Secrets & Lies: Two Short Stories(7)

But Toby stumbled and tripped over one of my legs. He fell forward, and our foreheads smacked together, making us both groan. Then his glasses fell off, and we both scrambled to find them. By the time we were both on his bed, we were laughing so hard neither one of us could breathe.

“Wow, we are smooth,” I gasped.

“We?” he asked. “That was all you.”

“Oh, STFU.”

“What? What does that even mean?”

“STFU? It means ‘shut the f*ck up.’ Come on, Toby. Where have you been?”

“In a world where normal people don’t speak in abbreviations?” he offered. “Do you realize how much you use them?”

“I don’t do it that much.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I don’t!” I insisted, rolling onto my side to face him.

“I’ve heard you use OMG, WTF, BTW, and now STFU. And you’ve said most of those numerous times.”

“No way. Maybe, like, once or twice.”

“I’m going to start counting,” he said. “Maybe I can start an abbreviation jar. Every time you use an abbreviation, you put a quarter in. We’ll see how fast it fills up.”

“It’ll take a long time.”

“By a long time, do you mean three hours?” he teased, nudging my foot with his.

“OMG, stop it.”

“And there’s one.”

“Shit. Okay, but that’s it. That’s the last one today.”

“We’ll see,” he said. “Either way, the forehead collision a few minutes ago was your fault.”

I sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. I was trying to be cool, but my stupid spider legs screwed it all up. Sure, guys may think long legs are sexy at first, but then the concussion happens.”

“I think I’ll take the concussion.” He gave me a soft, almost shy, smile.

I laughed. “Oh, but how will you ever become leader of the free world with multiple head injuries? Your opponents will totally use that in a smear campaign.” I put on a fake politician voice. “Toby Tucker—not only is his name a silly alliteration, but he also once got a concussion while making out with a leggy blonde. Can he really be our president?”

“Hey, don’t mock the alliterative name. If anything, that’ll help me get elected. People will remember it. Think of all the celebrities with alliterations in their names.”

“It’s still a silly name.”

“When I’m president, I’ll have you arrested for saying that.”

“Yeah, and you’ll outlaw speaking in abbreviations. The world will be a much better place.”

We both cracked up. It wasn’t until just then that I noticed his hand on my hip and the way our legs had tangled. We were both on our sides, facing each other, smiling. I could feel my heart pumping away in my chest, excited and nervous. And this time when we moved closer, twisting our arms around each other, things went much, much smoother.

We made out for a while, rolling and shifting until the once neatly made bed was a mess of rumpled sheets and covers. We only stopped kissing when my cell phone rang, a Lady Gaga song belting out from my purse.

“Shit,” I mumbled, rolling off Toby and hurrying to grab my phone. “That’s Bianca. I’m supposed to hang out with her tonight. I’ll BRB.”

I ran out into the hallway, shutting the bedroom door behind me. Like that would somehow hide Toby from B. I felt fidgety and nervous when I put the phone to my ear. “Hello?”

“Hey, Casey. It’s me. Are we still on for tonight?”

“Uh… yeah. Yeah, I think so. Sure.”

“Okay. Well, Jess suggested we get together at her place and have a movie night. She promised chocolate swirl ice cream.”

“Great. That sounds fine to me. Really great.”

“Okay, so I’ll pick you up in an hour?”

“Uh, well, can you make it two? I mean, it’s no big deal. I’m just, uh, hanging out with my mom and we’re running errands, so two hours would be better. If that’s okay with you guys.”

“Yeah, that works.”

“It’s just Mom is… She’s so busy with Christmas shopping so she has me helping out, and I just, uh—”

“Casey, it’s cool.” B laughed. “God, what’s up with you?”

“Nothing. What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. You just… Never mind. I’ll see you in two hours.”

“Okay.”

I hung up the phone and sighed. I was not a good liar. I didn’t want to be. I’d always considered myself to be a loyal, trustworthy friend. But here I was, in my best friend’s ex-boyfriend’s house, making out with him behind her back. And the worst part? I was eager to go back into his room and pick up where we’d left off. What was wrong with me?

I turned around and opened Toby’s door. He was sitting up on the bed, and he looked over at me when I walked in.

“Quick question,” he said. “What does BRB mean?”

“Be right back.”

“So… it’s an abbreviation?”

“Yeah. Obviously.”

He grinned. This big, broad grin that, at first, I didn’t get. He just looked like some deranged circus clown but without the scary makeup. Then it hit me.