Olivia smiles. “I once dated a guy named Belgium.”
“That wasn’t his real name,” Charlie interrupts. “Anyway, the boys here are okay. Wetoleratethem. Well, besides Rose.”
Charlie winks at me, and I can feel my face get hot.Please don’t say his name. Please don’t say his name.
“What’s up with you?” Juliet asks me.
“Nothing,” I say. I glare at Charlie and search for her leg under the table.
“She’s dating the best guy in school,” Charlie says, unfazed. “It’s totally unfair. He’s, like, the only good one.”
“Hey!” Olivia interjects.
“Oh, please.” Charlie rolls her eyes. “Ben is my brother. It’s well within my rights to call him an ass.”
“So far I’ve only seen one who I think is pretty hot,” Juliet says.
“Yeah?” Charlie says, leaning over me. “Len?” She looks at Olivia and winks.
Juliet shrugs. “Dunno his name. We didn’t meet. Cute,though. Blue T-shirt, khaki shorts. Great body. Totally my type.”
I swallow. Hard.
Rob has on a blue T-shirt today. Rob is also wearing khaki shorts. Is it possible she wouldn’t recognize him after all these years?
Charlie clearly hasn’t caught on, because she mumbles something about pointing him out. “You’re pretty,” she says, looking Juliet over, “and boys at this school are idiots. I know it’s all a dumb game, but if you’re interested, you’ll do just fine.”
Charlie has a rule about new friends. It’s really simple: She doesn’t make them. Not good ones, anyway. She says loyalty is hard to come by, and once you find it, you hold on to it. She doesn’t trust new people. It took her almost a year to get to the point where she really let Olivia in. I know Charlie isn’t being incredibly welcoming to Juliet, but I’m impressed she’s being this nice.
“Are you coming to the dance tomorrow?” Olivia asks.
Juliet looks up from her sandwich. “I didn’t know there was one.”
Olivia nods enthusiastically. “Fall Back. We plan it. We’re on the social committee.”
“Wearethe social committee,” Charlie corrects. I can tell she’s wishing Olivia would stop talking. We can both see where this is going.
“We’ve decided not to bring dates, though,” Olivia says.
“Why?” Juliet looks put off, but it’s hard to tell if that’s just her permanent face. Everything seems like it mildly offends her.
“We’re spending some girl time?” Olivia looks at Charlie to clarify. Charlie just rolls her eyes. “Anyway,” Olivia says, “you’re welcome to come with us.”
“Thanks.” Juliet glances at Taylor Simsburg as he passes. Olivia notices and opens her mouth to object, or something, but Charlie pipes up first.
“Here come the Three Musketeers now,” she says.
Ben, Jake, and Rob are headed our way. Jake is wearing a baseball cap, so I know immediately he will be fighting with Charlie. They’re illegal on school grounds, and Charlie is constantly saying things like “Why don’t you get in trouble for something worthwhile?”
Rob, as I thought, is wearing a blue T-shirt and khaki shorts, and the second he comes into view, Juliet squeals, “That’s him!” It’s the most animated I’ve seen her get about anything all day. Italy included.
“Who?” Charlie says. She’s already accusing. There is no good option out of the three.
“Blue T-shirt,” Juliet says, clearly not catching on to Charlie’s tone. She pulls a tube of lip gloss out of her Tod’s purse. I put my sandwich down. All of a sudden I feel like I’m going to lose my lunch.
Charlie opens her mouth wide and looks at me, but by the time she is ready to say something, the boys are already at the table. Juliet is delicately blotting the edges of her mouth with a napkin. I wonder what her power move is. Whatever it is, I have a feeling I’m about to see it.
Thankfully, Rob comes over and stands directly behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders. I lean my head back on his stomach and close my eyes, briefly. It’s the most forward I’ve been with him in public, but I want to do something to show Juliet that he’s taken. That he’s mine.
