“I mean it’s a big step. For me.”
“Well. You’ve got to take it sometime. Right?”
I don’t know why it bothered me, the way he said it. Like I had to want sex.
There were lots of people who didn’t.
To be clear, I did want sex. I really did.
And I even thought maybe it would be fun to do it with Landon.
But every time I thought about it, it felt like the end of the world. I don’t know why, but it did.
I was scared.
I thought maybe I’d be ready for sex when that fear was overshadowed by the wanting. When the gravity of my desire shifted.
“I...”
Landon sighed. He opened his mouth but then glanced to the side.
We heard footsteps again, right around the corner. And voices.
“Dude, you struck out so hard.”
“Shut up.”
It was Chip and Trent.
“It was painful to watch. Like having teeth pulled,” Chip said.
“Whatever.”
“I’m not sure I can be seen in public with you anymore.”
“Like that’s new.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Chip asked.
“I mean I only see you at school, or when we’re watching Evie. It’s like you’re ashamed of me or something.”
“You’re my best friend.”
Someone’s shoe scuffed the floor. The squeak echoed down the hall.
Landon bit his lip and glanced between me and the corner where Chip and Trent stood, just out of sight.
We were trapped.
“Then why don’t you act like it?” Trent said. “You always...”
But whatever Chip was always doing, we didn’t find out, because they picked that moment to round the corner.
Trent stared at us—our arms around each other, Landon pressing me back against a locker—while Chip’s brow furrowed.
“Oh,” Chip said. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I said.
