Page 20 of Never Not Friends

Or when she stayed up all night last fall and helped me cut out a bazillion pumpkins because I had a last-minute Halloween craft idea for my students I just had to do.

Juliet’s my ride or die.

For better or worse.

“Well,” Avery sighs, “I think you’re crazy to help plan the love of your life’s wedding, and you should definitely tell Juliet no. Even if she is an amazing friend, you still need to learn how to stand up for yourself and stop letting everyone push you around. You’re way too nice.”

Before I can respond, Natalie, one of the teacher’s aides, appears, hair in a claw clip at the base of her neck, phone in hand, like she’s so busy. “Hey, ladies!” Her eyes stop on me. “Emma, are we still good for this afternoon?”

The timing on this particular subject couldn’t be worse.

I smile up at her. “Yep, I’m planning on it.”

“Okay. Text me your address, and I’ll stop by after school today.”

“Sure.”

“Thanks. You’re such a lifesaver.” Natalie touches my shoulder, a quick squeeze before walking out of the lounge like confirming with me was the only reason she came in here.

Avery pins me with her stare, eyebrows knitting, and I know there’s no way I’m getting away without telling her what Natalie wants.

“It’s nothing,” I mumble, looking anywhere but her probing gaze. I drag a hand across the table, fingers tapping nervously. “Well, you know, today’s Natalie’s last day, and they’re moving to Europe for the next two years. She mentioned she had nowhere for her pet to go and didn’t want to give him up. So I offered to take care of it for her.”

Avery’s mouth drops open. I didn’t even know mouths could go that wide. “Two years!” Her tone is somewhere between incredulous and dramatic. “Emma, you’re not even friends with Natalie. This is exactly what I’m talking about. You don’t know how to say no.”

“It’s a small animal.”

“What kind of animal?”

“A chinchilla.”

“A chinchilla?”

She clearly wasn’t expecting that answer. I can’t say I blame her. When I agreed to watch her pet, I was thinking more like an independent cat that would roam my parents’ yard without me ever having to do anything with it.

“What do those even look like?”

“I don’t know, like a hamster or something. So it’s not a big deal. You’re completely overreacting.”

“Oh my gosh, Emma!” She throws her hands in the air and scoots her chair back like she’s trying to create a safe distance from my chaos. “I cannot help you anymore. I cannot help someone who doesn’t want to be helped. At some point, you have to want to take control of your life instead of just bending over backward for everyone else.”

That same feeling of defensiveness tightens inside me. “I do not bend over backward for everyone else.”

She gives me a pointed look that makes me question everything.

“Okay, maybe I’m a little bit of a people pleaser, but that’s not a bad thing. I like making people happy.”

“What about your happiness?”

My chin lifts. “I’m happy.”

“You’re lonely.”

“I am not.” My head bobs back and forth. “I might be a little lonely.”

She claps excitedly like my admission was all she needed. “I’m going to set you up on a blind date.”

“I don’t need a blind date.”