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For the rest of my shift, I worked non-stop. I took orders. I cleared tables. I refilled drinks. I wiped down counters. I didn't have a spare second to think about anything. When closing time came, I swept. I mopped. I cleaned the grill.

"Holly J, I hope you aren't looking for a raise or something," Spinner said as he watched me empty the trash can.

"No, Spin."

"Then what? You've been a perfect employee for the last few hours. Did aliens take over your body?"

"Something like that. I just want to get out of here."

"Okay, Secretive J, we can get going. I think we're done in here. Record time, too."

"Hey, Spin..."

"Yeah?"

"You said I'm brave."

"You basically saved my life. I'm obligated to think so."

"Okay."

"J, stop. You're brave. I mean, it seems like you've kind of lost your mind lately, but usually you're one of the toughest girls I know."

"Then, I have to tell you something. It's hard. I think doing what's right is brave and if I'm going to live up to that label, I need to do what's right."

"Okay..." Spinner looked at me perplexed.

I took a deep breath. Brave. I had to be brave. This woe is me act I've been pulling the last few days had been cowardly.

"Just spit it out, J."

"The other day a sitter canceled on Jane and I at the last minute. I thought Jane and I were gonna like, you know, argue over who would take the job, but she took it with no problem. It was really sweet. You remember that night I was going to go over and surprise her with dinner? I wanted her to know that I appreciated the fact that I finally had a trustworthy female friend. When I got to the door..."

I paused as I felt my stomach sink.

"When I got to the door, I saw her there, with Declan. They were kissing. They...hooked up. I promised her I wouldn't say anything if she ended it, but I just...I can't be sure it's over and you're my best friend, Spin."

Spinner looked me in the eye as if to absorb every word that I was saying.

"Holly J, stop."

"No. Spin, no."

"You know, people have said a lot of things about you. The guys in the band warned me to be careful. Sav told me how you tried to split up his relationship with Anya. They said that you're manipulative, controlling, and that you really live to make others miserable, but I didn't buy into it."

"Well, you shouldn't have."

"No, I should have. Everyone hated you. Were they really all wrong? Sure, you're back on their good side now, but I'm starting to think they were right the first time around. You're a selfish bitch, Holly J."

I felt my cheeks get hot. I'd never heard Spin so genuinely angry. I couldn't believe the terrible things he'd just said to me.

"You don't believe me. That's fine. You don't believe me, but you don't have to say all that horrible stuff. And how quickly you forget that everyone once hated you too. Were they right too? I've never done anything to make you miserable or manipulate you. I shouldn't be working here, not with some moron who can't even see the signs when they're right in front of his face. I quit, Spin."

I threw my apron into his chest and walked out the door.

When I got home that night, I spent hours trying to sleep. I wasn't thinking about what happened. In fact, for the first time in weeks I had actually felt relieved. It no longer felt like the weight of the world was on my chest. I was no longer upset. I was just mad. I was mad at Jane for letting some guy not only ruin her relationship with Spin, but with me too. I was mad at Spinner for turning on me so quickly. I was mad at Jay for getting in my head about the whole thing. Yeah, I was really mad at Jay.

It was a night of letting my thoughts be known and I certainly wasn't going to fall asleep any time soon, so I did the only thing I could do. I called Jay. At 12:23am, I called Jay. I wanted nothing more than to yell at him.

"Hello?" a sleepy voice asked.

"Jay, I hate you right now. But do you know what outweighs my hate for you? Spin's hate for me. Do you know what outweighs that? My seething rage for Declan and Jane. So, in fact, I cannot even hate you properly right now," I said, talking a mile a minute.

"Girl, slow down."

"Do you know what happened to me today? Do you, Jay? I no longer have a job."

"Well, I can't commiserate about losing a job, but I think I lost a pretty good friend today."

"Wait, what are you talking about?"

"Well, I went to Spin's place after work, like we'd planned. Something seemed really off and I questioned him on and it and he said you quit."

"I did."

"Well, after prodding him to tell me the details, he finally let me know that you told him about that rich kid and Jane. I told him that you were probably right and that all of the signs had been there for weeks. He kicked me out."

"Well, at least I kicked myself out..."

"Yeah," Jay said, snorting.

There was a silence.

"What do we do now?" I asked.

"Wait."

"Okay."

"Holly J, don't be upset."

"I'm not. I'm mad."

"He's just in denial."

"Yeah, you're telling me," I said sarcastically.

"Holly J. The man just found out that the woman he thought he was going to spend the rest of his life with is cheating on him. He's got a license to go a little crazy."

"I just thought I meant more. Or at least that you did."

"It's complicated. He'll come to his senses. He always does. It's not always fast. It's not always pretty, but he will. And when he does, he's gonna need us more than ever."

"Easy for you to say, Jay. He didn't call you a selfish bitch."

"Look, I'm going to bed. Don't do anything rash. Or, more rash than what you've already done today."

"Hey, you told me to."

"I didn't tell you to quit your job! But, you did the right thing. I've got your back on this one."

"Jay Hogart has my back. Jesus, is this really what it's come to?"

"Hey, you just remind me of myself. I mean, not all the teenage girl shit, but that evil streak you have. I guess, it's like you're the little sister I never had, and as much as I live to make your life miserable, I hate to see other people do it to you."

"Jay...that was...almost sweet?" I said.

"You know, Manny's been telling me I'm going soft."

"TMI, Jay."

I felt myself smile for the first time since Spin and I had talked.

"Haha, go to sleep, Holly J. I promise things will work out."

"Goodnight, Jay."

"When it's sunshine, and it's solar, and it's over, guess it's me and you."