The change in her is immediate. Her smile fades, and her shoulders fall in a way that almost feels like she was expecting that. “Right.”
One word shouldn’t hurt the way that one does, but for the look I just put on her face right now, I deserve it.
28
chloe
There’sa bite to the late fall air tonight.
“You alright there, Shifty McGee?”
I pause, not having realized how much I was actually moving around and look over at Savannah. “I’m good. I probably shouldn’t have worn a tank top and jeans when it’s supposed to drop to forty degrees tonight, though.” I try to rub my goosebumps away, but I know they have less to do with the temperature and more to do with the uncomfortable feelings I’ve been flooded with since last night. It’s like I’m hot on the inside, my hands are clammy, but my skin is covered in goosebumps.
“How are…things?”
BythingsI can only assume she’s referring to Maverick, and considering he did a full one-eighty on me the other day, I can only think of one way to describe it.
“Things are…weird.”
It’s dark in Savannah’s car as she drives us down the tree lined back road, but I can still make out the way her lips pull up.
“Weird because you’re pretending to date someone thatyou don’t like, or weird because you’re pretending to date someone that maybe you do like?”
Weird because as much as I try to deny it, I do have feelings for Maverick. I love being around him, I love how easy it is, and how I don’t constantly feel like I need to perform or prove myself. Even when we’re apart, he’s in my head. But everything's blurry now, and as confident as I was that this wasn’t a one-sided thing, now I’m not so sure.
“I…I don’t know.”
“Do you still have feelings for Nathan?”
Nathan.The thing is, I used to think about Nathan twenty-four seven. I lived every day waiting for the weekends, just for there to be a party that we couldhappento run into each other at. There were days when I knew he hooked up with someone else, and I would be gutted, and I would claim that was it, that I was done with him. I wouldn’t text him, and it felt like we were playing this weird standoff game just waiting for the other person to reach out. I was always the one to cave by the end of the day, but looking back on it now, I wouldn’t be surprised if that was another thing that was one-sided.
“I want to say no,” I say, honestly. “But I’ve said that before, and I was wrong.”
“I don’t think you were wrong, I just think maybe you weren’t ready to give up on it yet.”
The funny thing is, I’ve never felt more ready to give up on it, only to be thrown into something messier.
Car after car lines the street that leads down to the only house at the end of the road, and I wonder where Savannah thinks she’s going to park, until we pull up to the oversized driveway and I get my answer.
“Do you mind?” She smiles over her shoulder at me, and I get out of the car.
On the left of the driveway sits a black Range Rover. On the far right, is Maverick’s 4Runner. And in the middle is anorange cone with a piece of paper taped to it. Neat Sharpie writing covers the page:
RESERVED FOR SASSAFRAS AND CHLOE BABY.
I drag the cone off to the side as Savannah pulls in, and it might have been her boyfriend’s idea, but it was definitely my fake boyfriend who wrote that.
The front door is wide open, and after squeezing our way past all the people on the front porch, I can see why. The boys’ house looks like a scene fromNeighbors.
“Shot?” Someone I don’t know hands me a clear cup with two inches of neon orange liquid at the bottom. I take it with a smile but quickly discard it on the kitchen counter.
The entire house hums under black light, and everyone is cast in neon and glowing paint. Everyone besides Savannah who is a shadow in head to toe black as she begins pouring drinks.
“Pretty sure your bra needs to sign a consent form to be in here.”
I look down at my bright white tank top, only to be assaulted by my now bright pink bra glowing through.
“Silas doesn’t screamblack light party guyto me,” I say, taking the colorful solo cup she offers me.
