Sequel: The Lunacy Fringe: Part Two ›
The Lunacy Fringe
Sixty-Eight
“I demand to know everything,” Billie said when we walked into my bedroom after school. I had just finished saying goodbye to Felix. There was a lot of kissing involved.
“Everything about what?” I tossed my bag aside and kicked off my shoes.
“About you and Felix! Something isn’t adding up. You said you were just talking, but then you ran into his arms and kissed him. Not to mention how secretive you were about some New Year’s party you won’t tell me about. You’re a big fat liar, and I need to know the truth.”
“Billie—we just—decided to try again. That’s all.”
“Well, when?”
“You saw.”
“No, I absolutely did not see. I know you made up long before today. Try again.”
“Billie, just—forget it, alright?”
“Please tell me, Ruby? I promise I won’t say anything to Quinn. Please? Please? Please?” My stomach was twisted in nervous knots again. But she deserved to know. She trusted me with all her secrets about Quinn. I wouldn’t be much of a best friend if I didn’t do the same.
“Okay, Billie—just—sit down—and if I ever find out you told Quinn, I will literally murder you.” She plopped down on the chair excitedly.
“Scouts honor!” I sat down on my bed across from her.
“Okay, so—I am definitely a big fat liar.”
“No shit! But give me details!”
“I did leave the dance with Felix.”
“You did?” I nodded.
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“And we went to his house.” I was getting nervous again. But she was leaning forward, eager for more.
“And?” she pushed.
“And then we—sort of—did it.”
“Shut up! How did it happen? Tell me everything.”
“I’m not going to tell you everything.”
“Give me the juicy deets!” I groaned.
“Well, the day before the dance, Felix and Jake got into a fight. That’s why they were kind of bruised up, right?” She leaned forward again, eating it up. “And I got upset, so I asked him why he was doing this, and he just said, ‘Isn’t it obvious?” I was starting to ramble, but her brown eyes were wide with interest.
“Aw, he said that?”
“Yeah, and then he took off. And at the dance, I guess I was being kind of obvious about staring at him because—he was so pretty that night, right?”
“Gorgeous.”
“Right, so Jake noticed, and we got into an argument, and Felix ran off, so that must have been when he broke up with Cookie.”
“Candy.”
“Whatever. Anyway, Jake and I broke up, and I was going to go look for you, but Felix was standing there. And Your Song by Elton John came on, and he said he thought he might be able to do better this time. And I just couldn’t stop myself, Bill. I went to him, and we danced and kissed, and then we left to go back to his house. And okay—I kind of knew the night might lead in that direction, so I left you that note.”
“I remember. Quinn was mad I wouldn’t show it to him.”
“Thank you for not showing him. I was worried he’d find it first.”
“Go on,” she prodded.
“Right. Anyway, we went back to his house, and he gave me this penguin necklace he apparently got for me last summer in LA.” I showed her, and she gushed. She looked like she’d burst.
“Awwww.”
“Then we just talked about things and kissed, and he told me he loved me, and then we….”
“Fucked each other’s brains out?”
“I mean—basically—more romantic than that, but yeah.” She bounced up and down on the chair.
“He told you he loved you, and you didn’t even tell me?”
“We both agreed to keep it secret for a while. We didn’t want anyone to figure out I’d spent the night with him.”
“I swear on my very soul that I will never speak of this to anyone.” She crossed her fingers over her heart.
“I appreciate it.” Then she leaned forward again.
“Was it good?” she asked. My face immediately felt hot.
“It was—amazing, actually. Much better than I expected it to be. It did hurt at first, but it was just—I don’t know….” I leaned on my hand and sighed.
“Romantic?”
“I was going to say perfect but romantic works too.” Then she sighed.
“I’m a sucker for romance.”
“I can tell.”
“So, have you guys done it again since then?” I shrugged.
“Once or twice.”
“Tell me about the other times.”
“Okay, one time was enough. This is getting weird.”
“It’s not weird. We’re BFFs. I don’t need the details. I’m just so happy for you! Not necessarily because you got laid, but because you’re clearly happy!”
“I am!”
