“There’s a rule?”
“Yes, but none of us seem to follow it.”
“Okay, Clare, it’s your turn,” Marissa says after the conversation lulls because Amanda won’t give more besides promising there was no sex but she’ll update when it happens.
“Me?” I ask and point a finger at my chest because there are so many other Clares here, right? “Nothing major. The house down the street from us was broken into, but they didn’t take anything too valuable. Now Drew is on this kick we need secret knocks.”
“Interesting, but not what we’re looking for,” Aspen says. “How is the living with Grant situation going?”
The one question I did not want to answer today.
“He’s not as annoying as I thought he’d be. I try my best not talk to him. Does that make me crazy?”
An entire chorus of the four girls saying variations of “of course not,” is what I hear but I see Marissa give Aspen a look from the corner of her eye. Simone sees it too and mouths the word no to them.
“What?” I ask.
Simone continues to shake her head. “She’s not fully accepted us into her life as BFFs.”
“Yes, she did. We bonded at the spa.”
I sigh and try to brace myself for wherever this is going. You never know when dealing with an RDA girl. “Just tell me.”
“Well…” Marissa takes the lead and I’m even more worried. While I like her tell-it-like-it-is attitude, sometimes she forgets how to make a compliment sandwich and her helpful advice turns into a bunch of criticism piled into an ice cream cone of criticism. “Grant has been a total asshole. Total.”
“Total asshole,” Aspen chimes in.
“But…” Marissa continues. “Maybe your ongoing punishment is a little harsh.”
“What? I eat the lunch he packs for me every day.” What more do they want from me?
“We get why you broke up.” Simone leans across the space in between couches and puts her hand on my shoulder. “But maybe you give him a chance to explain.”
“I don’t want him to explain.” Sure I haven’t given Grant the chance, but I don’t want to hear any of his excuses. I want him to make the problem better. And since he can’t do that, I don’t know how everyone wants me to feel better. “So you think I’m crazy then?”
“Just a little bit.” Simone rubs my shoulder. “But we’ll still hate him with you. It’s a best friend rule. We pretended not to know Marissa had a huge crush on Ryland before they got together.”
“I did not have a crush on Ryland.” Marissa rolls her eyes. “I will kill him for you though. Grant I mean.”
Aspen rubs two fingers across her forehead. “You have to stop threatening to kill people in public.”
Marissa laughs. “I mean in Dragons Reborn.”
“I know that. Hopefully Clare knows that. But the nerds in the store don’t know that.”
“Like they get close enough to hear what we’re saying, Aspen. Anyway the offer still stands. I’m always willing to exact a little vengeance online. Give me the word.”
