Chapter 14
I wake on Sunday morning to an email from Miles asking if we can reschedule, saying he’ll be out this way in two weeks if I’m available. I immediately feel sick about it when I think of the shoebox shrine for me in his closet. If we uncovered anything last night, it’s that Miles is undoubtedly obsessed with me. Whether or not he’s a murderer is still yet to be determined.
I get a text from Annica this morning saying we’re having a mandatory weekend debrief at eleven at the Bean. It’s 10:50. I pull on a sweater and lounge pants, brush my teeth, and leave for the cafe. Both of them are already in our usual spot when I arrive. I barely have time to sit down with my coffee when Annica begins to interrogate me.
She cocks her head to the side when I sit and asks, “Where were you all day yesterday?”
Her accusatory tone catches me off guard, but I look her in the eyes to lie to her face nonetheless. “I was up at Ivy Gate visiting Ty. I told you guys that yesterday.” I sneak a glance over at Dani but she looks down at her coffee.
“Well, Ty posted that she was in New York City this weekendwith her mom. So what is the real reason you bailed on my birthday dinner?” Annica asks.
I didn’t even think to check with Ty about what she was really doing. I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. The two of them have no idea about the journal pages or Miles or the fact that I’m running around playing detective with Asher. But I know what I have to say.
“Fine, I was in Boston,” I say. “With Asher.”
Annica looks as though I slapped her. “With Asher?” Her eyes narrow at me like she still doesn’t believe me.
“Yeah.” I shrug, playing it off like it’s no big deal. “If you don’t believe me just ask him.”
“Wait, so are you two, like, a thing now?” Dani asks.
“You blew off my birthday dinner forAsher?” Annica says again.
I realize if I have to lie, then I might as well go with the one we were already planning on telling. I just didn’t think we’d get here so soon.
“We had it planned already; I just didn’t tell you guys because... I was embarrassed.” I think it’ll earn me pity to say it and make her less pissed about me bailing, but it doesn’t.
Annica shakes her head. “You should be.” Dani smacks her arm. “What?”
“I think Sloane can like whoever she likes!” Dani smiles. “Maybe Asher is nice to her.”
Hardly, I want to say.
“It was nothing serious, really. Just two friends out on a day trip to the city.”
Dani smirks. “So like a date?”
“No,” I say quickly. “Not a date. We’re just, you know, feeling it out.” It’s gross to even say it. Now that the buzz of last night has long worn off, I don’t want tofeelanything out with him.
“Have you guys...?” Dani wags her eyebrows at me.
I have to stop myself from saying “ew”before I answer with “No.” But the question makes me think of the two of us in the trunk, and what he suggested in the dim light of Miles’s empty town house.
“Well, when you do, let us know how it is—I’m curious.”
Annica nearly gags. “Ugh, Danielle, gross.”
“What? I’ve heard good things!” Dani says, and I almost want to ask her what she’s heard exactly but Annica speaks first.
“I just hope you know what you’re doing.” Annica sighs. “This could get messy. It could potentially—”
“Ruin the friend group?” I finish for her. “Do you really think after this long the guys would abandon all of us over a relationship gone bad?”
“Well, let’s not test it out.” She gives me a look that means business. “Anyways, Pembroke’s Halloween weekend is in two weeks so how about less feeling out Asher and more feeling out our costumes. Sloane, maybe you should go as a lobotomy patient, since you clearly need one.”
I only sigh.
By the time we leave the Bean we’ve decided to be the girls from the nineties movieClueless. I had to fight Annica to be Cher; it made sense since I’m the blonde here. She caved, saying she’s only doing it because she feels bad that I have to put up with Asher.
