I quickly check my phone and say, “Sorry. I have to go. See you Sunday.”
I grab my backpack from the floor, trying my best to hide the rush of emotions, and make my way out of the building, fighting the urge to run.
In a state of shock,I watch her fine ass walk away, feeling a mixture of regret and disappointment.
Suddenly, a sharp slap connects with the back of my head when I sit back down.
“You’re such a stupid fucking idiot, you know that?” Sophia hisses at me.
“I thought it was the perfect opportunity to make a move, and honestly, if he hadn’t done it, I would have,” Clay says, and I furrow my brow at him. “Xander would have understood.” He shrugs. “Being someone’s first kiss is special.”
Sophia raises her voice and shouts at us, “Itisfucking special! She waited twenty-two years for her first kiss, and you, you idiot, did it in the cafeteria, in front of everyone, and now this kiss will forever be tainted bythatasshole.”
I wince. I had thought it was a spontaneous and romantic moment, but she’s right. I acted like a complete fool.
“Don’t be so harsh. It looked like she enjoyed it,” Clay notes, trying to defend me.
Sophia lets out a frustrated sigh. “Sure, she seemed to enjoy it. But afterward, she practically ran out of here because you looked at her as if you already regretted it,” she accuses.
My head spins to look at her. “I don’t regret it,” I almost shout. “It was the best damn kiss I’ve ever had.”
She shakes her head disapprovingly. “Well, that’s not what your face said.”
I stand, pushing my chair back. “Which bar does she work at? Do you know?” I ask. “I need to talk to her.”
Clay and Sophia both stand as well. “She only said it’s in Harlem.” Sophia scratches the back of her head.
“Just text or call her,” Clay says.
“I swear I am going to punch both of you. You don’t just text after something like this,” Sophia points out.
Clay places a hand on my shoulder. “Looks like we’ll be going on a bar-hopping adventure tonight to check some liquor licenses.” He winks at me.
THIRTY-FIVE
After the eighthbar in Harlem, Carolina is still nowhere to be found.
“Fuck!” I shout, tugging at my hair. “It’s already past one. What if she’s finished her shift? Why didn’t we ever ask her where she works?”
Clay exhales sharply. “Because we’re total idiots, remember? That’s why we’re doing this in the first place.”
“What’s the next spot? We’re continuing, right?”
“Of course we are.” He checks his phone and says, “Next up is that dive called Donny’s.”
I grimace. “Let’s hope we don’t catch an STD just by walking in.”
Clay chuckles as we head over, and thankfully, the drive is short. With each passing minute we don’t find her, my nerves rise to a new level.
He opens the grimy door for us. As we enter, I scan the poorly lit bar through the crowd of rowdy, drunk patrons and spot Carolina standing next to a tall blonde girl.
“Wa… sh out, the cops’re here!” a customer slurs loudly.
Both Carolina and the blonde turn their heads our way. Shock spreads across Carolina’s face before she swiftly turns and disappears through a door behind the bar.
“Yep, you fucked up.” Clay laughs beside me. “I’ll chat with the blonde. You go find our girl.”
I give him a sour look for referring to Carolina as ‘our’ girl but head toward the bar anyway. I wait until Clay starts flashing his dazzling smile at the blonde, who’s already giggling, and I slip through the door Carolina just used.
