Here's to friendship

Jocelyn and Andrea met in high school. They were both on the basketball team in senior year, liked the same music, and shared a taste in boys. Derek was their main heartthrob. They’d both known him from ninth grade and, even before they’d met, both girls were doodling his name, and a selection of hearts, in their notebooks and binders.

‘Mrs. Derek Racine. Mrs. Jocelyn Racine. Mrs. Andrea Racine.’

They’d been on the same team for two years before they actually became friends. But when they did, a quick and consequential bond followed. They became inseparable, going out together, attending school dances, having regular sleepovers, trying to buy the odd bottle of wine, though underage, and being pointman for each other when stealth was required.

It had been a lay up and foul during after-school team practice that had them literally and officially bumping into each other. Though team-mates in play, they travelled in different groups of friends. All the popular girls roamed with Andrea, hanging on to her every decision and dislike. Jocelyn, though one of the nerdy kids, was really more of a loner. She had friends, but generally preferred to do her own thing, in her own time.

The girls had been divided into two teams, Jocelyn on the Reds, Andrea on the Whites. It was a particularly spirited game, and the atmosphere had that charged, electric feel that goes with speed and excitement. The Reds were six points ahead in the second quarter, and Jocelyn had the ball. Seeing the path to the net clear, she caught a pass and dribbled towards it. As she did, she was roughly sideswiped and knocked to the ground. Looking up, she saw Andrea towering over her, a worried, yet bemused, look on her face.”

“Geez,” Jocelyn shouted at her attacker. “You did that deliberately.”

“I didn’t. I swear. I’m really sorry,” answered Andrea.

Jocelyn was somewhat taken aback by the swift apology, though it did sound sincere. Andrea reached her left hand down towards Jocelyn and helped her up. Jocelyn rubbed the hip that had taken most of the impact from her fall, then the two girls went back to their teams.

Foul. Free throw. Basket.

The Reds won, which was somewhat unusual as the Whites were generally better players, though worse sports. As Jocelyn was toweling the sweat from her face before heading to the showers, Andrea made a point of seeking her out.

“Are you OK?” she asked Jocelyn.

“Yeah, I’m good,” she replied. She was still happy from the free throw she’d executed so smoothly, despite the pain in her left knee caused by Andrea’s running into her. Then, instead of leaving the gym with her usual group of players, Andrea walked with Jocelyn back to the locker room.

This was unthinkable. Unimaginable. All the other players were in awe of Andrea the Perfect. Andrea the Beautiful. Great looking. Great marks. Great personality. Andrea was the ‘It’ girl of her time. Despite her nervousness at now being not only acknowledged, but accompanied, by Andrea, Jocelyn was surprised at how easily the ensuing conversation flowed between them.

Once showered and dressed, Jocelyn gathered her books and binders to walk home. She’d missed the last bus and it wasn’t really that far home. She was invigorated from the lively game and the interaction with Andrea, so walking seemed like a good idea.

As she crossed the street at the first corner, she heard, “Hey, Joss!” She ignored it, but heard it again, louder this time. “Joss. Hey, wait up.”

No one called her ‘Joss’. Her parents were adamant that it be ‘Jocelyn’ and nothing else but, when she realized it was Andrea jogging towards her, she decided that “Joss” would be her name from then on.

Andrea could have got a ride home with one of the senior jocks as she usually did, but “she’s chosen to walk with ME,” Jocelyn realized happily.

Not wanting to appear shocked at Andrea’s sudden attention, Jocelyn tried to think of something smart or funny to say. “I didn’t know you lived in this direction,” Jocelyn noted honestly. “You’re usually…”.

“With Scott in his dad’s old, broken-down car?” Andrea finished the question for her. “We’ve called it quits as far as I’m concerned. I could have got a ride with one of the other guys on Scott’s football team, but then there might be a whole jealousy and resentment thing, and I don’t want to rock their team’s boat. Besides,” she continued, I enjoy walking home and…so, I am.”

The two walked on in casual and easy conversation, until Andrea turn the corner to her block. But it had been a pivotal journey for them. They were still accompanying each other in casual and easy conversation 15 years later when Andrea asked Jocelyn to be her maid of honor.

Joss was legitimately taken aback. She knew her friend had been dating someone new, but there were plenty of other men on her social calendar. Though they knew the ‘in’s and ‘out’s of each other’s comings and goings by then, Andrea had divulged nothing about whomever this new person was. But it was too much. How could her best friend have kept the secret of true burgeoning romance hidden?

“You’re kidding, right?” she finally managed. “Andy, you’re kidding. You barely know this guy. Hell, none of our friends have even met him, as far as I know. Are you sure about this?”

