And God help me, it’s almost worse than if she hadn’t looked at all.
Because there’s something there.
Something unspoken.
Something unfinished.
And I know, deep in my gut, that choosing Rich tonight doesn’t mean she wouldn’t have chosen me…
Just that she didn’t think she could.
The tension in the car is crazy. She hasn’t said a single word to me since jumping in the car with me and Rich at the mall. All of us knew Amber and Eddie needed to be alone, but now so were we… sort of.
Rich smiles at me when he catches me glancing into the rearview mirror, mouthing the words, “Say something,” when Poppy’s not looking.
When I don’t say anything, he breaks the silence.
“So, Poppy, I hear you’re about to go to Stanford,” Rich exclaims, making me shift cautiously in my seat.
She nods. “Yup, just got the acceptance letter last week.”
For some reason, her smile doesn’t reach her eyes.
“That’s awesome,” Rich compliments. “Congrats.”
Poppy forces a smile. “Thanks.”
He misses it, but I see it plain as day.
“What’s wrong with Stanford?” I ask her, breaking the silence between us.
Her head shoots up, eyes searching mine for reasons I can’t give her. I just know her better than she thinks.
“It wasn’t my first choice.”
“And what was?”
She sighs. “Yale. I got into it after we graduated, but my grades haven’t been as good at UNR, so when I reapplied, they didn’t accept me.”
Rich is still oblivious to everything.
“And how do your parents feel about that?” I ask her, sending her into shock.
“My dad wasn’t happy about it.” She studies me for a few seconds before hugging herself. She thinks I don’t know about her dad and how he favors Pippa over her. But I saw it at graduation, how his father posed with an arm proudly draped over Pippa’s shoulders as Poppy hovered near them both, her mother snapping the pictures without a care in the world.
Neither of her parents really sees her like I do.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, knowing how hard that must be for her.
“It’s okay. I went to UNR to stay near Pippa and Amber. It’s my fault for not accepting their offer when I got it.”
Rich can’t read a room. “Hey, where is Pippa, anyway? Why did you ask Amber to come out tonight and not her?”
“She apparently had something to do. She’s been a bit secretive lately and won’t really tell me what she’s doing anymore.”
Rich laughs. “Probably because she’s afraid you’ll tell Amber.”
Damn it, Rich.
