Noah Barbanel stood before me looking like he’d strolled off a magazine photo shoot in dark jeans and a gray shirt. Why were his clothes always so perfectly fitted? Was this what obscenely expensive clothes did for you?
He frowned. “You look pale.”
Here I was, thinking about his gorgeousness, and he thought I looked sickly. “I’m fine.”
“I saw you talking...” He hesitated. “Did that guy say anything?”
“What? No. Why?”
He studied me a long moment. “You look unhappy.”
I pushed out a puff of air. “I’m not unhappy. I’m just—not sure I’m great at parties. It’s fine, I’m just going to go home.” I opened my ride share app. “You’vegotto be kidding.”
“What?”
“These prices are ridiculous.” I shook my head. “Whatever. I’ll walk.”
“Walk? You’re on the other side of the island!”
“Right, which would be a bigger deal if it wasn’t such a tiny island. It’s only an hour.”
“It’s two in the morning.”
“So?”
“Do you have a friend headed out with you?”
Oh.I got it. “Just so you know, I don’t believe in chivalry. I’ll be fine.”
“I’m not trying to be chivalrous.” He looked almost aggravated. “An hour walk. At two in the morning. After you’ve had a few drinks in a place you don’t know.”
“I don’t need you to take care of me, Noah Barbanel.”
“I’ll walk you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I’ll walk you,” he said again, more determinedly.
My temper flared. “Maybe I don’t want you to walk me! Maybe I’m sick of boys!”
“Fine.” He pressed his lips together. “I’ll call my cousin. She can drive you.”
“No!” This boy. “Fine! Walk me! See if I care.”
“Good.”
It took me a few minutes to find Jane, who potentially had had a more successful hookup than me, given her shirt was inside out and she was smiling widely.
“Hey. I’m going to head out.”
“You sure?” She looked reluctantly over her shoulder at a boy waiting several feet away. “Want me to come with?”
“Nah, Noah’s going to walk me.”
“What? Where?” Her eyes widened. “Did you hook up withNoah Barbanel?”
“No! Jane! Shh!” I looked frantically behind me. Noah was politely pretending he couldn’t hear.
