Nothin' But A Good Time

(1984)

Kayla shook her head. She had no clue what Cheyenne was talking about, but she could take a guess at what the answer should be. "Your relationship will never be the same way it was when you guys were a new couple."

"Why not?"

"It just won't."

Cheyenne picked at some split ends. "You could get a new guy."

Kayla shook her head. "I don't need a new guy."

Robin said, "I think Brick has a new girl already. That really skinny Latino girl, Maria?"

Cheyenne groaned. "She went to a W.A.S.P concert last week." She threw aside the lock of hair she'd been picking at. "How do you know he's with her?"

Robin shrugged and then rubbed her stomach as if she felt sick. Probably ate too much ice cream. "He's going out with her on Valentine's Day."

Kayla wanted to feel for Robin, too, but her sort-of-boyfriend was worthless. They all thought so, but the only one honest enough to speak her mind was Cheyenne, which lessened the overall effect.

"Brick"--Robin always said his name like it was piece of spinach stuck between her teeth--"is a total jerk. Not to mention he's a sucky musician."

That had nothing to do with the breakup, but Robin hated that Brick was technically in charge of their Friday nights because he had gigs every weekend. She always used that against him as if it was a bad character trait.

Maybe it was time for Kayla to back Cheyenne up. She ran through Brick's imperfections. "Now youd on't have to put up with his whining. 'I ordered this with ketchup. Not mayonnaise. What, do you want to give me a heart attack?"

This made them laugh, even Robin, who usually defended Brick against everything.

"I wish I were you right now," Robin said, giving Kayla a serious stare.

"Why?"

"Because you're happy and not nursing a broken heart."

"Second that," Cheyenne said. "You have no idea how lucky you are."

"Lucky? I broke up with Fred last week and trust me, it wasn't easy."

Cheyenne dug in her bag and pulled out her Walkman. "I'm not sure that I loved Ryan--and I'm still upset."

Kayla shrugged and slouched farther into the couch.

"It's not easy," Robin said. "And I need a coping mechanism."

Kayla took Psychology classes at a Community College after high school, so she knew that term well. She thought back to when she was seven and her tabby cat, Gypsy, ran away, her mother told her to make a coping list. When she got sad about Gypsy being gone, instead of dwelling on it, she played with the dog. Instead of laying her head in Gypsy's old cat bed and crying, she donated the bed to a pet charity. And when she saw a cat, she stayed away for a while, until she got over Gypsy, because playing with another cat would just make her cat even more.

Thinking of the coping list gave her an idea.

"Wait here a sec," she said and got up. She went into the den and rummaged through a few desk drawers searching for the candles Robin always stored. She wanted to help her friends with their heartbreak. It'd been so long since they were all together like this.

Their boyfriends took up all of their free time. In the last six months, Kayla had felt like they were all drifting apart. Maybe the breakups were a good thing. She wouldn't tell them that, but as she went back into the living room, she grew excited that maybe, just maybe, three breakups would create a whole new bond of friendship.

A rekindling of best friends.