“You look like you’re gonna burst!”
“I feel like it!” Then she squealed and kicked her feet, and I couldn’t help but do the same.
“Everything about what?” I tossed my bag aside and kicked off my shoes.
“About you and Felix! Something isn’t adding up. You said you were just talking, but then you ran into his arms and kissed him. Not to mention how secretive you were about some New Year’s party you won’t tell me about. You’re a big fat liar, and I need to know the truth.”
“Billie—we just—decided to try again. That’s all.”
“Well, when?”
“You saw.”
“No, I absolutely did not see. I know you made up long before today. Try again.”
“Billie, just—forget it, alright?”
“Please tell me, Ruby? I promise I won’t say anything to Quinn. Please? Please? Please?” My stomach was twisted in nervous knots again. But she deserved to know. She trusted me with all her secrets about Quinn. I wouldn’t be much of a best friend if I didn’t do the same.
“Okay, Billie—just—sit down—and if I ever find out you told Quinn, I will literally murder you.” She plopped down on the chair excitedly.
“Scouts honor!” I sat down on my bed across from her.
“Okay, so—I am definitely a big fat liar.”
“No shit! But give me details!”
“I did leave the dance with Felix.”
“You did?” I nodded.
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“And we went to his house.” I was getting nervous again. But she was leaning forward, eager for more.
“And?” she pushed.
“And then we—sort of—did it.”
“Shut up! How did it happen? Tell me everything.”
“I’m not going to tell you everything.”
“Give me the juicy deets!” I groaned.
“Well, the day before the dance, Felix and Jake got into a fight. That’s why they were kind of bruised up, right?” She leaned forward again, eating it up. “And I got upset, so I asked him why he was doing this, and he just said, ‘Isn’t it obvious?” I was starting to ramble, but her brown eyes were wide with interest.
“Aw, he said that?”
“Yeah, and then he took off. And at the dance, I guess I was being kind of obvious about staring at him because—he was so pretty that night, right?”
“Gorgeous.”
“Right, so Jake noticed, and we got into an argument, and Felix ran off, so that must have been when he broke up with Cookie.”
“Candy.”
“Whatever. Anyway, Jake and I broke up, and I was going to go look for you, but Felix was standing there. And Your Song by Elton John came on, and he said he thought he might be able to do better this time. And I just couldn’t stop myself, Bill. I went to him, and we danced and kissed, and then we left to go back to his house. And okay—I kind of knew the night might lead in that direction, so I left you that note.”
“I remember. Quinn was mad I wouldn’t show it to him.”
“Thank you for not showing him. I was worried he’d find it first.”
“Go on,” she prodded.
“Right. Anyway, we went back to his house, and he gave me this penguin necklace he apparently got for me last summer in LA.” I showed her, and she gushed. She looked like she’d burst.
“Awwww.”
“Then we just talked about things and kissed, and he told me he loved me, and then we….”
“Fucked each other’s brains out?”
“I mean—basically—more romantic than that, but yeah.” She bounced up and down on the chair.
“He told you he loved you, and you didn’t even tell me?”
“We both agreed to keep it secret for a while. We didn’t want anyone to figure out I’d spent the night with him.”
“I swear on my very soul that I will never speak of this to anyone.” She crossed her fingers over her heart.
“I appreciate it.” Then she leaned forward again.
“Was it good?” she asked. My face immediately felt hot.
“It was—amazing, actually. Much better than I expected it to be. It did hurt at first, but it was just—I don’t know….” I leaned on my hand and sighed.
“Romantic?”
“I was going to say perfect but romantic works too.” Then she sighed.
“I’m a sucker for romance.”
“I can tell.”
“So, have you guys done it again since then?” I shrugged.
“Once or twice.”
“Tell me about the other times.”
“Okay, one time was enough. This is getting weird.”
“It’s not weird. We’re BFFs. I don’t need the details. I’m just so happy for you! Not necessarily because you got laid, but because you’re clearly happy!”
“I am!”
“You look like you’re gonna burst!”
“I feel like it!” Then she squealed and kicked her feet, and I couldn’t help but do the same.