"Okay." Aimee picked up her slice of pizza and took about. "How are you?"
"Okay." Brian looked up at her for a minute, but saw her looking across the room, and looked down again. Ofcourse she's looking at someone else. I'm boring her. He thought to himself, sighing, and trying to think up a more interesting topic.
"How's Leighanne?" Aimee asked suddenly. Brian looked up again, and saw her looking intently at him. She didn't looked mad, but, instead, completely serious. Brian almost wished she did look mad. After all, they went out for three years before he even met Leighanne. Why didn't she seem to care that Leighanne was the one person who had ended their relationship?
"Uh, she's, um, okay. I guess." Brian muttered.
"That's good." Aimee answered. "You know, I'd really like to meet her sometime." She smiled at him, and laughed a little. "After all, our first meeting didn't go as well as it could have. How's her eye, by the way?"
Brian didn't laugh. Wasn't Aimee mad anymore? She wanted to meet Leighanne? After she'd walked in on the two of them kissing? "Better." He said simply. "But you punch hard. It was pretty much swollen shut for a good week or two afterwards."
Aimee giggled.. "Well, I did take karate when I was five." She shook her long, blond hair over her shoulder, "You know, it's been good seeing you again, Bri. I mean, when you first called, I was going to say that we should just stay out of each other's lives. But, now I'm glad that we did get together." She took a drink of her Sprite, and continued. "I thought that, maybe, seeing you would bring all these feelings rushing back, but it didn't. I'm really happy that we can still be friends."
Brian tried to smile back at her. It didn't bring any feelings rushing back? How could it not? It brought everything I've ever felt rushing back to me! "Yeah, I know what you mean."
Aimee grinned, and looked down at her watch. "Oh, gosh, I've got to run! I'm supposed to be at Jennie's in half an hour!" She stood up, and started to pull her coat on over her sweater. "We still have so much cathcing up to do! When are you free again?"
"Well," Brian chose his words carefully. "My friend's having a barbeque tomorrow night, you're welcome to come. Here!" He fished a card out of his pocket, and scribbled something on it. "Here's his address. You can come over around seven."
Aimee took the card, and grinned at him. "Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow." She turned to go, then doubled back. "Brian?" He looked up, and she leaned down and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I'm glad you're back." She said softly, and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
Then, she spun around, and hurried out of the pizza parlor. Brian stared after her, letting the cheek that burned with the feel of her lips tingle as he warched her retreting back through the glass window. "Bye." He muttered.
"Well, how was your date with Brian?" Jennie Stevens asked, as she settled down next to Aimee.
"It wasn't a date!" Aimee snapped, looking up from the magazine she was reading. "We just met, and talked about, well, nothing, really. But we did talk." She smiled. "It was pretty cool. I could tell that everything between us was over, and the feeling was totally mutual."
Jennie nodded. "That's good. I was getting kind of tired of seeing you cry every single time one of his songs came on the radio."
"I never cried!" Aimee shrieked, then giggled, and tossed a handful of chips at her friend. "Well, maybe a few times. But not, like, recently. Oh! That reminds me! I'm going to a barbeque over at one of his friend's houses tomorrow. You'll come with, won't you?"
Jennie shrugged, even though she knew that in the end she would be talked into going, and she didn't particularly mind. "Tomorrow? I'm not sure. I think I'm busy."
"Jen! Please? You have to! I really, really want you two to meet!" Aimee intertwined her fingers, and gave Jennie her best pleading look. "With gummy bears on top?"
Jennie laughed. "Well, when you put it that way. . ." She pretended to think it over. "I suppose I could pencil you in."
"Oh! Thank you Jen-Jen!" Aimee squeaked, throwing herself at the other girl, and wrapping her arms around her shoulders. "I'll love you forever for this one!"
"Like you haven't said that fifty million times already?" Jennie asked, a smirk evident in her voice. "But don't worry. With all those promises, you'll be loving me longer than forever. You'll be loving me when we're worm food!"
"Eew! Jen! Don't be icky!" Aimee stuck her tongue out. "But you know I will. As long as you're ready on time tomorrow. For once." She added, laughing.
Jennie grinned. "Oh, I will be. See you at seven. Sharp."
Aimee nodded in agreement. "Seven."