“Worry not. We’ve been seeing each other off and on for a couple of years, but it was kind of a secret. I didn’t want my folks to know,” Andrea explained.

“Never mind your parents,” Joss guffawed. “What about me? How could you keep it from me?”

“I’m sorry,” Andy said earnestly. “But…” her face brightened, “you’re the first person I’ve told. And I think it’s time the pair of you met. But just you,” she stressed. “And don’t tell anyone yet.”

Despite her slight feelings of betrayal, Joss brightened at the opportunity. She trusted Andrea and, just as in high school days, was supportive of her every whim.

************

Joss walked from the car park to the front of the restaurant slowly, agonizing over how, exactly, she should act, how difficult this would be if she hated the guy, but determined not to let Andy down. If this was how she chose to play her relationship and wedding announcement, Joss trusted her friend’s judgment.

“OK. Show time,” she said to herself, as she opened the restaurant door. She’d seen Andy’s car in the parking lot and had pulled in beside it, so expected to find the lovebirds already seated and waiting.

She wasn’t disappointed. When her eyes finally adjusted to the dim lighting, she saw them. She saw THEM. There was Andy, smiling and laughing, with her hand on the other’s shoulder. Jocelyn’s stomach dropped to the floor, taking her jaw with it. No way.

Derek. Derek Racine. Their mutual heartthrob. The hero of nearly every imaginary love scene the pair of them had concocted for years. It had become a sort of joke between them as they agreed the very idea of a relationship with the high school Adonis was insane. Though Andrea was Homecoming Queen and Valedictorian, and perfect, Derek had never seemed interested in her. His indifference had frustrated her at the time, but, Joss reasoned, it was all in the past. Illusory girlish imaginings.

And yet, here they were, together. Betrothed. Joss took a deep breath and prepared the expression on her face for the introduction…re-introduction,and made her way to their table.

“Well, look who’s here,” Joss said, feeling stupid and wishing something more clever had come out of her mouth. “Derek, hi,” she managed, “you haven’t changed a bit.”

“Yeah,” agreed Andy. “Still gorgeous. Still the catch of the season.” She and Derek laughed at the memory. “Sit down, Joss. Don’t be a stranger.”

‘Strange’r, Joss thought. What could feel ‘strange’r than this particular get-together, she wondered?

The three of them managed to keep the conversation going, Andrea leading the way, until the drinks arrived. Before she took her first sip, Joss saw someone enter the restaurant, someone who really looked familiar, but she couldn’t place from where or when.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Andy’s high, giggly voice. “Here, Dina. Over here.” She was waving her arm and beckoning, as if the verbal invitation hadn’t been sufficiently clear.

The newcomer made her way to their table and, to Jocelyn’s surprise, sat down on the remaining chair. “Hi everybody,” she beamed at them. “Sorry I’m late.”

Hadn’t Andy told her not to tell anyone? That she was the only one Andy had told.

Then it hit her. Dina. Dina from one grade before them, the most popular girl of her year.

“Jocelyn, do you remember Dina?”

“Absolutely,” Jocelyn confirmed. “We were so jealous of you back in junior year, weren’t we Andy?”

Andrea’s face turned a bit pink, then she said, “Formal introduction is needed, I think. Jocelyn Powers, my forever best friend, this is Dini Racine, Derek’s beautiful sister.”

Suddenly, Jocelyn’s world seemed to come crashing down around her. She had no idea what else she could say. Her genuine shock had silenced her. She looked around the table at the three of them, Adonis and two goddesses, and began to feel genuinely out of place.

Joss could hear talking and conversation floating around her head, but was lost somewhere in her memories of these three in high school, and how addicted she had been to their beauty.

“Joss.” The sound of her name brought her back to the present. ”We’re both thrilled you’re going to be Maid of Honor. Derek is looking after all the arrangements.”

Jocelyn managed to clear her throat. “Oh, great. That’s fantastic,” she nodded in Derek’s general direction. For lack of anything else to say, she asked, “So, when is the big day?” She nearly choked on the words.

“TBD,” Derek responded, looking at his sister. “Right, Dini?” She smiled. “But soon, right?”

“Yep,” Dini responded, then looked at Andy. “You agree?” she asked.

Everyone, apparently, was agreed. Soon.

When the main course had arrived, Jocelyn excused herself for the ‘powder room’ (she mentally cringed at calling it that). She had to think, and get all the facts straight in her head. So…her best friend in the world had hidden the fact that she was dating their dream guy from high school, and the gorgeous senior she would have given anything to resemble was Derek’s sister. She forced herself to try thinking it through but, no, it hadn’t all sunk in yet.

