For most of the day, we did our best to avoid each other. But at lunch, I refused to leave the table and I guess so did she. The two of us ate in silence, purposely not looking at each other, as Rick and Alexander grilled TJ mercilessly on what it was like to date Laurie. “So, does she have, like, weird body hair somewhere?” asked Alexander. “I bet she’s like a Barbie, without nipples or anything,” said Rick. “No, there was this one day she was wearing a white T-shirt and it started to rain and I definitely saw nipples,” said Alexander. “Do you, like, worship at the Temple of Laurie every night?” asked Rick. “Does she require animal sacrifices?” asked Alexander. “I bet she likes to talk dirty,” said Rick. “I bet she recites presidential speeches!” said Alexander. “What?” Rick turned to him. “I don’t know . . . ,” Alexander said, and shrugged. TJ just took it the way he usually did, with complete calm. He did have a slight smirk, though. He knew this was like their way of congratulating him.
