“No. I’ll catch her tomorrow.” I shake my head. “Bye.” She doesn’t respond, so I just walk away.

“Do you have a minute?”

“For?”

“Just to talk?”

“Does this talk come with a vanilla milk shake?” I roll my eyes.

“Maybe.” She just goes back to flipping through her magazine. “Okay, I’ll buy you a milk shake.”

“Splendid!” Toni grins and makes a quick call before joining me on the other side of the desk.

We walk quietly outside and down the street to pick up her shake.

“Mmmm….okay.” Toni puts down her shake and rest back into her sit. “I’m listening.”

“I really like Ashley…”

“And?” She raises an eyebrow.

“She’s been acting weird lately. Has she said something about me?”

“Spencer, I really like you, but Ashley is my best friend. I can’t betray her like that. Whatever she says stays between her and me.”

“Yeah…I know, I just…” I sigh and rest my head in my hands. “I don’t really have friends. I mean, I don’t have anyone to talk to about these feelings I’m having.”

“Hey…” She pats my hand. “I didn’t say I couldn’t be your friend and listen to you gosh about my best friend. I just can’t tell you stuff that should stay between best friends. Just like what’s said between you and I, stays between us.”

“She’s been talking about sex a lot.” Toni shrugs.

“Ashley always talks about sex. What’s new?”

“Yes, Ashley talks about sex. I…” I point to myself. “I talk about other things, especially out in public. Yesterday she asked me when the last time I had sex was.”

“I’m confused.”

“In a room full of people, she asked me that.” I say watching her pick up her cup again.

“Still confused…” She sings and sips the last of her shake.

“She knows it makes me uncomfortable to talk about certain things around a lot of people. Yet, she continued her questioning as if she didn’t even care.”