“Um, I do not know that. What have you been doing with Jamison? Y’all have been off and on for like two years.”
I groan. “That’s different. You know it’s… complicated between us.”
Kiana goes quiet, which she hardly ever does.
“What?” I say.
“Do you want me to be fucking for real with you?”
I gulp. Kiana is honest and direct. It’s something I love about her, but it’s always a little disarming when it’s aimed at me.
I nod. “Always.”
“I think someone like Juniper could be really good for you. Maybe stay open to it being more than friends. I mean, I haven’t met her yet, but she seems nice. Maybe wait and see if there’s a vibe?”
I roll my eyes. “I promise you there is no ‘vibe.’ I mean, I can tell she’s attractive, but she’s not my type at all. This is about money, plus I doubt she even thinks of me like that either.”
“She might. She was pretty quick to jump into this little arrangement with you—maybe she’s been had a crush.”
“Stop playin’. She barely knows me. All I know about her is that she’s trying to do some epic camping trip over the summer, so she needs some extra cash too—”
“Like camping in a cabin, with running water and electricity?” Kiana interrupts.
“I’m not sure. All she said was camping, and I tuned out. You know me, I don’t do nature and the outside like that at all.”
Kiana raises her eyebrows at me but does not argue any further.
“Anyway,” she continues, “you know I love you and Jamison—as individuals—but as a couple, y’all are a mess. It might be good to let that all go.”
I get a little flash of anger when she says this. Kiana has never understood what Jamison and I have. It’s not toxic, it’s just dramatic. But I shrug it off because Jamison is not the point here. Making it seem like Juniper and I are really a thing online is the point. Making money for cosmetology school is the point. I have to stay focused.
“Whatever,” I say as we walk toward class. “Tomorrow night, we’re shooting some content at the skating rink downtown.”
“I’m sorry.” Kiana stops walking in mock offense. “I’ve been trying to get you to come ice-skating downtown since we met, and you’re telling me you have an ice-skating date tomorrow, with Juniper? Stab to the heart.”
“It’s not a date! I mean, it will look like a date from my BeautyStarz post, but I repeat—we’re just friends.”
“Do you even know how to ice-skate?” Kiana continues, starting to walk again.
“I mean, no, but, like, how hard can it be?”
“Oh, girl.” Kiana shakes her head and laughs. “Your butt is about to get a bruising.”
“It won’t be that bad.”
“Um, yes, it will. But it will be cute content or whatever. Juniper can help hold you up and maybe you’ll get hot chocolate, and oh! It might snow again tomorrow, so maybe it will be all winter and fairy-light magic. Lyric, you’re going on, like, a holiday date!”
“Ew, no. Stop. I repeat: It’s afake date. Please, Kiana, don’t make this a thing. I promised Juniper she could choose our first hangout spot, so this was her pick. And at least it’s a small man-made ice rinkand not a dangerous lake. I think I can handle it. I’ll pick the next date location and it will for sure be inside.”
“You just said ‘next date’!” Kiana practically squeals.
“Arrgh! You know what I mean. Calm yourself, woman,” I say as we slide into our seats.
“Oh, I absolutely will not,” Kiana says with a grin. “This is amajordevelopment—fake or not. I will be expecting all the tea immediately after your ‘non-date date’ tomorrow.”
CHAPTER 8Juniper
SONG OF THE DAY:
