Tina will take down anyone who hurts me, which is why I haven't told her about you

       April 18, 2011
       “Were you crying again?”

I blink, jerked out of deep inside my head, out of shrouded thoughts with veiled meaning, a scary neighborhood to wander by myself.

“Hm?” I meet Tina's eyes, blinking and widening my eyes a bit, trying to reduce the look of puffiness, although I don’t know why I try when I know she won’t be so easily fooled.

"Come on, you're wearing mascara. You only do that when you're trying to make your eyes look less puffy." 

I bite my lip and she scoots closer, reaching to smooth that one curl that insists on sticking out. 

"What happened this time?”

“Dad.”

“Dad??”

My eyes are all watery now, so I just nod.

“I thought he was the mediator. What did he say?”

I pause for a second to collect my thoughts and swallow the lump in my throat.

“He said that—”

“Oh my gosh, Jessica, are you crying?"

I don’t even have to look up. I'd know Raechel's voice anywhere, the nasally little whine that has followed me around since sixth grade. 

Tina puts a hand on my shoulder. “Shut up and get the hell out of our business!”

I can’t help cracking a smile at Raechel's expression, and at the beauty and tenacity of my best friend.