more and Levi will let Nash know and he’ll be back,” she explained.

“Do you guys not understand what’s going on here?” I asked. “Nash doesn’t know what he wants. And I’m not going to be the petty girl who waits around for him to come around, just so he can go again. I refuse.”

“But you are the petty girl who waits around for him to come around just so he can leave again…” Kat trailed.

I glared. One more minute. “Thanks, Kat. You’re a great friend.”

Jenn sighed loudly. “Fine, then do this for your sake,” she said. “Talk to guys. The whole school and then some is invited, get your mind off of Nash. Because all that ice cream’s going to catch up to you.”

“Please?” Kat asked. “Just try it out. Besides, it’s the Fourth of July. You can’t miss out on this.”

Zero minutes. I could leave right now. Just run and hide until they give up, so I can go back to my house and sleep. I can do it… “Fine,” I caved. “I’ll go. But I have to cash my check first, then one of you are treating me to a strawberry milkshake.”