“Ellie, I’ve been tutoring you on how to talk to him. I think we both know the answer to that.”
I round on him, but Sage comes between us. “Stop messing with her. And it’s none of our business how Ellie acts around her boyfriend. If they want to take their relationship to the next level, then we should respect that. How else are they ever going to have a night alone?”
“Exactly! Thank you, Sage! I—” Sage’s true meaning comes to me and I freeze. “Wait, what?”
Huan snorts with laughter.
She tilts her head like it’s obvious. “We’ll be in Venice during the dayandnight. With no real supervision. So I assumed it’d at least occurred to you that you could...”
Oh god.How had thisnotoccurred to me? More importantly, why is she bringing this up in front of Huan and Dev?
I hold my hands up. “He doesn’t want to take me to Venice just to have sex with me!”
“Holy shit, I do not want to have this conversation.” Dev bolts up from the chair.
“There is no conversation! He only wants to spend time with me.”
My entire body is so hot I feel like I’m about to melt into the floor. I’d be lying if I said I’d never imagined anything more with Will. Thoughts of that kiss in the park float through my mind often. But there’smoreand then there’sMOREand I’m not sure how I feel about that yet. And I sure as hell don’t want to talk through my feelings with Huan and Dev.
“Look...” I take a deep breath to calm myself. “The trip is not about sex. It’s about having fun.” I force myself to make eye contact with everyone even though I’m having a hard time keeping my voice steady. “And even if...thatwas happening, Sage is right. It would be none of your business.”
Dev fiddles with his shirtsleeves. “My greatest wish is to never hear another word about it. I need to review for anatomy.” He heads for the door. “Huan, are you coming with me?”
Huan gives my shoulder a quick squeeze. “We’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
“But—we’re decided on Venice, right?” My voice is too high. “Because we have to start figuring out flights and hostels?”
Dev is already out the door when he calls, “Yeah, it’s decided.” Huan waves half-heartedly and follows him.
Chapter
28
A week and a half later, I wake to find a DM from Crystal.
Your trip looks like a dream. And OMG that guy you’re with at the pub—I can’t believe I gave up all that for such a dumbass. Hope we can still be cool. xo
I stare at the message, shocked to hear from Crystal after all this time. Seeing her name doesn’t make me angry or sad or... anything now. Except sorry for her that she missed all this. I’m not sure what picture she’s referring to until I look back through my posts. It’s one of the whole group last Friday when we met to discuss the trip, and I guess it does look like the kind of perfect travel photo you’d see on a tourism website. We’re cute and smiling, but it doesn’t show how uncomfortable it was having Dev and Will at the same table or the awkwardness of the conversations.
I hesitate, wondering what to say to her, and then write back:
It’s been life-changing. Thanks for reaching out. We’re cool.
And we are cool. We’re not friends anymore, and we won’t be again in the future, but I don’t hate her. I’m really thankful to her, actually. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.
When I look up from my phone, I find Sage watching me. “What’s up?”
“Nothing. Just...” She shrugs.
“What? You’re never one to hold back your opinion.”
“I was just curious if you’d thought any more about Will and the trip? You know, since you were teasing me so much about my condom earrings before.” She flicks one of her dangling earrings and I can’t help but laugh again.
“I’m... still thinking it through.”
To be honest, ever since Sage mentioned Will’s possible reasons for coming to Venice, I haven’t been able to get the idea out of my head. The whole situation is unbelievable to me. Coming here, my biggest relationship hopes were taking some cute selfies, going on fun dates, and maybe a kiss someplace utterly European and romantic. I never thought I’d be debating losing my virginity. Every time I think about the possibility, my heart races and blood rushes to my face. It could be amazing. But it also feels fast.Reallyfast.
I say as much to Sage, my face burning, but she only nods sympathetically.
