Sixteen

It was Ashley´s birthday and Jeanie focused all her energies on getting the perfect gift for her best friend; maybe her favorite friend at that moment. Anything was fine if she could avoid thinking about Reid and his ex, on what were they talking about… or doing. After five beautiful years, as he described that relationship; a little misunderstanding could be easily solved and she would be pushed away from his life as if she never existed.

- Are these the ones? – the sales assistant´s voice took her out of her reflections – Do you like this color?

- I´m sorry – she came back to earth – Can you find them in light blue? Like sea color – she explained – It´s for my best friend´s birthday gift. They should be great.

- Sure – the lovely seller went back and came out with the blue headphones – Are these the right ones?

- Perfect – she smiled, payed with a generous tip and went to another shop to buy gifts paper.

Jeanie was never good wrapping gifts, so she made Hanna help her. After having every detail ready, she decided to check her phone, which she had been avoiding the whole morning. There was nothing there. Reid must have been busy. She was about to lose her head when a message surprised her. Reid was telling her he spent the whole morning doing house tasks when and playing with his pets without noticing how fast time passed. He also missed her. Jeanie´s face recovered its colors.

When she returned home, she decided to nap until night. She was taking Ashley to her favorite band´s concert and she thought she would a loaded battery when her friend made her dance at ringside that night.

When Jeanie woke up from her nap, it was already dark and she took a long shower getting dresses for the occasion: dark cloth with a big coat. She found Ashley at the Central Square and she loved her gift. Jeanie felt a little happier at that moment.

- You look awful – Ashley accused her – It´s me who´s becoming a year older. I should be the depressed one.

- I´m still older than you fool – she smiled – But I´m sorry if I´m making you uncomfortable. You should be the happiest person tonight.

- I´ll be as soon as you tell me what´s going on.

- Denisse is going on!

- Who´s Denisse? – she hesitated.

- Reid´s ex.

- Will you mind to explain yourself?

- She wanted to pick her stuff from Reid´s house and there wasn´t a better day than this weekend!

- I don´t think that´s a bad thing.

- I´m not there! – Jeanie complained – And she is not picking up her stuff. I know.

- What do you mean?

- She wasn´t totally ready to leave him when she left so many things behind. It´s the oldest trick!

- Jeanie, they were together over five years. Half of her things must be there! Reid was cautious so you two didn´t have to see them, but it´s a logical thing that she has some stuff there; and I think it´s a good thing she is picking them up. It means it´s definitive.

- I can feel that´s not what´s going on. She found out he met someone and she is coming to win him back… and it will be easy for her because he blindly loves her! – she yearned.

- Stop thinking about that – Ashley asked – You´ll see he´ll chose you over her – she tried to comfort her.

- I hope so – she yearned again – I´m sorry Ashley! I´m totally ruining your birthday! I´m the worst best friend ever!

- Don´t be silly. I love your gift! And we´re here! Let´s dance and stop thinking for a while. Ok?

- Ok – Jeanie agreed and they hit the dance floor. Shaking her body with the music, she was also trying to shake those awful thoughts from her intuitive mind.

The concert finished late and Jeanie barely had time to take her makeup off and changed her cloth to lie on bed and fall asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.