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I looked up from my phone at the same time that Melissa looked up from hers. We were both looking at Callie, who was humming to herself as she painted her nails.

“Okay, I know you said you’re fine, but I think there’s something you’re not telling us,” Melissa voiced. “And that’s fine. You don’t have to tell us everything… But I don’t want you to pretend to be okay when you’re really not.”

“I am fine,” Callie insisted. She raised her nails proudly. “Look, I’m getting better at nail art.”

“That’s pretty, Cals, but you know that’s not what I’m talking about.”

Callie waved her off and reached for my hands. “I’ll do your nails next.”

“I don’t wear nail polish,” I said as she inspected my chewed down cuticles.

“You don’t wear it because you don’t want to stop chewing on your nails,” she huffed. “I’ll paint them for you, so relax your hand. This way, you’ll stop biting them.”

I sighed and let her do her thing. She picked out a soft shade of lavender and then got to work with filing and painting my nails. Occasionally, she glanced at her phone with a sad expression.

“Are you still thinking about the audition?” I asked hesitantly.

“Nope.”

“You missed two days of school, so I took notes for you in English and Literature. Remind me to leave them with you before we go.”

She grimaced. “I paint your nails and you reward me with homework?”

“I’m the best, aren’t I?” I grinned. “How did you enjoy your two day vacation?”

Her smile faltered for a moment and that caught Melissa’s eye.

“I didn’t do much,” she shrugged.

“Oh?”

“I visited Dem at work.”

“Oh.”

There was a long pause of silence, so I settled on a “That’s nice.”

Callie smiled. “You girls really don’t like him, do you?”

Melissa and I glanced at each other and then gave her a sheepish smile.

“It doesn’t matter. We’re not the ones dating him.”

“He’s a bit rough around the edges, but I know that deep down he’s a nice guy,” Callie continued.

“How deep down?” Melissa murmured, sitting beside us.

“He’s kind of like a mine,” Callie mused. “Rocky on the outside, but full of beauty inside. I just have to find the treasure.”

“You’re not a miner, Cals. He should put in some work too,” I sighed.

“I know, but we just started dating. After three years, I finally got him to see me as a woman. And I’m an adult now. I can manage a relationship better this time. Demetri’s nothing like him.”

Melissa toyed around with a bottle of polish as we thought about that. Callie told me to relax my hand with a light smack.

“Mel… did Trey ever kiss anyone else?”

“You mean while we’re dating?”

“Yeah.”

“That boy would have lost his damn mind.” Melissa raised an eyebrow.

“But what if he had a good reason?”

“You know I don’t condone cheating. We would be finished immediately. I’m not making the same mistake my dad did. He kept turning a blind eye when my mom cheated and in the end she still walked away from their marriage, just like that,” she said with a snap of her fingers.

“But what if he had a good reason?”

Melissa paused. “Did something happen?”

Callie sighed and got started on my other hand. “Dem kissed someone else.”

I forgot how to breathe for a second.

“Relax your hand, Liz,” she muttered.

“Did he really do something like that?” I asked, shocked.

I thought back to the time at Kevin’s beach house when he’d tried to kiss me. I didn’t imagine that he would try to do something like that again.

“That piece of...” Melissa hissed. “What was his excuse this time?”

“I don’t know his reason,” Callie's voice was clipped. “He said he’ll explain everything, so I’ll trust him.”

“Cals…”

Callie sighed again and stared at me crossly. I relaxed my hand.

“I really like him,” she continued. “He’s all I want. He saved me that day.”

“You don’t owe him your happiness, though,” Melissa explained. “You shouldn’t keep letting him off like this. It will only make you more unhappy.”

“I am not unhappy,” she pouted.

We stared at her.

“Okay, so there’s a bit of housekeeping to do, but I’ll make it work.”

Melissa pursed her lips and Callie narrowed her eyes. “What? Do you think I should break up with him?”

“Let’s just say, I wouldn’t be opposed to that decision.”

“But he likes me back! That’s all that matters.”

“I didn’t say that he didn’t like y-”

“No, but that’s what you’re thinking,” she snapped. “Because I’m plain unlikeable, right?”

“She didn’t mean it like that, Cals,” I interceded.

“You’re not unlikeable, Callie,” Melissa sighed. “Sorry, but that’s not what I was trying to say. I think you like him way more than he likes you and it’s not healthy.”

“He just needs some more time,” she protested. “We haven’t been dating for long.”

“Baby girl, how much more time does he need?” Melissa asked angrily. “I’m tired of his constant bullsh*t.”

“Are you?” Callie seethed. “Because it seems to me you’ve never liked him. You haven’t given him a proper chance.”

“I just don’t have a good feeling about him,” she admitted. “I feel like he has some ulterior motive.”

“Wow,” Callie scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Of course you’d think that.”

“Think about it. We barely even know anything about him. Where did he even come from?” she pointed out.

“Stop acting like a P.I, Melissa! Not everyone needs to be investigated.”

“I’m just trying to look out for you! You deserve better. Right now there’s fire in your heart and smoke in your eyes. Your judgement’s cloudy.”

“I can’t handle all this negative energy,” Callie huffed.

I sighed. “I agree with Mel. You do deserve better.”

She was about respond, but suddenly looked nauseous.

“Are you sick?” I asked, going around to her.

“No, I just feel a little dizzy. I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.”

“I’ll go grab something for you downstairs,” I offered, but she shook her head.

“I’m going on a diet.”

“Again?” I asked worriedly.

Callie had dieted before in the past and she was finally comfortable with the results. She was healthy right now. There was no need to diet again.

She nodded. “Demetri might like it. That woman was older than me. She was probably the same age as Demetri. The five year difference means nothing to me. I want him to see me as an adult too.”

“Demetri can bite me,” Melissa snapped. “Don’t compromise your health for him, Callie. If anything, you could use a few more pounds. Don’t starve yourself.”

She buried her face in her arms. “But I don’t know what else to do. I want him to like me more.”

“You’re perfect the way you are,” I told her. “Healthy is perfect, no matter the size. Be confident in yourself.”

“Maybe I should… break up with him,” she sobbed after a long while of silence.

“Think about it carefully,” Melissa advised, rubbing her back. “Think about what you want. I can’t stand him, but if you think it can work…”

“No,” she sniffed. “You’re right, I’ll do it. I’ll be confident in myself.”

She grabbed her phone and a message alert came in at the same time. She looked up at us.

“It’s Demetri. He wants to meet up to explain things. I should go,” she said, wiping her tears. “I’ll go and end things.”

We gave her a hug and she went to get dressed.

Melissa sighed. “I hope this makes her happy.”

“Me too, Mel. Me too.”

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