The cherry on the joint burns orange as he takes another drag. “I like you; you’re…different…like me.”
Through the cloud of smoke, I study his perfect face. His petal-like lips, his intense dark eyes, his kissable neck.
Fuck it. What am I waiting for?
I lean over the console, gently grab the back of his neck. Put my lips on his and kiss him. His lips feel so good, but he doesn’t kiss me back, just sits there, still as a stone.
A nervous laugh chokes out of him. “Ummm…”
Absolutely mortified, I shrink away, slink back into my seat. I want to throw up. I want todie.
I cross my arms in front of my chest again, suddenly feeling naked. Dirty.Dumb.
“Hey, heeeey.” Luke’s voice grumbles across the console. “I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea. And Idolike you, Nellie, just—”
“Just not likethat?” I spit out. “I get it, heard it my whole life.”
“No, no, no, that’s not it.”
Huh?
A pair of fireflies dance right in front of his windshield. I know I’m stoned, but they look like they’re about to make out, just like I wanted to do with Luke ten seconds ago.
“Well, what is it, then?”
He fiddles with his visor, slides out a clove cigarette. Lightsit. Then passes it to me, lights himself another one.
“I’m seein’ someone.”
Huh.
“Someone, like, back in Dallas?”
He shakes his head.
“Here?” The word screeches out of me.
He nods. “But we’re kinda keeping it under wraps, like low-key.”
“Jane?” I ask.
Luke sighs, but shakes his head. “Nah, she’s a family friend. That’d be, like, weird…”
It’s Blair, then. It’s gotta be. The way she is around him, the way he is around her. And, of course, they have to keep it a secret—she’s Tommy’s girlfriend.
“Got it,” I say, cracking open the door, stepping out.
“Nellie, wait, you don’t have to—”
I pause, not wanting him to think I’m mad at him. Because I’m not. I’m mad atBlair. “What? It’s no big deal. But, like, I just wanna get outta here, ya know?” I say, trying to keep calm.
“We cool? Can we still be friends?”
I lean back into the car, lowering myself so that my not-fake perfect tits will swing in his face again. The tits he was obsessed with minutes ago by the river. I can beat Blair at this. Luke and I are soulmates; we are so fucking alike. He will grow tired of her stupid, silly bullshit.
Again, he stares at my chest, can’t take his eyes off it.
“You bet.” I wink at him, flash him a devilish smile, and shutthe door.
