Jillie cuts me a look.
“It was at a party and I’d had enough to drink that I said, yeah.”
“So, you just went and fucked her.”
“Hey, she asked. It wasn’t crude or just a quick bang. I treated her good. After it was done, she thanked me. Then she started clinging. I think she does it to avoid other guys hitting on her or asking her out. I don’t think she’s really ever dealt with the whole thing very well,” I add.
Jillie blows out a breath and plops down next to me on the bed. “Well. That explains it. It’s all kinds of fucked up. I swear, when I found out I’d be living with Aunt Ruthie in Shell Beach, Californ-i-ay, this is the type of thing I imagined. Like, soap opera drama.”
I don’t even know what to say to her. I did what I did for a friend who needed me. Would I do the same now? Hell no. But now I have Jillie and back then I was going solo.
“Did you keep banging her, or what?” Jillie asks.
“No. Just that one time.”
“But she made it seem—” she stops herself, then her eyes widen. “Oh, I see. Clever. Devious. I trust her about as far as I can throw her.”
“I feel the same… now. Back then it was different. We were young, our families were close—”
“Were?” she asks.
“Yeah. Kinda drifted when her dad got that big case.”
“Yeah, I can see that. I can see where Ella gets it.”
She doesn’t say anything for a while, just stares at nothing. It makes me nervous, anxious, worried.
“Are we okay?” I ask, genuinely afraid she’s going to say no.
She looks at me. “What you did, I can’t believe you’d do that for someone. It says a lot about your character that you’d help her out like that. The lying to the parents, covering the truth, it sucks, but I get that too. But this clinging? That has to stop like two weeks ago.”
“We’re okay?”
She rolls her eyes. “Yeah, we’re okay. I get it. I wouldn’t do it, but I get why you did. Just so long as she keeps her distance, we’re all good. But I still don’t like her.”
I chuckle. “This I know.”
“That’s not going to change.”
I nod. “I never expected it to.”
“Good. So long as we’re clear,” she tells me as she snuggles against me again.
“We’re clear, baby. I don’t want anyone touching me but you.”
“Samesies,” she tells me, her eyes drooping. I wonder how long it’s been since she’s really slept.
I reposition us to where we’re lying down again.
“I’m really glad you’re here, Leo,” she whispers sleepily.
“Me too, baby. Me too.”
I just hate that I have to leave tomorrow.
