“I think it’s because she wasn’t very into him. But you don’t have to worry about that. Ari doesn’t like William anymore.”
“Sorry, what?”
“Oh no, I gotta go, my mom . . . Jesus Christ! June, the rabbit escaped from its cage!”
She hung up, and I lingered, staring at the black screen.
Stuff that happened in ninth gradeseemed like more than enough reason for me not to worry. So I took a shower, brushed my teeth, and put on my pajamas. Then I felt my phone vibrate.
It was Will.
“Will? Did something happen?”
I turned on the light and sprang up from the bed.
“No, I’m just calling to see if you’re okay.”
I sighed. “Yeah. Why?”
“I thought of you.”
I was speechless, and I wasn’t one who was at a loss for words very often.
“Are you sure Ethan Austin didn’t traumatize you too much? If you need—” His sweetness made me smile.
“Let’s just say it’ll take me a little longer to fall asleep tonight.”
“If it makes you feel any better, you should know that he was joking anyway.”
“I appreciate that you want to reassure me, but Austin doesn’t seem like the kind to joke around. James said . . .”
“Since when do you listen to what James says?” I was floored by his abrupt question.
“I mean, I’m not, but—”
I heard voices in the background and immediately recognized the voice of the person we were talking about.
“Where are you?” I asked Will, who took a little while to answer.
“We were at Tropical, but now I’m going home with James and Tiffany.”
“Ah, okay.”
“Can I come over? I just wanna make sure you’re okay.”
“Huh? No. It’ll wake my mom up, it’s superlate, and—”
“Your mom’s not home. Tell her we’re swinging by.”
James’s arrogance managed to irk me even from far away.
“What does he know?” I spat sharply as I walked to my mom’s bedroom door.
I opened it. Nobody was there.
“We’ll be there in five minutes. I just wanna give you a good-night kiss and make sure everything’s okay.”
>> <<
