Rising Shards

Alix laughed nervously, which turned into a forced fake laugh that she dragged out for a really long time, maybe hoping this Jerumiee guy would leave if she kept it going. I understood the idea, I mean I wouldn’t have left a party celebrating me just to go chew out someone who worked for my mom. Maybe we could annoy him into going back.

”Well? Are you here to mess up my party? Like you did for my graduation party when you tried to talk to my mom again?” Jerumiee asked.

”I didn’t even know you had a party today, to be honest,” Alix said. ”I was really hoping I wouldn’t run into you.”

”Well, you did, so what are we gonna do about this?” Jerumiee said.

I rolled my eyes. There was a personality type of guys that always had to make everything some big deal, some barter that they wouldn’t let up about until they got something. I didn’t know what Alix did exactly, but if I wasn’t already on her side, that would have put me on her team.

”We could just leave,” I said. ”We’re not trying to mess with your party, we’re just visiting from out of town. This is a total coincidence it happened, so we all just wanna move on and—”

”Does she still talk about me?” Alix asked.

I winced, and tried to convey to Alix that she should maybe let this go so we could get out of this awkward situation.

”Oh yeah, all the time,” Jerumiee said.

”Really!” Alix said, her fake laugh turning to giggles.

”I think about once a week she announces that you’re still dead to her,” Jerumiee said.

”Ah,” Alix said. ”You know, they say that controversy can lead to cash so maybe it’s just my natural money making prowess at play. Corinani-nomics, baby.”

”What are you even saying?” Jerumiee asked. ”I think she just hates you.”

”You know, they say that hate is another form of love, and that it’s only degrees separate from each other, so really Madam Cherub is just missing—”

I cut Alix off this time. ”Maybe let’s not talk so lovingly about an ex while you’re on a date. Well, kind of a date.”

”Oh! Right!” Alix said. ”Yeah, tell your mom to fuck off because I have a hot new girlfriend!”

I blushed at that, but the others didn’t hear that as romantic a statement as I did. Jerumiee just sputtered angrily.

”Oh my god,” Stella muttered, burying her face in her hands. ”Yeah, I’m out, let’s just go.”

Evy and Stella called it there, but Mahina seemed to enjoy the drama of the situation, or maybe wanted to stick around in case this dude started throwing hands.

”You should tell your mom that...” I said before realizing I was interjecting. ”That Alix is a lot cooler than she thinks, and that she’s doing well.”

For some reason, that got the guy in full red-faced anger mode. Mahina stepped between us and him. ”Kay buddy, head back to your little party.”

”And what are you going to do about it if I don’t?” Jerumiee asked. He took one look at Mahina’s biceps then walked away, metaphorical tail between his legs as he returned to his work party.

”That was terrifying,” I said. ”Thanks, Mahina.”

”Oh, that was nothing,” Mahina said. ”Kinda wish he tried something, then you could thank me after I chucked him in the lake.”

”Still,” I said.

”Sorry if that was um, a lot of drama,” Alix said. ”And if I maybe remembered how hot Madam Cherub was. But don’t worry, you’re way hotter!”

”All good,” I said. ”Maybe let’s do something less drama filled next.”

”You didn’t have any other affairs with MILFs in this town, did you?” Mahina asked.

”Not that I remember!” Alix said.