Party Time Part 5

As soon as I sat down, Cheesebutt came and sat next to me. "You know, that cake is gonna make you fat."
"So what?" I shot back at him, mouth full of morsels. "It's delish. It's gourmet made at the finest cake shop in town."
"Gonna need lots of sweating time at the gym to work all that off -- if you even go to the gym --"
"I go."
"Yeah, riiiiight. The minute you as much as break a fingernail, you're off crying to daddy."
I took offense. "That was so not nice, Cheesebreath."

"Hey, you two done verbally assaulting each other yet?" I heard someone say, and when I looked up it was Ari.
"Is this seat taken?"
"Sure, go ahead," I said with my mouth full.
"Come on, you two. It's obvious you guys like each other."
"Her?" Cheesebutt asked, pointing to me. "No way."
"Him?" I retorted. "Puh-leeze."
"Well, yah. There's no way you guys are gonna do those verbal love-taps without some depth of feeling."

Windy (who'd made her birthday two days earlier) joined Ari, Cheesebutt, and me at the table.

I tried to make conversation at the table. "So, did you catch that vampire fish you were after?"
"Since when were you interested in fishing?"
"I used to go fishing all the time with my daddy, just so you know." And I stuck my tongue out at him just to let him know I was serious.
"Seriously, y'all. Vanna, the chemistry with you and Andy is just sooo obvious. Why don't y'all just quit playin' games?"

"Hello," Windy said, not even touching her cake. "Earth to Vanna, hello."
"Oh I know what it is," Ari guessed. "She's got Darrel on the brain. Forget him, girlfriend. He is no good for you."
I could hear Cheesebutt clearing his throat in-between bites. "Who is this Darrel character?"
"Oh, some guy Savannah likes."
"Ari!"
"It's the truth, isn't it?"
"Well -- it's not like I wanted it broadcast to the whole town!"
"Vanna. The whole town already knows. It's not like it's this big giant secret."
"Hey," Cheesebutt interrupted, "I know Darrel Marks. He was in my gym class. You like him?"

By the time the dust settled and the sun set, I was stuffed full and I'd had a blast. Turns out I didn't need Darrel to have a good time. I had my family and my friends. That was all that mattered.