“We’re kinda bonding now. He reminds me of my gangland childhood—roaming the streets like packs of wild dogs, torturing animals in our basements…” She flashes me a grin. “He’s named Meeko. You know, like the one inPocahontas? I’m obsessed with him.”
I open my mouth to reply, but the doorbell rings, almost piercing my eardrums.That’ll be the dream team.
Carrie jumps to her feet, her hands flying to her face when she sees the power couple saunter in with a new friend.
“Oh my God, Becca! Don’t tell me you caved…”
“Is that a dog?” I ask.
Amy raises an eyebrow at me (“Duh?”). I shoot her a look (“Well, yeah, but…”). She cuts me off with a curled lip (“You really are Captain Obvious, aren’t you?”), and maybe Don has a point—maybe wehavestarted speaking our own kind of secret, silent language.
“I can’t believe this. A puppy?” Carrie shakes her head. “What happened to being a strong, empowered woman, girl?”
“But look how freakingcutehe is!” Becca squeals as the dog covers her nose in drool.
“Nice work, man!” Lane laughs, holding up a fist for Carter to bump.
“It’s my Christmas gift!”
Carrie side-eyes her ex-roomie, slowly shaking her head, looking like the incarnation of pure evil for a second there—though she’s got nothing on Firebird.
“That’s weird, because I clearly remember us having a girls’ night, when you said there was no way in hell you wouldeveragree to a dog. Right, Lois?”
“That’s exactly right, Carrie. I clearly remember something about having his balls chopped off if he ever got a dog.”
“You havesucha good memory.” Carrie nods approvingly.
“Yeah, I remember that night, too.” Becca settles into a chair. “Wasn’t that the time you swore you would never date Donovan Wolinski?”
Lois laughs, turning her giggles into fake coughs.
“Such a little liar!” Don slides a few cups onto the table. “She was already crushing hard on me by then.”
“I was crushing you, you mean. I had you wrapped around my little finger.”
“More lies…” He shakes his head sadly. “She had me wrapped aroundwaymore than that…”
“Oh my God, why are yousoannoying!”
Amy sighs, and I shoot her a quick look. She made a ballsy entrance, but the nerves are coming off her in waves, and I can’t decide whether that makes me want to tease her or comfort her. It’s weird—she’s spent her whole life running with total badasses, and now here she is turning to Jell-O around my friends. And I have no idea why.
16AMY
When I left the house earlier this evening, I psyched myself up for all the extrovert energy I knew I’d have to bring tonight. The truth is, I haven’t been to a party since I moved to Sycamore Heights—first, because my sister would freak out, after all my wild nights back in New York; and second, because 99 percent of the time, I don’t like people enough to actually want to hang out with them.
And because I knew I’d be stepping out of my comfort zone, I decided to wear a power outfit and sweat out all my nervous energy with a two-hour workout.
By the time I knocked on the door, I was feeling confident and ready for whatever the night would throw my way, but now that I’m sitting here on the couch, sandwiched between Lewis and his closest friends, I’m getting something of a reality check.
“Come on, Hitman. At leastpretendlike you’re having fun.”
“That’s exactly what I’m doing, Conley.”
“Try harder, then. Because if this is you having a good time, I’d hate to see what you look like taking a crap.”
“That never happens.”
“Because you shit rainbows?”
