I sit at my desk after the meeting, waiting for Trace to speak up and say something. The clicking of my pen as I anxiously await for something is deafening in the silence. Trace looks up every so often, unsure of what to say or where to begin. He stands up, beginning to pace the room and finally shouts, scaring the hell out of me.

“That fucking bitch! Who the fuck does she think she is? I’m by his side for all my fucking life and I’m suddenly not ‘worth it.’ That gold-digging tramp, I swear there’s something behind all of this, something she’s not telling any one of us, not even Justin. I bet you she was secretly in a psych ward or something, Liz.” He continues to move back and forth as I watch him continuously, unsure of how to react to the situation.

“She’s ruined everything, next is Lynn, Justin’s just way too blind to see it, let alone think that it would ever happen. When have you ever known him to ignore both me and you? It’s never happened before.” I shake my head at the thought, knowing that this could very well be the end between my best friend and I. 

Trace digs his phone out of his pocket, fumbling through the numbers he hits the send key in hopes that the other line will pick up. “Come on, answe- Hey, Tiny, it’s Trace. Yeah, are you with him? Good, okay. I need a favor.”

I’m puzzled at what exactly Tiny could do about the whole situation considering he’s Justin’s bodyguard and his number one priority has and always will be Justin. 

“I know you hate her just as much as we do, that’s why I need you to help me with this. You’re really the only one who has the connections and is qualified to do this.” 

He pulls his hair, hoping that his plan will somehow work, “Listen, Tiny, I know it’s complicated... yeah, I need you to do re-con work on her, find something, I know there’s something. It’s obviously got to be before her days around Liz... Just let me know.”

Trace hangs up the phone and sits back down in the chair, “Well,” he looks up, “I’m fucking hungry. Let’s go eat.” 

I shudder at the thought of food but my stomach protests, rumbling throughout the room and Trace does nothing but laugh. We walk out of the office together and I tell Missy that if anything comes up to just let me know, she smiles softly, already knowing what has gone on today. 

We wait for the elevator in silence and my face still sulks like my mood. Trace places his arm over my shoulder, “You know, if you weren’t wearing fucking heels I might actually look taller than you.” 

I laugh at the failed attempt at the joke, “We just aren’t meant for each other. Lauren’s short, though, you could try with her.” 

“What the fuck I wanna marry some broke ass stupid ho for? Liz-bo, sometimes you scare me.” 

I continue to laugh at the gesture, unsure of what to say back to it. Knowing that without Trace, I would be completely lost in this situation. We make our way to the car as Trace stops, pointing to the small diner right across the street. 

“Mmm, we haven’t been there in ages. I could really go for a burger, none of that little shit that you pay a hundred dollars for. What do ya think?”

I nod, knowing that Curtis’s diner is probably the only thing that I’d be wiling to eat right now beyond cereal. The scent as we walk through the doors is absolutely overwhelming. It brings back so many memories that we had as kids here. As we take a seat in the corner booth that used to be our “spot,” I can’t help but think back many years ago.

“And if I’m not married by twenty eight, I’m gonna force you to marry me,” he states, pointing at me as he gulps his milkshake. 

“Is that so?” I counter back, “What if I’m ugly and fat by then, like that woman over there.” I point to the older woman sitting across from us, noting her appearance and the noticeable weight gain.

“I don’t care about that stupid stuff. Fifteen years from now, I wanna be married, with kids and I wanna have lots and lots of money.” He leans into my side, resting his blonde curls on my shoulder. 

“And what if you meet somebody? Some girl that’s prettier than me and smarter, too. Then what? Who do I marry?” 

“We’ll always be best friends, Lizzy. But if I do meet a pretty girl, I’m just being stupid, you’re always first in my heart,” and he points to his chest, making a heart with his hands, “...but you could marry Trace.”

I crack up at the memory as it warms my heart and Trace stares at me blankly, not having a clue of what I’m thinking about. The teenage waitress walks over to the table, smiling as she asks what we would like and I interrupt Trace in the middle of it.

“We’ll take two number sevens, a number five, onion rings, french fries and mozzarella sticks,” she nods and I stop her again before she leaves the table, “Oh! And two shirley temples.”

“How did you remember that?” Trace asks.

“Because I haven’t changed and neither have you. We’re still the same people, we still like the same things, we haven’t changed.” 

He smiles as he moves to sit Indian style on the booth as he used to. I place one leg under my other in the same position it always was before. “You’re right you know, it’s just sad and fucking stupid that the other one has changed.”

“Can we not talk about him anymore tonight? I don’t want to mix business with pleasure anymore. Talking about him just ruins my night.” The fried food is placed in front of us and I immediately dig in, hoping that it tastes the same as always.

The door to the diner rings and I look up, surprised at whose walking in the door.

“Lynn, what are you doing here?” I ask while hugging the older lady. She takes a seat next to me, picking up a fry as I motion to the waitress to bring more appetizers and drinks. 

Lynn laughs, “You didn’t think I was going to let you two be the only ones to bring that evil girl down, did you? When Trace told me what happened today I knew just where to find you and I brought backup.”

“Man, I told you, just get me some more answers,” the large bodyguard walks through the door as well and Tiny takes a seat next to Trace, nearly squeezing the little man to death. 

Lynn looks up, rolling her eyes, “He refused to tell me what was going on until we met up with you guys.”

Tiny shakes his head, “Y’all ain’t gonna believe what I found out about this chick. It’s straight up fucking twisted.”