It’s only worse.
Jace takes another drag and exhales.“You good?”
I don’t look at him.I’m fucking falling apart, and the worst part is I let it happen.I let her get in.
Jace flicks ash into an empty Coke can and watches me, waiting for me to crack.He senses something’s wrong.But I’m not going to give him the satisfaction of a confession, not when the truth sounds as fucking pathetic as I can’t stop thinking about this girl who bolted the second I pulled my cock out of her.I’d never hear the end of it, especially from him.
He yawns as if he’s bored.“Jesus, you’ve got that look.All fucked up over someone you’re not supposed to be fucked up over.”
I watch the smoke curl from the joint in his fingers.“Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”he smirks.“Say the thing we’re both thinking?”
“I didn’t come here for therapy.”
“Yeah, well, maybe you should’ve.You’ve been weird as shit ever since—”
“Drop it.”My tone silences him, mostly.
A long moment passes.The couch creaks under me as I shift, elbows on my knees, eyes fixed on the stain near my boot.I hate how much I want to talk about her.
I run my thumb along the edge of my jaw and settle back in my seat.“What’s the deal with you and Lola?”
He freezes.
Then he exhales a short laugh, dragging a hand over his mouth.“Is that a deflection, or do you actually give a shit?”
“I give a shit.”
“Since when?”
“Since you actually listen when she talks.That’s new.”
He raises his eyebrows.“Look at you, getting all observant.”
“Shut up and answer the fucking question.”
Jace tilts his head back, eyes on the ceiling.“She’s… I don’t know.Not what I expected.”
“You fucking her?”
“No.”
I wait.
He glances at me.“I mean, not yet.”
“But you want too?”
“Yeah, glasses or not, she’s a fucking babe.But it’s not just that.There’s something about her, man.It feels different.She makes me feel...fuck, I dunno.Like I’m not just some stoner fuck-up with a big mouth.”
I watch him for a second.The smug grin has disappeared.His tone is serious, perhaps the most serious I’ve ever heard from him.
“You really like her,” I say.
“Don’t make it a thing.”
“It’s already a thing, man.”
