“Can you guys please calm down? I’m going to go deaf here.”
Olivia keeps repeating, “Oh my God, oh my God,” until Charlie sends her a look in the rearview and she shuts up.
“Was it good?” Charlie asks.
“Sure.” I’m blushing, and I turn away. When I used to tell them about kissing Jason, it was always just sort of situational. “We were at this party” or “He tried to suck my neck.” (True, by the way. It was awful.) We’ve never talked about whether I liked it or not. Or how it felt.
“?‘Sure’?” Charlie slides her sunglasses up on her head and gives me a look like she’s never been so disappointed in her life.
“It’sRob,” I say.
“We know,” Olivia says. “But that doesn’t really answer the question.”
“It was good, okay?” I hike my knees up against the dashboard and keep my eyes fixed ahead. “It was amazing.”
“I knew it!” Olivia squeals.
“Well, obviously,” Charlie says. “I mean, it’s Rob. Clearly it would be.”
“I amsointo this,” Olivia says.
“Yeah,” I say. “I know, but I’m just kind of worried.” About amillion things. Like does this mean we are together? Should I ask him? Is he going to kiss me this morning? Has he told his friends?
“Clearly he likes you,” Olivia says. “What is there to be concerned about?”
“He’s my best friend.” It comes out harsher than I mean it to, and immediately I feel Olivia sit back and Charlie glare at me. “You know what I mean,” I say. “My bestguyfriend. My oldest friend.”
“The best romances totally develop out of friendship,” Olivia says.
“Okay, Hallmark.”
“It’s true,” Charlie says. “I mean, look at Jake and me. We can’t stand each other, and we’re definitely not friends. God, Jake.” She pummels the back of her hand against the steering wheel.
“Things not good this a.m.?” I ask.
“No,” she says, “he just doesn’t care.” She nods and her sunglasses flip back down onto her face.
“What happened?” Olivia asks. She leans her elbows on the center console and gives me a wide smile. There’s a piece of blueberry in her third tooth, and I point to it.
“I don’t know,” Charlie says as Olivia pulls out a compact and starts attacking her mouth with her pinkie finger. “He’s so hot and cold sometimes.”
“Trust me, I know,” Olivia says. I turn around and give her a pointed look. The last thing Charlie wants to hear is some boyfriend-bashing on her brother.
“Sorry,” she mouths, her finger still in her mouth.
“I have an idea,” Charlie says, glancing out the window and making a right.
“Hmm?” I mumble.
“Why don’t we go to Fall Back together, just the three of us?”
“What do you mean?” Olivia asks. There is a tiny bit of drool down her face, and she flicks the back of her hand across her mouth.
“I mean, why don’t we go without the guys?” Charlie swings into upper and lays on the horn. Some freshmen scatter. It’s completely illegal to honk on school premises. Not that this has ever stopped her.
“I kind of wanted to go with Ben,” Olivia says. She sticks out her lower lip, but Charlie doesn’t turn around. “Rose, don’t you want to go with Rob?”
“Yeah, sure, but it’s not like he won’t be there. Plus, we’re gonna have to go early to set up.”
