“I just really love lasagna.”
“This issofucked up. You guys are acting all coupley…” She pauses. “You know what—whatever. It’s not my life.”
“Let me tell you something, Amelia.” Carrie drops her voice, and I press harder into the door. “Up until this year, I couldn’t care less about your brother. As in, if I saw him lying on the street, I would’ve stepped over him.”
Harsh, man.I knew Carrie didn’t like me all that much back when I first went to talk to her, but I didn’t know it was leave-him-for-dead level.
“I hated his type. Superficial fuckboys who only care about themselves.”
Jesus! Weren’t you supposed to be helping me out?For a second there, I thought she was on my side. Now I’m not so sure.
Amelia bursts out laughing. “I’msowith you…”
“That was dumb of me, though. Because I didn’t actually know him. It kills me to admit it, but maybe I was a little judgmental.” Carrie breathes in. “Know why he came over to talk to me, that first time?”
What?! No! Retreat, Carrie—retreat!Is she seriously going to give my sister ammunition?Don’t do it…
“I’m going to go with—he was trying to pick you up?”
“Negative. He came to ask me for help. He wanted to learn how to be a good boyfriend.”
I freeze. Should I head on in there? Interrupt them before this goes any further? I stand there, rooted to the spot.
“You are fuckingkiddingme!” Amelia gasps.
“I swear it’s true. Just picture the scene—he’s standing there inthe campus dining hall with this dumbass grin on his face, asking me for help being less of a dumbass.”
Objection!That’s not how it went down!
“If you hated him that bad, why’d you say yes?”
“I said no.” I can practically hear Carrie roll her eyes. “But you know him—he’s just as stubborn as you are. He wouldn’t let it go. He kept coming back again and again and again. I actually considered cutting his brakes. Get him off the streets.”
I wouldn’t put it past her.
“He ended up telling me why he cared so much,” Carrie continues. “And the reason was you. That’s when he told me what you went through.”
“I’m not seeing the link. This whole ‘be a better boyfriend’ thing—it doesn’t make sense.”
“It kind of does. You were stonewalling him; he wanted to win back your trust—but he knew you thought he was a man-whore who didn’t respect women on top of it all. And he felt that was the one thing he could change to prove to you that he could be better.”
My heart is pounding as I listen to her walk my sister through my personality glow-up strategy. I clench my fists. I’m pissed. It feels like she’s betraying me, like I should be the one telling my sister about it all—not her. At the same time, I feel seen. And when Carrie tried to get me to do it myself back there in the dining room, I didn’t.
Carrie continues. “I know you’re not going to forgive him just like that.” She snaps her fingers. “But I want you to know he sees you, and he feels so bad about it all. I probably shouldn’t be telling you this, but you’ve gone hard on him. So—now you know.”
Amelia snickers. “So, what now? I head back out there and give him a hug?”
“How ’bout you start by not treating him like your bitch? And maybe quit putting salt in his food when you think nobody’s watching.”
She did that? That explains the weird aftertaste. Carrie could’ve warned me, at least!
“I thought I was pretty smooth.”
“You’re talking to an expert in pettiness here.”
“You sure you don’t want to get with my brother?” Amelia laughs. “I think knowing he’s dating a psycho might make me feel better.”
I shift on my feet, craning to hear what Carrie says next but it’s inconclusive.
