“As many as you can handle.”
“Deal.”
“Wait, what are you doing over here all alone?” Ophelia grabs my hand. “Come stand with the rest of the alphabetical rejects, at the back.”
“I can’t.” I wave my cards in the air. “Valedictorian has to sit up on the stage.”
“Ugh, I forgot about that.” Odette groans. “God, I’m hungover. You missed a hell of an after-party. My date passed out on the front lawn. Didn’t even make it to the limo.”
“Charlie was sad to see you go, Josie.” Ophelia grins at me. “Thankfully, we found it in our hearts to comfort him.Twice.”
The twins high five.
I laugh. “I’m glad his night wasn’t entirely ruined because of me. It wasn’t exactly nice of me to bail on him. In the moment, I wasn’t really thinking clearly…”
“Mmm. Lust will do that to you.” Odette’s head tilts. “Speaking of… where is the man of the hour? I thought you two would be stuck together like glue after last night.”
I chew my bottom lip. “I’m actually not sure. I haven’t seen him since…”
“This morning?”
I shake my head. “Last night, actually. We fell asleep together, but when I woke up… he was gone.”
The twins trade a glance.
“What?” I ask nervously. “What was that look about?”
Ophelia reaches out and squeezes my arm. “It’s probably nothing.”
“Totally.” Odette strokes the other arm. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“You guys are bad liars.”
They trade another look.
“Tell me,” I plead.
“It’s… well…” Odette is avoiding my eyes. “It could be a bad sign that he left without a word. It could mean that, in his eyes, last night was nothing but a hookup. Just sex, no strings.”
“No,” I say instantly. “That’s not possible.”
Ophelia nods. “You’d know better than us, obviously. It’s only… when it comes to guys, we’ve had a lot of experience with being ghosted after giving them what they want.”
“A lot,” Odette agrees. “Like…a lot.Teenage boys can be pigs. As soon as you let them under your panties, they treat you like conquered territory. You’re picking out the names of your future children, meanwhile they’re…”
“On to the next girl,” Ophelia adds gently.
“No,” I whisper. “This isn’t like that. Archer isn’t like that.”
He loves me back.
I know he does.
“No matter how sweet he was to you last night… he’s still a guy. His brain is wired to want exactly one thing.” Ophelia grimaces. “Based on what you told us before… about how he’s been so crappy toward you lately…”
“And how he screwed Sienna at that party…”
“And how he’s never returned your feelings before…”