I tense up, catching Lunar doing the same beside me while Danger and Ria nod along, absorbed in Oliver’s breakdown of the music video details. But my mind isn’t absorbing a word, too focused on the thought of watching Danger with Ria. The whole thing is messing with my head, making it impossible to concentrate. And with Ria pointedly ignoring me, a heavy feeling settles over me—I’m pretty damn sure I’ve ruined our friendship. Any doubts I had before? Gone. I’ve fucked this up, and the reality is sinking in fast.
“Okay, I think that’s it. If there’s anything else that comes up, we’ll call you, Zaria,” Oliver says, and somehow I catch what he said. And that’s when I realize I’ve spent the entire meeting zoned out, imagining what positions Ria and Danger are going to be in and wondering how the fuck I managed to ruin everything.
I want to talk to her, but everyone is here.
So I figure I have to let it go and speak with her another time as we all stand and mingle around the boardroom. Unable to handle her blatantly ignoring me, I walk out of the boardroom and across to the kitchen alone. I’m miserable and back to feeling inferior and not good enough when a hand touches my shoulder. I jump slightly and turn to see Ria frowning. She pulls me to the corner and into the pantry so no one can see us.
“Are you ashamed to be seen with me?” I ask blatantly.
She furrows her brows and flicks her eyes in what appears like actual shock. “What? No!”
“Then why are you avoiding me, and why are we hiding in a cupboard?”
She exhales. “Shit! I’ve done this all wrong. I thought… well, I didn’t know if you had told the others we were seeing each other outside of here.”
“We’re seeing each other?”
She opens her eyes wide. “Shit! No… I mean, me teaching you how to read. I didn’t think you’d want them to know that.”
“I don’t.”
“That’s why I was being that way. I didn’t want to make up some sort of false excuses as to why we’ve been hanging out.”
“Couldn’t we just say we’re friends?”
She tilts her head and harumphs. “Yeah… I guess we could.”
“Or not. If you’re ashamed of associating with me, just fucking say it. Because for the life of me, I can’t think of any other reason you would avoid me like that. And believe me, I get it.”
Her eyes mist over as her expression falls. A look of hurt covers her face, and her entire body sags. Without a word, she reaches out and pulls me to her in a tight embrace. “Jesus, Nate. No! I thought I was doing the right thing by keeping your secret. I was so concerned about that, I didn’t even think to reveal our friendship.”
“Is it because the kiss ruined things between us?” I question as we pull apart.
She swallows hard. “No, it confused me for a bit, but we’re still friends. A little blip like that won’t stop ourfriendship.” She emphasizes the wordfriendship,and I can’t hide my disappointment.
If she notices, she doesn’t say anything.
Trying to cover my reaction quickly, I ask, “So when can I come over again?”
“Tonight?” She smiles.
“Yeah, sure. I feel like I’ve learned more with you than I have with any of my past tutors.”
She grins overly broad. “I’m glad. Come by when you’re ready.”
“Okay.”
She leans in, hugging me once more, then turns, quickly leaving me in the cupboard like a dirty little secret. I shake my head, wondering what the fuck just happened as I clear my throat and step out to see Matt standing there smirking.
“What?” I ask.
“Zaria just came out of there.”
I shrug. “So what?”
Matt chuckles and nods. “Okay, keep your fling to yourself.”
“Nothing is going on—”
