“Not thatyou’rea loser,” she adds quickly.
“Sure.”
Does Jay think I’m a loser for needing to be set up? I didn’t think I’d care about what this faceless guy thought, but I’m about to go on adatewith him, the first one in years, and I don’t want him thinking I’m some weirdo who can’t get a date on her own, even though that’sexactlywhat I am.
Oh, God. DoesEmmettthink I’m a loser? Is that why he’s never been interested in me romantically? Not that it matters. I can’t be with Emmett anyway, and the sooner I get over him, the better. But I wonder if Jay has Emmett’s sweet smile, or his kind eyes, or his floppy, curly hair.
“You’renota loser. I’m just glad you’re finally putting yourself out there! Stepping outside your comfort zone! Meeting new people! Exploring the—”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it.” I cut her off with a laugh. “Should we make a code word that I can text you in case the date is going horribly and I need to be bailed out?”
“I have a hairy possum.”
“What?”
“That’s the code. ‘I have a hairy possum.’”
I laugh. “You came up with thatsuperquick.”
She shrugs, scratching the side of her shaved head. “There’s no way that would come up in a normal conversation, so we couldn’t misconstrue it for something else. But don’t worry about your date, it’ll be great, just like mine and Daph’s.”
My phone chimes. It’s a message from an unsaved number.
This is Jay, Kalani sent me your number and told me to check that you didn’t suddenly come down with the flu.
I laugh out loud. “You guys really have no faith in me.” I show her the text.
This is technically my out. I have his number now. I know he’s joking about me getting the flu, but it would beso easyto message him back and say,Yes, I have the flu, forever, and cannot meet you, ever. Emi’s glaring at me like she can read my thoughts, then she snatches my phone from my hand.
“Ha ha, very funny!” Emi says aloud as she types. “See you soon! Looking forward to it! I haven’t gotten laid in forever so I can’t wait to fuc—”
“Emi!” I rip my phone from her hands as she collapses backward on the bed in fits of laughter. Kevin sighs and scoots further away from Emi as she jostles the bed.
Emi didn’t send all that.Ha ha, very funny. See you soonis all she sent.
“You should see your face,” Emi says, wrapping an arm around Kevin, who struggles to get out of her grasp before settling on the opposite side of the mattress. “Why doesn’t Kevin ever let me cuddle her?”
“Because she knows you’re mean to me, and you can’t bribe her with chocolate.”
“I am not mean to you.” Emi rolls her eyes and leaves the bed to dig through my closet. She pulls out a tight, baby-pink short skirt and a white crop top. “Now put this on. I want you to look like slutty Carina, and right now you’re looking more like granny Carina.”
She throws the clothes at me, and they hit me right in the face.
“Fine,” I grumble, grabbing new underwear to match. “But only because I was going to pick this outfit anyway.” I was going to wear jean shorts. I guess I’m not supposed to dress casual.
“Perfect. Hurry now! We can’t be late!”
“I’m going, I’m going,” I tell her, closing the bathroom door and turning on the shower.
It won’t be that bad. Emi and Kalani are both excited about this, and who better to pick someone out for me than my two best friends? This is a good thing. Maybe it will be the start of a beautiful relationship? Maybe I can finally stop obsessing over Emmett, and maybe I won’t be the forever fifth wheel.
Five
I forgot to bring a jacket. It’s late May, which means it’s spring, but that doesn’t mean shit when you live in Canada and it can snow in May at the drop of a hat. We’ve been having a warm season, but the temperature drops at night, and today is no exception. The skirt, crop top, and wedges are doing very little to keep me warm as I dash through Murphey’s parking lot and into the heated restaurant.
“Reservation under Jalen,” I tell the hostess when she greets me.
“Right this way,” she says, leading me through the restaurant.