God. I should be much more disturbed by that sentence than I actually am.
Now I’m back in class, doing my best to focus on the professor’s lecture.
Then my phone buzzes.
Kolter: Hey, Peaches. What are you doing tonight?
A smile touches my face, and I sense Cassi’s eyes on me before she attempts to read the screen. I quickly tilt the phone away from her and tap out my reply.
Me: Just going to work on a paper. What’s up?
Kolter: Work on it later. I’m taking you out. Be ready by seven.
Excitement fills me, and I have a hard time not bouncing in my seat as I text him back. Arianna and Cassi both notice my uptick in mood, and I can feel them staring at me like they’re waiting for me to elaborate. It’s too soon, though, right? I mean, they both have a lot on their plate, and… I don’t want them to judge me. Especially Cassi. She’d have every right to, considering how I treated her, and that guilt is still eating away at me.
When the professor signals that class is over, everyone begins packing up, and I do the same—until I realize that Cassi and Arianna haven’t moved. I lift my gaze from the desk to find them staring at me like they’re waiting for something.
“What?” I ask.
Arianna smiles. “Oh, she’s gonna play it like that, Cass.”
“Like what?” I question.
“Like you didn’t just spend the last few minutes giggling and squirming in your seat as you texted—” Cassi pauses, leaning over to look at my phone.
I quickly lock the screen, and she lifts an eyebrow as if to make her point.
“It’s nothing,” I say, but I can feel a deep flush settling into my cheeks.
“Bull-fucking-shit,” Cassi retorts. “Come on, out with it.”
I shake my head and stand, hoping I can just run away and they’ll drop it. But who do I think I’m talking about here? My best friends chase after me, hot on my heels as they begin throwing out questions.
“Is it someone we know?”
“Is it someone we don’t know?”
“Is it your mystery hookup from the club?”
“Just tell us something!”
“Yeah, you’ve been so distant for weeks now.”
“Okay!” I snap, turning sharply on my heel to face them.
We’re in the middle of the quad, other students rushing past us like a river around a boulder.
“I’m… seeing someone. It’s new, and I’m not sure what will come of it, if anything, and I’m slightly nervous about being judged because you guys would have every right to, especially you,” I say to Cassi.
“Why? You don’t have a sister, so you can’t steal her boyfriend,” Cassi teases.
I rake my fingers through my hair. “It’s complicated, and I… when I feel like I can tell you guys, I will. Is that okay?”
They both look at one another before Arianna gives me a soft nod.
“Of course it is, but, out of anyone, who are we to judge? I’m literally dating and living with my ex-stepdad.”
“And I’m with my sister’s ex-boyfriend,” Cassi says.