“Oh ... I know how to eat cake and lick that frosting like you wouldn’t believe.” I wink and give her atighthug.
“You’re gross. I was seriously talking about cake,” she tells me, before shaking herself out of my grip. “Okay, so what are you going to do aboutSterling?”
“I think I need to be honest with him. I don’t want to give him false hope when I’m having the best sex ofmylife.”
“But ... is there more to Liam than sex?” she asks. “Like, what if Sterling is just as good in bed, but there’s more to him, and not sowithLiam?”
“Are you trying to help me or confuse me?” I’m trying to help you, girly, but you need to focus on the here and now. Plus, you need to make the right choice, and to do that you have to look at the bigpicture.”
“I have feelings for Liam ... a lot of feelingsforhim.”
“But are they only sexual?” I’m usually the one giving the relationship advice, but I guess it’s me who needs itthistime.
I’m going through the thoughts lingering in my head of every encounter I’ve had with Liam. While most of them are of pranks or sexual escapades, he was truly sweet when I was upset about Dad yesterday. Plus, watching him with Dylan ... it kind of makes my ovaries hurt a little. “I don’tthinkso.”
“Well, it’s been a week. I think you have time to make up your mind,”shesays.
“You’re right.” She is. I have time. I have the whole summer. Then I go back home, which won’t work out for either situation, so I’m not sure what I’m worriedabouthere.
I take a deep breath, push every dizzying thought out of my head, and glance into the mirror to fluff my hair a little. “Ready?”Jadeasks.
I open the door, and she walks out first. “So, you’re just like casually fooling around with Cleary all ofthetime?”
“Yeah, it’s kind of fun ... harmless,youknow?”
“I gotcha.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders, and we head back outside to a scene I’ve beenfearfulof.
Liam and Sterling are in a heated conversation in the middle of a circle of people who are watching with excitement in their eyes.Ohno.
I step in between the two of them. “Stop, what are youdoing?”
“Julia, this has nothing to do with you,” Liam says, nudgingmeaway.
“Don’t touch her like that,” Sterling snaps at him. “You did not go through that backdoor the other day. What’s with you and making upstories,eh?”
“Dude, you weren’t there, and why are you getting all pissy about this? Oh, I know, it’s because of the Chinese Wax Job, right? It messed up your day yesterday.”Chinese wax job? What the hell? It’s just a Brazilian. Chinese? What kind of wax job is that? Why are they even arguing about myladybits?
“Um, excuse me! I’m right here,” I try to interrupt themagain.
“Julia, not now,” Sterling holds a hand uptome.
“Don’t talk to her like that,” Liam gruntsathim.
Oh my God. Just stop, I mutter tomyself.
“Look I know you caught a good one yesterday, but those conditions were like chowder,” Liam tellsSterling.
Chowder? I showered. I’m mortified. I think I need to leave here and never come back again. I’m backing away, hoping they don’t notice, but Liam does. “Hold up.” He grabs my wrist, keeping me beside him. But why? So he can embarrass me some more by telling everyone how I smell like chowder downthere?
“You’re the one eating it every day,” Sterlingretorts.
“I’m good at pumping, what can I say?” Liamargues.
“Yeah until you rail bang.” Um, what? What is Sterlingsuggesting?
“Liam, what is Sterling talkingabout?”
“Coming from a paddlepuss, really?” Liamlaughs.
