Audre & Bash Are Just Friends(88)

Bittersweet relief. She wasn’t ready to face him.

Actually, the day of the Crocs sighting, she was too rattled to go to the library. Instead, she walked past it and kept going until she ended up at Artist & Craftsman Supply. It was Middle School Audre’s favorite store. Interesting. For so long, she thought her artist days were behind her. But maybe her feet knew something she didn’t.

Being around Bash had inspired her to think about art again. Maybe it was time to just, you know, casually attempt a new painting. Even if it sucked, it’d be a perfect distraction. So, she brought a few canvases, oil paints, and supplies, and headed to Prospect Park, where she set up a little art studio under her favorite tree. Without overthinking it, she began swirling paints onto the canvas. She didn’t know it was going to be her mom’s wedding present until she was finished.

It doesn’t have to be a Museum of Modern Art masterpiece, she thought, letting her imagination take over. Art therapy may not cure anxiety, but it definitely soothes and calms. It’s cathartic. It’s healing. It’s…

It’s Reshma?

Audre looked up and there was her former best friend, framed by a brilliant, late summer sky. From her vantage point on the ground, Reshma looked larger than life.

“What are you doing here?” asked Audre, shielding her eyes from the sun with her palm.

“What are you doing here?” Reshma flashed a suspiciously wide smile. “Are you really painting in the park? It’s very 2019 Audre.”

She shrugged and went back to painting. “I’m honoring my inner child. I just read a book called She’s Still There: Rescuing the Girl in You. Hopefully it’ll help.”

“Help with what?”

Without lifting her head, she muttered, “Help make me feel better. My mom made me break up with Bash.”

“Break up? Wait. Wait, wait, wait. You were official?”

“For eighteen hours, yeah.” Audre never once looked up from the canvas balanced on her knees. “So. Did you want something?”

“Noooo. Not really. Just… hanging out. So, uh, Eva and Shane’s wedding’s tomorrow. Am I still allowed to go?”

“They invited you; it has nothing to do with me,” said Audre.

“Fair. Whatcha paintin’?” she asked in an aggressive Cockney accent. It used to make Audre giggle.

“Don’t know yet. It’s an abstract emotional expression.”

“Okay, abstract queen!”

An aggravated sigh exploded out of Audre. Enough was enough. Gently, she set her canvas on the grass and then stood up to face Reshma. “What is this? Were you following me?”

She slid her sunglasses into her wild waves. Self-consciously, she took a step backward. “I saw your location on Snap Map.”

“Jesus, Reshma.” Audre bent down to gather her supplies. “I’m out.”

“Come on, don’t leave,” begged Reshma in her raspy drawl. “How long are you going to ignore me? Please, just let me explain.”

Audre stood back up in flustered anger, fists on her hips. “You don’t have to explain. I’m a thousand percent clear on what happened. I asked you not to interfere in Clio and Bash’s situation, and you broke your promise. And ended up embarrassing me and embarrassing yourself. The worst part, though? The very worst part is that you were so sure I couldn’t get him without you butting in. Everything isn’t always about you, Reshma. God. Sometimes it’s exhausting being your friend!” She paused to catch her breath. “And guess what? I got him all on my own. And lost him just as fast. So you wasted your time trying to break up actual siblings for no reason.”

With that, Audre stuffed her things in the shopping bag and tried to storm off. But Reshma was too fast, stepping in front of her and grabbing her wrist. The one with the raw, fresh tattoo.

“Ow, ow, ow!” exclaimed Audre.

“What?” Reshma snatched her hand back. “I didn’t even grab you that hard. Wait.” She gasped. “Is that… did you get a tattoo? I love it! IS THIS YOUR BADDIE ERA? Who even are you?”

“A lot’s happened that you don’t know about.” Audre wiggled her hand, trying to shake off the burn. “Ugh, that really hurt.”

“I know you hate me right now,” she confessed. “I deserve it. I went behind your back. I lied. But I really thought I was helping. I did!”

Audre squinted, staring her down. “Tell the truth.”

“I just… did?”

“You wanted to star in your own drama. You loved it. You were bored.”

Reshma flinched in surprise. “Fine. Okay? That might be true. I’m not like you, Audre. I have nothing going on. I’m not good at a particular thing. I have no idea where I wanna go to college. My parents hate me. People at school are intimidated by me. And I’m all alone in that house. I’m lonely as hell. Maybe I did try to stir up drama. But ohhhh, I paid for it.”

“You paid?” Audre raised her chin. “How?”

“Because now I think I’m in love with the coolest, hottest, sweetest girl, but she thinks I’m a crazy bitch.”

Against her better judgment, her icy exterior melted just a bit. As long as Audre knew her, Reshma had never admitted to being in love. “Well. Because you are.”