I laughed, and then asked how the dance was. This week’s was called the “Eurotrash Bash.” The other day, Nina had talked about bleaching her hair, and Sage had mentioned something about a pair of leopard-print boots.
“Oh,” Luke said. “I didn’t go.”
“You didn’t? No leather pants for you?”
“Nope. I just kind of stayed in… It’s tiring, you know? Being around people all the time?”
“That’s Bexley for you,” I said. “You’re never not around people.”
He sighed. “Yeah, I’m figuring that out. I’m jealous that you’re at home right now.”
“Eh, it’s not that great.”
“Bullshit.”
I smiled. “Okay, it’s pretty nice.”
Luke groaned. “And I bet your mom’s gonna make you French toast tomorrow.”
My smile grew. “It’s her specialty.”
“You’re the worst,” he mumbled, and I half-laughed, half-yawned in response. “Well, it might be time for me to hang up,” he said after. “Sounds like the birthday boy’s all tuckered out.”
“No.” I shifted so I was back on my side, sleep mode. “Keep talking.” I yawned again. “I like hearing you talk.”
“Really?” He sounded amused.
I nodded against my pillow. “Yeah.”
“I’m not completely hopeless on the phone?”
I let my eyes drift shut and nodded again, too tired to realize that Luke couldn’t see me.
“You still there?” I heard him ask a few beats later. Distantly, like in a dream.
So I answered like maybe it reallywasall a dream. “I wish you were here,” I said. “It would’ve been better with you here.”
And by then, I was too out of it to fully grasp his reply, but it sounded a lot like, “I miss you too.”
CHAPTER 11
SAGE
Parents’ Weekend was supposed to be apicturesque late October weekend on campus, with blue skies and leaves the color of the twins’ hair fluttering to the ground. But this year, it was no such thing. Instead, it was raining. Umbrellas bounced up and down Belmont Way as our parents attended teacher conferences, with the students getting Saturday off from classes. Most people were hanging out in Knowles Basement, but Luke and I decided to hunker down in my room.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked him at one point, noticing he was biting his lip.
“How much I want to clean this place,” he said, gesturing around. My room was a mess. “It looks like a war zone.”
I laughed as my phone chimed.Nicholas!was displayed on the screen.
“If it’s Nina,” Luke said, “I’mnothere.”
“It’s not her.” I giggled. Nick’s message said:Rain, rain, go away…
“Ah, so it’s the other Carmichael, your secret boyfriend.”
My head jerked up. “What are you talking about?”
