“Why not?”
“Because I don’t want to be the bookworm sister who tags along with her popular brother. I don’t want him going out of his way to make sure I fit into his world.”
She props her foot on the edge of the couch and twists the nail polish open. Immediately, its scent fills my nose. “He wants you in his world, you know. He’s not doing it because he pities you. He’s genuinely happy that you’re here, and he just wants to share his life with you.”
I look over the nail polish and choose a lavender color. “I know, but I can’t stand in his shadow.” It’s why I didn’t tell that guy last night my real name. I pretended to be someone else so that he didn’t see me as the twin of the infamous Dustin Moore, someone untouchable. “Let me fit into his world my own way.” If that’s even possible.
She thinks it over for a moment and then shrugs. “Okay.”
I whip my head to her. “Okay? That’s it?”
Shrugging again, she starts painting her toenails. “Yeah. I can respect what you said, and I get it. I’ll drop the subject. Let’s start a new one.”
Swiping the brush over my big toenail, I ask, “Are you ready for classes to start Monday?”
Groaning, she answers, “No. I mean, I’ve had two years off of school, and I’m dreading all the homework again.”
I chuckle under my breath. “You get used to it.”
“At least, we share a few classes. We can have study nights.”
I nod, and we fall into a comfortable silence as we continue to primp our feet. Unlike with other people, where the silence has to be filled, Ivy and I are comfortable with not speaking at all. It’s what I love most about her. There are no expectations. I can be exactly who I am, and I couldn’t ask for a better person in my life.
Right now, she and Dustin are all I need, and that’s enough for me.
CHAPTER 4
REID RATHE
In the courtyard,with the afternoon sun beating against our backs, I stand in line with Jacob for the best pastrami on campus. No. In the city. Everyone knows it, too, because the line is always ridiculously long. To prove that point, we’ve been standing here for twenty minutes.
There are two girls in front of us, clearly friends, and Jacob is shamelessly flirting with both of them. One, in particular, keeps staring at me, waiting for me to chime in, waiting for me to flirt back, but I keep my eyes straight ahead, staring at the menu above as if I’m contemplating the side I’m going to choose when I know damn well I’ll get the same thing I always get. Sea salt and vinegar chips. Jacob may be interested in them, but I am not.
Two days ago, I met the girl of my dreams. That’s what I’m calling her now, and I only know her name. Pathetic, I know.
Not only has she actively been in my dreams, but I find myself searching for her across campus when I’m out and about. Also, I may or may not have been hanging out with Dustin more often at his place, hoping that I might catch a glimpse of her in the apartment building’s hallway or out in the parking lot.
No such luck, and I’m growing frustrated.
I scrub the back of my head and blow out a breath as Jacob gets the girls’ number, promising to invite them to the next party we throw.
Giggling, they turn back around just in time for them to order their food.
Smiling at me, Jacob pockets his phone. “Dude, that one girl was eye-fucking you.”
I stuff my hands into my pockets. “Not interested.”
He rolls his eyes. “You’re never interested. God, sometimes I wonder if you’re gay.”
I swivel my eyes to him and pin him with narrowed eyes and he holds up his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine. You’re not gay, not that there’s anything wrong with that, but I mean…she was hot, and she was into you, man.”
Shrugging, I pull out my wallet as the girls pay for their sandwiches, knowing our turn is next. “I hadn’t noticed.”
Jacob rolls his eyes and pulls out a wadded and wrinkled twenty-dollar bill from his pocket. “I take some mindful happiness knowing that you at least got laid this past weekend.”
We step forward and order our sandwiches as the girls disappear with their food. The food court has a few different venues to order from: a taco hut, a burger joint, and a vegetarian stand. It’s on the other side of the campus than the cafeteria, a place we tend to avoid if we can help it.
As we wait for our sandwiches, we pay, keeping our conversation nonexistent, but I can see that Jacob has more to say on the matter.
