A/N: A little bit of Minny in this chapter. No Sasha or Michelle, but the next one will be almost exclusively Sashelle. Not sure I got Nanette quite right, but oh well. I can always come back and fix it. Again, thanks so much for your input!
"Hi, honey, how was your day?"
"Do you remember that week when both of us had the flu and the heater broke and the cable went out and I got bit by a spider and my cheek swelled up like a balloon and you had to get your appendix out?"
"The Week from Hell in '03? Of course I do."
"It was like that." Boo slumped in the passenger seat.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Before Boo could decide whether or not to tell her mom about her Sasha drama, Nanette helped her out.
"Is it about Charlie and Carl?"
"Yes!" said Boo, relieved. "I don't know what to do, Mom. Carl likes me and is really sweet, but he's mad at me because Mel and Ginny were mean to him and I also told Ginny she couldn't date Charlie because I have feelings for him right in front of Carl... I get baby butterflies when I look at him, but I also get baby butterflies when I look at Charlie. They're not full on butterflies like they used to be, but they're still there."
"What is it you like about Charlie, Boo?" When Boo opened her mouth to defend herself, her mom held up a hand. "Hold on, sweetie, I'm not attacking you. I want to help you think through this. Boys come and go, but friends are the ones who will help you through rough break-ups. Can you blame Ginny for starting to like Charlie after you told her that he likes her? You did the same thing with Carl. You didn't even look at him before you started working on the dance. It's not bad to want to be liked. Think of how Ginny feels. Talk to her. Talk to Carl. Even if you think you know how things will turn out, you should give them the option of finding out for themselves. You should give yourself that option, too.
"Ginny doesn't need your permission to date Charlie. She's been really cool so far not to because she knows how you feel. But honey, she might date him anyway. And Carl might move on to someone else and then what? You'll be down a friend and miserable. I'm not saying it won't hurt to see Charlie and Ginny together for a while, but that's part of growing up. Do you really like Charlie so much that you'd jeopardize a good friendship and a potential relationship?"
"Yes. No. Maybe? I don't know anymore."
Nanette leaned over and kissed Boo's forehead. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. You're a smart girl. Now how about some air fries?"
"There are plenty of carrots at home, Mom," said Boo, smiling.
"Why do you think I suggested fries?" She made a face.
Boo pulled her phone out to text Ginny and found a text waiting for her.
Ginny: You don't work today do you?
Boo: No. We need to talk.
Ginny: I was just going to say that. My place? Yours? Oyster Bar?
Boo: Is your place okay? I'd rather not go into work if I don't have to.
Ginny: Works for me! :) Should we invite Mel?
Boo: Of course. She's going to hear all about it anyway. She's probably reading this over your shoulder, huh?
Ginny: Bingo. What about Sasha?
Boo's thumbs hovered over the keypad. What about Sasha?
Boo: This doesn't really involve her. What do you think?
Ginny: Same. See you soon!
"Okay, you first," said Ginny when they were all sitting in her room.
Boo took a breath.
"I'm sorry I've been stupid about Charlie."
"It's understandable. He's contagious."
"Mel, can we do without the snark for like five minutes?" Ginny begged.
"Fine. But I won't be happy about it," she pouted.
"Anyway, he likes you, not me. It's not fair of me to act like he's mine just because I've liked him forever. He doesn't like me and it's stupid to try to stop you two from going out. I can't promise I'll be mature about it all the time, but I promise I'll try." Boo paused, wondering what else she should say. Nothing came to mind and she shrugged. "That's all."
Ginny smiled sincerely and hugged Boo.
"Thank you! I like Charlie, but not enough to make you mad at me. This is perfect timing! He asked me on a date on Friday and I told him I'd have to think about it because I wanted to see if you were okay with it."
"You didn't have to do that."
"I wanted to."
"We have good news for you, too," Mel said, eager to change the subject. "We felt bad about being mean to Carl-"
"-and for ruining your first kiss because he's really not that bad-"
"-even though he is kind of annoying-"
"-and short, which means something coming from me-"
"-so we apologized to him today after class."
"We could tell that you really do like him and we told him that we were sorry for being bitches."
"I might've implied that if he didn't give you a second chance I'd jette him in the throat," added Mel as an afterthought.
"You guys are the best!" Boo laughed. "Thank you so much!"
"But seriously, if you two get married, we're getting him some platform shoes."
"He's not that short!"
"He so is."
"He'll grow."
"We can only hope. You're better off than Ginny, you know. Carl can grow, but Charlie will always be an idiot."
Ginny threw a pillow at Mel's head, who promptly tackled her. Boo retreated to a safe distance and took her phone out to text Carl.
"What should I say?"
"How about 'Sorry I was an asshat'?" suggested Mel as she pinned her best friend to the floor.
"Something cute," panted Ginny, "like 'Be the Fred to my Ginger?'"
"Ugh, that's revolting." The tall brunette rolled her eyes.
"I think it's sweet," Ginny retorted and began tickling her attacker. Mel immediately dissolved into the giggles.
"You guys are useless." Boo sighed.
Boo: Hey Carl. I'm really really sorry about how things went. I know I don't deserve one but can I have a do-over?
Carl didn't respond right away, so she tried to distract herself with her Spanish homework. It worked for a little while, and then her friends started pestering her about Sasha, driving Carl out of her mind almost completely.
"Seriously, Boo, it's not like you to be so secretive."
"Secretive nothing. You're being outright cloak-and-daggery. Totally against the bra code."
"Does she have a crush on Carl?"
"Did you catch her watching Twilight?"
"Did she catch you eating a raw squirrel?"
"Oh my gosh, Ginny, I have a hilarious one."
"Let's hear it!"
"Did she confess her undying love for you and kiss you?"
Both Mel and Ginny cracked up. Boo gave a weak smile, feeling heat creeping into her cheeks. Was it really so ridiculous that it was right up there with eating squirrels? Thankfully Carl texted her back right then and she had an excuse for the blush.
Carl: you deserve a do over and a lot more :) have dinner with me on friday? no lasagna i promise
Boo: Thank you! I'd love to have dinner with you. :)
"Great," said Mel after Boo read the text out loud. "Now I'm the only one without a date on Friday."
"Sasha probably doesn't have one yet. And she won't because Boo will be taken," Ginny said with a mischievous grin.
They started laughing again, tickled to death at the thought of the moody brunette having a crush on the cheerful blonde. Boo joined in despite the fact that her stomach was churning uncomfortably. She didn't like hearing anyone make fun of Sasha, but she was afraid that if she defended her they'd figure out that their joke was reality and she wasn't ready for that. Not yet. Maybe not ever, but especially not now. For now the experience was something curious, to be taken out and examined only when the outside world couldn't interfere. If it became common knowledge Boo was afraid it would become even more muddled in her mind.
So she laughed with them and changed the subject as soon as possible, hoping to high heaven they didn't bring it up around Sasha.