Free BFF Breakup by Taylor Morris Page B

spent Friday night at home with my parents. I tried not to feel like the world’s largest loser but if I’m being honest, it was pretty depressing. Mom worked at the kitchen table on order forms and sniffing out new scents while Dad watched some of the most unfunny sitcoms I think I’ve ever seen. I didn’t smile once, and he kept laughing at stuff that wasn’t even supposed to be funny. When Abbey’s friends picked her up to go bowling, I jokingly (but not really) asked if I could go with her.
    â€œI love you like a sister,” Abbey told me, “but not in a million years.”
    The night dragged on and on, and while staring at hilarious-less TV shows, I couldn’t stop wondering what was happening at Susanna’s house. I wondered if her bedroom was all decked out like Madeline’s with a TV, DVR and computer and tons of space. I wondered what they were doing and what sorts of things Susanna and her friends did at sleepovers. I also wondered if they were talking about me. I don’t know what I thought they might be saying, but it’s like I could feel my loser vibes all around the house that night, and I wondered if Madeline, who Ihave sort of an ESP thing with on good days, picked up on it and then made fun of it.
    The next morning the sun was shining and the weather had that cool fall crispness in the air. It was only 10:00, but I wondered if Madeline was back from Susanna’s yet. I decided to walk across the creek to see.
    I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and put on my favorite Saturday jeans, the ones that were worn through in the knee and were soft and comfortable. I grabbed my purple hoodie and headed down the slope behind my house, kicking through the leaves that were just beginning to fall on the patches of dirt and rock that mark the path. The rain had let up but the creek water still flowed, and I smiled remembering the snake from just a couple of weeks ago.
    I hopped over the creek using the large rocks as stepping stones, wondering, once again, when Dad was going to build that swing. Then I made my way through the trees and up to the edge of Madeline’s property. Her lawn was kept electric green and trim with the help of a two-man landscaping team. Abbey and I had learned early on how to mow our own lawn.
    The wind kicked up a bit, sending ripples across her always perfectly blue pool and some brown leaves cartwheeling across the top. I walked up on the back porch, gave a quick knock, then let myself in.
    I could hear voices in the kitchen, so I headed that way.
    As I came around the corner of the living room, I heard several girls’ voices, one being Madeline’s. I slowed my pace and peeked around the corner to see who was there, my heart pounding violently in my chest. When I looked around the corner, I saw them—all of them. Madeline, Susanna, Natalie, and Julia. They sat at the kitchen island eating cinnamon rolls, the kind that come in the tube you have to unroll—offensive to the kind my mom makes from scratch for Madeline and me. Susanna stood on the opposite side of the island from the other girls with a plate and a glass of orange juice. They were all laughing.
    For a moment it was like I was frozen in place. Madeline said that Susanna had invited her to her house, and that if they were spending the night here, she totally would have had me over. Had she completely lied to my face?
    I wanted to get out of there. I couldn’t bear seeing all those stupid girls and listening to their stupid talk. I turned to sneak back out, but just as I did, Susanna saw me. She screamed like she’d been murdered, which made all the other girls scream, and then she yelled, “Oh my god, who is that?”
    What could I do but turn back around, with the best at-ease look on my face I could muster?
    â€œHey, guys.” I waved. “Just me.”
    â€œOh my god, you scared the life out of me!” Susanna said, clutching her chest