Chapter Twenty One

                                    

                                          

"So, what's the problem?" Ali asked me as she dumped another cream into her coffee.  She never took sugar, but went heavy on the cream.  I'd just told her about the kiss and how I'd lain awake all night long thinking about it.
"Are you serious?" I looked at her like she was dense.  Had she not been listening to me?  "I kissed my brother's friend.  Well, to be more accurate, he kissed me."
"Yes, but you definitely kissed him back," she reminded me.  I sighed.
"Yes, I did, but I didn't start it – he did.  And the problem is – there are way too many problems to list, and anyway, you already know them all."  I stared sullenly at my steaming cup, feeling no urge to drink the caffeinated nectar.  I was definitely out of sorts.
"No," she informed me.  "The only problem I see is the one you are creating."
My eyes widened as I stared at her pixie face.  "You're kidding, right?" I asked.
She shook her head.  Would my friend ever do what was expected?  "Jaime," she said, leaning forward.  "You like him, he's nice.  We met him last night and we like him too.  I completely understand what attracts you to him – but don't worry, I'll stay away."  She smiled, but I didn't.  "What are you so concerned about?" she asked in a gentler tone.
"Well," I began.  "For one thing, he's jailbait, remember?  You, yourself, told me I might wind up in jail as some big woman's girlfriend.  I don't know about you, but I do not find that idea appealing."  
Ali laughed.  "Come on, Jaime.  The age thing is no big deal.  He'll be seventeen before you know it, and totally legal.  Besides, he's totally mature for his age.  My mom is older than my dad and they don't seem to mind."
"Yeah, but it's different when you're old.  Two years is nothing to them.  But when you're sixteen and eighteen, it's huge."
She shrugged.  I sighed.  "Okay, the age thing is doable.  What about the fact that he's Ryan's best friend?  I can foresee some major problems in that department."
"Like what?" She challenged me. 
I shrugged.  "Ryan will be jealous I'm taking his best friend away."
"First of all," she countered.  "You wouldn't be taking his best friend – you would be sharing him.  Second of all, I personally think Ryan will be psyched."
"Why?" I asked.
She tapped her finger against her forehead. "Think about it.  He'll see this as his big ticket.  If you're going out with Joey, Ryan will be hanging out with you and your older friends, which is something he's been hounding you about for years now."
I thought about her words.  They made sense.  
"Okay," I admitted.  "You may be right about Ryan.  But what about Ava?  She has a crush on him.  I don't want to hurt her feelings."
She nodded in sympathy.  "I can understand that.  But you don't even really know if she likes him.  My suggestion to you is to talk to her, let her know what's going on and that you're thinking about her.  She may be totally cool with it."
"Yeah," I said.  "Or she might flip out."  
"And if she does," Ali said,  "deal with it then.  But Jaime, whatever you do, don't deny yourself this.  I can tell you really like him.  You deserve to be happy.  After all that crap you went through with Gregg, you've earned it."
The mention of Gregg brought back a lot of memories.  Being with him had been exhilarating.  Had anyone asked me if I were truly in love, I would have said absolutely.  Now, more than ever, I was realizing that I didn't really know what love was.  I was ready to find out.  Chasing a boy was fun, but catching him would be so much better.