This year, Jimmy and I didn't get to share our birthdays together until June.
We were born exactly a year apart – he's just turned 19, me 18 – but since we were kids, we'd always been together on the date, either because our parents threw my cousin and me joint parties or, later on, because it was important to us and we'd made a point of meeting up.
This year, though, I'd been training for a local marathon, there was a hole in the sidewalk and, well, I spent May 10 learning to use crutches.
Which brings us to June. I'd gotten in the previous afternoon, we'd had a pretty decent dinner out, and I'd crashed at his off-campus apartment rather than driving home. Actually, since I had no-place I really had to be for a couple of day, I was going to stay a couple of nights. Usually we argued over who would take the couch (he's a gentleman at heart, and I didn't like to put him out of his bed ), but my leg was still stiff and a night on his couch would probably out me back on crutches.
Late afternoon, we were going to a beach party together. Lake-beach, specifically. It had been organized by his former girlfriend Sara, with who he'd remained on decent terms.
He drove me to the edge of the beach and let me out, then went off to park his car. The less walking I did the better, and walking on the sand wouldn't have been great for my leg anyway.
I got to the stretch of beach where the party was being held, and almost immediately Sara was in front of me telling me, dismissively, "This is a private beach, sweetie."
It wasn't: but it had traditionally been staked out by the town's rich kids, of whom Sara was queen.
She didn't recognize me, which wasn't a surprise: the only other time we'd met was when I dropped by Jimmy's apartment back in February, dressed like an Eskimo. She'd answered the door wearing some cross between a nightgown and lingerie. It was thin enough that I could see the nipples on the new breasts her father had bought her for her 18th birthday (Jimmy had mentioned it to me).
Who answers the door wearing something like that? I thought at the time.
I hope she isn't waiting for Jimmy to come home to play out some "flash the pizza delivery boy" game and eww, how can I unthink that?
I'd told her who I was and she'd said "Jimmy's working today, sweetie," then turned her back to me so I could see myself out.
Which is why, now in June, I recognized her so quickly.
Also because her bikini top didn't cover all of her newly-bought breasts.
"I'm here with Jimmy Wright," I told her, and she stepped aside to let me by. As if she were the gatekeeper. A surly gatekeeper, it seemed to me.
Jimmy hit the beach a few minutes later. I saw he'd left his shirt in the car, so I peeled off my own t-shirt (the difference being I was wearing a bikini top – twice as much bikini top as Sara, I thought with a grin, for half as much breast).
"Come on," Jimmy said, "let's say hi to Sara."
I was tempted to say we'd already met – twice, in fact – and she'd been condescending the first time and downright rude the second, but I was a guest here. And Sara was apparently still Jimmy's friend.
We caught up to her. "Hey Sara!" Jimmy said. "How's things?"
She turned to face us, and I could swear she was giving me the once-over and didn't approve. She seemed to linger for just a moment on my breasts.
"This is Min," Jimmy said, and without letting him finish the thought, Sara said, with the fakest of friendly smiles, "I see it didn't take you long to find a new little girlfriend."
"No, She's--" Jimmy began, and I interrupted with "that's right," giving Sara
my
best fake friendly smile.
"Have fun," Sara said, turning abruptly and walking off.
"Why did you say that?" Jimmy asked me.
Poor Jimmy, always seeing the best in others. It was clear to me, but he had no clue, that Sara hated me the moment she decided I was Jimmy's new girlfriend. I saw no reason to tell her otherwise, because... well, she was a bitch, she'd cheated on Jimmy, she obviously wanted him back, and to be honest, I knew it would piss her off.