“Wait… You and Robert? Does Becka know?”
“Not my?—”
“Story to tell, yeah, yeah.” I roll my eyes.
“Exactly. But I can confirm she was present for it. I won’t say any more out of respect for their privacy.”
“I’ll have to ask her about it after the next book club meeting.”
“Actually, lemme just text her now so she knows you know.” He pulls out his phone as his fingers rapid-fire across the screen.
“So you’re like secret friends with everyone, aren’t you?”
He mimes locking his lips with a key when there’s a knock at the door.
“Please tell me that’s not?—”
He shakes his head, cutting me off as he gets off the couch and walks to the door. “It’s not him, it’s just”—he opens the door—“your annoying little sister.”
“Fuck you, Alyx. There is nothing little about me.” Ella rushes over to me, her big personality filling the space as she plops down into my lap, wrapping her arms around me.
“Lovely, as always.” Alyx rolls his eyes. “And I was referring to your age.”
“Then you should have said younger, not little. And I’m almost nineteen now, so you can stop treating me like a baby.”
“Stop acting like one, and maybe I’ll stop treating you like one,” Alyx volleys back at her.
“What are you doing here?”
“I texted her. I figured I’d let you two catch up. I knew you’d need your support system right now.”
“Thanks,” I say, offering him a smile.
“I’m gonna get outta your hair, let you two talk,” he says, heading to his room.
“Use a condom!” Ella calls out after him.
Without turning around, Alyx pauses in the doorway, holding up a middle finger.
“You’re gonna need more fingers than that if you ever want to make anyone come,” Ella barks back.
Alyx grips the doorframe, his biceps popping as a small smirk lights up his face. I swat at Ella’s thigh as Alyx disappears, closing the door behind him.
“Still not able to finish what you started, I see,” Ella yells at his closed door.
There’s a thud against the door in response and then silence before I turn to her as she scoots off my lap sitting next to me. “He’s a really good friend. I know you two get on eachother’s nerves, but besides you, he’s the only person that’s been there for me.”
“And I love that for you, but any day that I don’t have to see his face is a good one as far as I’m concerned.” Ella’s arms are crossed as she continues to glare at his closed door. I’m not sure if she’s waiting for him to reenter the room or if she’s placing a silent curse on him. I clear my throat, drawing her focus back to me.
“Sorry, I just don’t know if I’ll ever get over how he treated me when we were kids, and every time I see him, I want to throat-punch him. But he did text me to come saying you and John were having issues. How can I help? Are we making voodoo dolls tonight?” She crosses her legs, facing me on the couch as she rubs her hands together. “I know who I’d like to make one for.” Her eyes snap to Alyx’s room.
“Seriously, what happened when you were kids that you’re not telling me? I remember you following him and Ethan around all the time and then suddenly you stopped.” I point over my shoulder in Alyx’s direction, lowering my voice. “And he’s never said an unkind word about you, so I’m kinda confused why you hate him so much.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” she yells, and seconds later Alyx’s head pops out of his door.
“You just tell her the part where he’s married?” Alyx asks, looking at me.
“What the actual fuck is happening right now?” Ella shouts.
