“I actually made them for Brian, but he left them in the kitchen without even looking at them,” complained Ari.
They were so tiny that I could eat the first one in one bite. I wanted another. But the other girls didn’t seem interested in eating. Poppy sat on the bed painting her nails as Amelia roamed around looking for a bobby pin. She ended up putting her hair in a bun and positioned herself in the middle of the room.
“Okay, cut the bullshit. I called you here to talk about a very specific subject,” she thundered solemnly. “James.”
“Who gives a shit about James? Did it go well with William?” Ari interrupted, turning to me.
I’d just taken a bite into another cupcake. “Yeah,” I replied laconically, after I finished chewing. But she wasn’t happy with my short answer.
“And?”
Amelia stretched her arms out, waiting. They clearly wanted details.
“Did you kiss?” pressed Ari.
“Was it a peck, tongue, did you get a hickey?” inquired Poppy, piggybacking off Ari.
I looked at her confused while Amelia motioned for her to drop it.
“Um, I think we were about to kiss. But then James—”
I didn’t need to say any more. The girls exchanged knowing looks.
“He had to spend the night hovering over William, didn’t he?” asked Amelia.
I nodded dejectedly. “We had to pick him up at this awful place. But he said he wanted to see me again. William, I mean.”
Their worried expressions changed, and I could’ve sworn that I saw a glint of happiness in them.
“Someone’s into our June,” commented Ari, putting a bit of lip balm on. Her tone was cryptic. A minute ago she seemed enthusiastic; now she seemed almost bored. Meanwhile, I wiped my lips with the back of my hand, which was anything but ladylike.
“But I don’t know if William’s actually interested in me.” I groaned.
They ignored that part. Amelia went back to her initial question.
“James. Tell me about him, where’d he take you?”
“We went somewhere awful, I don’t know what it was called. Someone beat him up. Didn’t you see how roughed up he was at school today?”
She started biting her nail as her expression became increasingly concerned.
“He definitely owes someone money,” Poppy said.
“I don’t think James would get into a fight over money. Knowing how vain he is, there has to be another reason,” countered Amelia.
“What if . . .” Poppy began.
Judging by Ari’s glare, Poppy was about to go down a slippery slope.
“So do you want to go out with Will again or not?” Amelia changed the subject, catching my attention again.
“Yeah.”
Why wouldn’t I?
“They didn’t wanna tell me anything,” I added, going back to James. “But I got the impression that James got involved with some sketchy people. Of course, it’s all rumors, right?” I asked a bit apprehensively.
I wanted them to spill the tea. Should I really be afraid of someone like that?
