Page 35 of Keep Vegas

With a long groan of recognition, she says, “Ohhh. I see. That’s right. Are you choosing between those colleges now?”

“Mags! No. That was one of the old lies I told Tony. Remember?”

“Oh yeah. But you’re in school now. What did he think of that?”

I shake my head like I’m the crazy one. “What does that have to do with the lie from twelve years ago?”

“You’re correcting it all.”

I throw my hands up. “Yes, but he thinks I already went to college. And that I live in LA.”

She jumps on the bed and kneels. “That would be fun. You should move to LA.”

I snap at her face. I know it’s rude, but I need her to pay attention. “Maggie, focus up. He thinks I graduated college from ASU with a fashion merchandising degree and live in Los Angeles. And that I travel all over the world working as a stylist on commercial and advertising campaigns for mid-level fast fashion brands.”

She looks at me and takes the bottle of water from my hand. “Why does he think that? You’re a rec director in an elder care community living in your parents’ back room, that really should be a study or something. There’s too many windows for it to be a decent bedroom.”

“I know! He thinks this because I told him those things. I don’t know how to untell him things.”

“I get it. You layered lies on top of old lies as if they were still alive and moving on with their lives.”

“Stop talking. I lied. That’s the point, but I may not be able to tell him the truth.”

She wags a finger in my face. “You have to or it’s going to end up like a frustrating plot of a Netflix show I can’t watch. It will bring me such anxiety thinking about you perpetuating the lie.”

I sit in the desk chair and stare at my daffy friend who speaks the truth. She always does. Maggie’s incapable of guile, deceit, or cruelty. She’s my yin. I’m just a big ole dumbass yang.

“I know. I fucked up.”

“It’s ok. Everyone makes mistakes. But if you still want to be around him, you are going to have to untell.”

“Why are you still friends with me? I’m not sure how someone as good as you started hanging around with me.”

“You didn’t care.”

“Care about what?”

“Looking cool or judging me for worrying about everything. You’re still my only friend who has always made me feel as if everything I have to say, whether it makes sense or not, is valid.”

I smile at my best friend. “Same. You never cared that I screwed up.”

“Oh, yes, I did. Lots of worrying about you, but you’re figuring it out. If he matters, tell Tony. It’s not like you’re a couple. If he wants to be your friend, he should know what a great friend you are. And the freaking truth.”

I laugh. “We’ll see. I wish you lived closer.”

She reaches out her hand. “Me too.” Portland is way too far.

We hug. Then she goes to reach for another bottle of water.

“Stop! We can only afford one minibar bottle.”

She picks it up and grins. “This one is on me. I’ll send you the cash for it.”

“In that case, crack open the M&M’s, I’m starving.”

My phone dings, and Maggie picks it up. She squeals, “It’s TONY!”

“We’re friends. Nothing more. I’ve screwed up so many things in my life. I don’t want to screw up my pre-med thing.”