Her Name's Not Spinelli
"So, Spin. We haven't seen each other for ten years. We have a lot of catching up to do."
TJ and Spinelli were in Gretchen and Gus's bathroom. Two best friends that hadn't spoken for ten years needed to catch up, and you couldn't catch up properly in the middle of an engagement party.
"Why did you go, TJ?"
"My dad got transferred. It was a last-minute thing."
"Why didn't you say goodbye?"
"Well, the last thing you said to me before I found out was that you didn't want to see me again. I think that pretty much covered it."
Spinelli smiled. "I'm sorry. I overreacted."
"It's OK. I shouldn't have tried to kiss you anyway. Firstly, we're best friends and second, you were with Byron at the time."
"Yeah." Spinelli nodded. "So, I guess you're a famous comedian now."
"Yup." TJ said, nodding. "But I suppose it's nothing compared to what Gretch did. What exactly did I miss?"
"Well, in high school, Vince dated all of the Ashleys." Spinelli said.
"Really?"
Spinelli nodded. "It was Ashley Q first. Then Ashley T, then Ashley B, and lastly Ashley A. But they've lasted a while. And Vince has kind of made her nice."
"What about Mikey?"
"In senior year, someone spread a rumour that he was gay. So it kinda put girls off him a bit. But he's proved them all wrong. Remember Kurst the Worst from Third Street?" TJ nodded. "Well, he's with her now. And Mikey's made her turn nice as well. I swear, Gretchen should have dated Randall in elementary school, and maybe she could have transformed him."
"Well why Gretchen? Why not you?"
"Because dating Randall would be the grossest thing ever!" Spinelli said. TJ laughed.
Ashley Spinelli decided not to tell TJ the truth. That back in fourth grade, there was only one guy she'd date. The guy she'd give the world to date. Things were so simple back then. But then when she was thirteen her stupid parents had to go and ruin everything.
"So you don't have the hots for Randall then," TJ said, grinning.
"No."
"Menlo?"
"No."
"Principal Prickly?"
"No."
"Me?"
"Now you're just getting silly, Teej."
"I'm a stand-up comedian. I get paid to be silly," TJ said, grinning.
Spinelli laughed.
"But you still haven't answered my question," TJ whispered, before he could stop himself. He knew he nearly blew his friendship with Spinelli last time he tried to make a move on her, he didn't want to do it again. But he needed answers. He needed to know where he stood.
"You know the answer," Spinelli whispered back. "The thing is, TJ"-
"There you are, Ashley!" A familiar voice came, interrupting their privacy.
TJ gulped. Standing in the doorway was Byron.
"Come on, we're going home."
"Um- OK. It was nice to see you, TJ."
"You too, Spinelli."
"Her name's not Spinelli." Byron said, his grey eyes gleaming with smugness. "Well- it won't be for that much longer, anyway."
"What do you mean?" TJ asked, confused.
"In three weeks, Ashley will not be called Ashley Spinelli anymore. She will be called Ashley Marshall, as we are getting married."
TJ felt his heart sink and his world fall apart. Byron started showing off the ring that was on Spinelli's- Ashley's- finger- bragging about how expensive and rare it was.
TJ didn't get it. Why was Spinelli with Byron? Sure, he was rich. He could get her a diamond ring. He could get her a pony. He could get her a huge mansion like the one they were in. But he couldn't love her like TJ did.
No-one loved Spinelli half as much as TJ did.