Page 12 of Make Me Laugh

I stare at the phone, unsure what to do next. It’s been so long since anyone has shown interest in me. Me. Jo.

Not Hex.

And listen, I’m not one of those girls who thinks it’s because they’re not good looking. I have my flaws but thinking I’m unattractive isn’t one of them.

No one has shown interest because I haven’t let them—I haven’t put myself out there since Dylan, choosing to sink all my time into the new job I’d taken instead of putting myself out there to have my heart ripped from my chest again.

I’m the elder emo covered in tattoos. My left arm is a full book-themed sleeve, and my right is covered with patch style artwork from a female artist here in Boston. My right leg is mostly full with only a few places left to fill in, and I’ve already started working on most of my left leg. I keep my hair it’s natural dark color, but right now I have bleach blonde pieces framing my face in loose waves. I’m wearing silver rings on almost every finger with a few of my favorite dainty bracelets and necklaces stacked in delicate layers.

My nose is pierced in two places on the right side with hoops I never take out, and I have a small septum ring flipped up and hidden for the sake of tonight’s outfit. I turned an oversized band T-shirt into a dress, threw on a pair of fishnets, tall socks, and finished with my favorite, well-worn black Doc Martens.

I know my style attracts a certain type of person.

West Parker isn’t that type of person.

I feel Frankie pause beside me, throwing her purse over her shoulder. “You’re not the only one who needs this.” The sadness in her voice breaks whatever bit of annoyance I might have been holding onto. I look down at her, still taller than my barely five-foot best friend, even in her go-gos. Her hazel eyes are dark in the bar’s lighting, missing the glow I’m used to seeing in them. “I’m a little lost right now too.”

Frankie is a musician with a record deal who recently came off her latest tour to a relationship that’s going nowhere and a label who’s ready to overhaul her entire image to fit the ever-changing music industry.

Her last tour didn’t sell the way it should have—to no fault of Frankie’s! I will die on that hill.

Her team is failing her.

Frankie needs a distraction probably more than I do.

“We can find ourselves on Monday.” I didn’t realize my phone was still lit up in my hand until I hit West’s location and let Maps lead us in the direction of our well-deserved distraction.

CHAPTER FIVE

THE ONE WITH THE BROODY BRIT

WestParkerComedy: Boston, you put me under your spell tonight. I’ll see you again soon. Promise

Comment: Tell us her at @WestParkerComedy don’t be shy!

“Are you going to sit here on your phone all night, or are you going to come hang out since you were the one who was so adamant about not leaving tonight?” Enzo’s voice drags my gaze away from my phone, the sound of the dance club our friends picked for our outing tonight returning.

“Yeah, sorry.” I lock the screen, watching as it goes black.

I can’t sit here and fixate on the fact that I never made Joey laugh.

“Is this because of that girl from the show?” he asks, raising a brow.

That girl from the show, who I instantly stalked on social media as soon as my set was over.

“Her name’s Jo,” I correct too abruptly.

Online she’s known as Hex, with no information to corroborate if her name is actually Jo or not, and she seems to be the internet’s favorite account to get dark and spooky book recommendations from. I don’t need any more proof that she’s actually the woman behind the mask though. I’d remember her green eyes anywhere.

Blue used to be my go-to, but it’s second to the color of Joey’s eyes now.

Enzo puffs a laugh through his nose, uncrossing his heavily tattooed arms. “What’s gotten into you?”

Enzo and I met my freshman year of college at The University of Michigan, where he was still living in the dorms as a junior with very little money as a student athlete on scholarship. He played lacrosse, and I made fun of him for playing grass-hockey. We’ve been best friends ever since.

After finishing his undergrad, he moved back to the U.K to intern for a tech company while getting his masters, and then I followed about a year later. London became my home after the injury, giving me a place to start something new—to become a person outside the life I thought I’d live.

Enzo knows me better than I know myself sometimes.