When she returned to the table, Andy said to her, “Sorry Joss. We didn’t wait for you to start. Dini got the flaming fajita, and we didn’t want it to get cold.”

“That’s fine. No problem,” said Jocelyn. She reached for her water glass and, before picking it up, knocked it over Dini’s hand, spilling the water. As she began desperately to soak up the puddle with her napkin, Dini waved her left hand, laughing. “Don’t worry. I’ve got it,” she said, as she dabbed her napkin over the soggy placemat.

As her hand waved, Joss noticed Dini was wearing a rather fabulous diamond ring. Without thinking, she blurted, “Oh, you’re engaged, too?” She motioned towards Dini’s left hand.

“Well, yeah!” came Andrea’s immediate response. “You’re kidding, right? Of course she’s engaged,” Andrea added, holding up her own left hand. “Duh.”

Joss, apparently, hadn’t previously taken stock of the fact Andy was wearing an engagement ring…an engagement ring identical to the one on Dini’s left hand.

Something invisible must have knocked the wind out of Jocelyn’s chest, because she was speechless. It was as if time were frozen and she was crawling slowly through a dream state.

“Oh, shit,” exclaimed Andy grabbing Jocelyn’s hand. “I guess I didn’t tell you. I’m sorry, sweetie. We’ve kept it a secret for so long, I guess silence is my ‘go to’ mode.” She laughed, reddening. Dini joined in the laughter as Derek put his arm around Jocelyn’s shoulders.

“It’s OK, kid, I was surprised, too.” Looking at Jocelyn’s expression, he added, “Maybe not quite as surprised as you.”

The rest of the meal was eaten in awkward silence. Joss knew she should be happy for her friend, “but why didn’t she tell me?” Jocelyn twisted the words around over and over in her head. “All their time together, all those sleepovers they’d shared had been sacred to Joss. She thought back to the two of them improvising scenes with which guy they wanted to date, be they classmates or celebrities. She thought about Derek and how, just like herself, Andy had salivated over him. Then this…Derek’s sister, and Andy…?”

Now, she suddenly realized, Derek wasn’t getting married. Friendship momentarily forgotten, she began to wonder if Derek had a girlfriend. Maybe Andy had set this up especially as a surprise to bring her and Derek together. Jocelyn’s emotions began to level out, as she pondered the situation, conscious of the excitement that was turning into butterflies in her stomach and throat.

Wow. Maybe Derek was interested in her? Maybe he had wanted to see her again? It had been 15 years. Wow. He would have to be really smitten, she thought, already planning their first date.

“Derek has a jazz band.” Andy broke the prolonged silence. “They’ve been on tour for three years, believe it or not.”

“It’s been hell,” Derek laughed. “But what a trip.”

Dini piped up, proudly. “They’ve travelled the world…played in nearly every country there is.”

Joss picked her words carefully. “So what instrument do you play?” she asked.

DAMN! “Beginner move,” she thought to herself. Before she lost her nerve, she followed up with “I hope you’re going to be playing in this area for awhile. I love jazz.”

When silence ensued, she looked at Andrea and repeated. “I love jazz. Don’t I, Andy?”

Before Andy had a chance to concur, Derek looked at his watch.

“Christ, it’s later than I thought. I’ve got to get going. I’m meeting some of the guys at a club they’ve discovered, not far from here,” he informed them, adding, “Ladies, it’s been a pleasure and I hope to see you all soon, and not just at the wedding.” Jocelyn could have sworn he winked at her, and felt her heart flutter with the giddiness of promise and possibilities.

With that, he went around the table, kissing each of them on the cheek. Jocelyn nearly melted on the spot. This was definitely going well.

“There he is,” Dini pointed, looking towards the restaurant door. “He must have got tired waiting…and come to fetch you.” She smiled cheekily at Joss and Andy.

“Ah yes, can’t keep the old ball and chain waiting. I’ve still got to pick up my wedding band from the jeweler,“ he informed them. “Now that I’ve gained a pound or two, it had to be resized. I thought Russell was going to have a fit when I wasn’t wearing it.”

He turned to wave at ‘Russell’, and mouthed audibly, “Coming,” then dropped a twenty and a ten on the table. “I hope that covers my dinner and part of the tip.”

“All good,” Dini assured her brother, then watched as he walked over and greeted ‘Russell’, kissing him on both cheeks.

“Ta ra,” he called back at them.

“Ta ra,” repeated Joss, glumly, as she thought “Dini and Andy and Russell and Derek. Sounds like the movie from the ‘60s,” she thought, trying to remember its title.

Then she glanced at Andy and Dini, and cringed when she saw them overdoing it on the PDA.

“Great,” she sighed audibly. She didn’t know if she’d been betrayed, or jilted.