More Than Friends (Friends, #2)(8)

“Are you applying for a job?” the woman asks a few moments later.

I glance back up to find her standing on the other side of the little table I’m sitting at. “I am. Blake said you were hiring?”

The woman’s smile grows. “You know Blake?”

“We go to school together,” I tell her, hoping she doesn’t ask for any more details. I don’t really know Blake at all.

“Mom, stop questioning her,” Blake says from behind the counter.

She glances at him over her shoulder. “I have to question her if she wants to work for me.” She returns her attention to me with a pleasant smile on her face. “Do you have a few minutes to chat?”

Excitement and nerves bubble inside my stomach. “Sure.”

Blake’s mom introduces herself as Sonja, and after a few minutes of chit-chat, questions about my (lacking) experience and inquiring exactly how I know her son, I’ve got the job.

That was way too easy.

“Can you start tomorrow after school?” she asks after letting me know I’ll average 15 hours a week and the starting pay is minimum wage.

I’m shocked she’d offer the job so quickly and want me here so fast, but I recover quickly. “Yeah, definitely.” I smile as we both stand, and shake her offered hand. “Thank you so much for taking a chance on me.” Considering I’ve never had a job before, she was doing me a huge favor.

“I think we both lucked out.” Sonja smiles warmly. “See you tomorrow, Amanda.”

I check my phone as I’m walking back to my car and see that Liv has texted me what feels like five million times. Deciding I don’t have the time to text back, I call her instead.

“Why are you calling?” she practically shrieks into the phone as her greeting. “We never talk on the phone.”

“You sent me a thousand texts. I thought it would be easier to call,” I say as I make my way to my car.

“Did you read my texts?”

“No.” They were full of emojis and exclamation points so who knows what she’s losing it over now.

“Oh my God.” She sighs and it sounds shaky. “You’ll never guess who Dustin is taking to the homecoming dance.”

“Em,” I say just to freak her out.

“Ew, no! He would never do that. Well, I don’t think he would.” She pauses for dramatic effect, and it works. “He’s taking Brianne Brown.”

Huh. “Is that really a surprise?”

She hesitates. “I guess, considering he snuck into my room last night and we made out.”

“What?” Now I’m the one shrieking. “Are you freaking serious? What about Ryan?”

“I was mad.” Her voice is small and I know she knows she messed up. “I just saw that photo Em posted. I couldn’t believe it. I was so hurt and confused. And then Dustin showed up. Next thing I know we’re kissing on my bed.”

“Olivia.” My voice is stern and I glance around, thankful when I find a bench in front of Old Navy. I sit and keep my head bent, hoping I don’t see anyone from school. “You get mad at Ryan for being a supposed cheater when you’re the one who—”

“Don’t say it!” she pleads, cutting me off. “Please. You’re right. I know you’re right. I’m a total hypocrite, but I was so furious at Ryan and Em. The minute Dustin left, I cried. I felt so bad for using him, but I was still angry at Ryan too, you know? I’ve ruined everything with Dustin. And Em. Maybe even Ryan.”

“You always jump to conclusions.” She’s way too spontaneous. I plan everything so her spontaneity blows my mind on a regular basis.

“So did you,” she points out. “Now you won’t even talk to Tuttle and he practically beat up my boyfriend in defense of you.”

“Right, because your boyfriend called me a bitch,” I remind her.

“I'm sooo sorry he said that.” Liv sighs. “This is all a total mess.”

“I know. That’s why I’m staying out of the drama. No more boys. I just got a part-time job. Between school, yearbook, filling out college applications and working at Yo Town, I’ll be too busy for boys,” I say, desperate to believe every word I say.

“Wait a minute. You got a job? At Yo Town? What’s that?”

“A frozen yogurt shop,” I explain. “Blake Stephens’ parents own it.”

“Who?”

Of course she doesn’t know who Blake is. Poor dude. He pretty much keeps to himself. “He goes to school with us. He’s in our class.”

She’s already forgotten about him. “I love frozen yogurt. Can you get me a discount?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask about that.” Sometimes my friend can be a tad selfish.

“When do you start working there?”

“Tomorrow after school. I’ll also work this Friday night and Saturday afternoon.”

“Friday night? But you’ll miss the homecoming game and dance! Can’t you tell them you already have plans?”

Like I want to go to the homecoming game and dance now. Not when I know it’ll just be one big Tuttle fest. I love football. I love how our team is slowly turning themselves around—and a lot of that is because of Tuttle.