“He was too busy flirting with a girl,” I respond and immediately regret it because not only do I sound like a jealous freak, but I told Fletcher we were moving past the whole situation.
“I’m sorry, your best friendleft you aloneat a party you didn’t even want to go to?”
“It’s fine.” I lie. “We’ve moved on.”
“You’ve moved on?”
“Yes.” I grab a fry as Maia slides into the booth next to me.
“Moved on from what?”
“Fletcher abandoning her at the Halloween party last weekend.” Brinley dips a fry into her strawberry milkshake.
“Don’t you hate parties?”
“Yes, Maia… she does. See, Tate, Maia has known you for what, a couple of weeks, and she knows that parties like that aren’t your thing. And Fletch has known you for—”
“Brin, seriously, it’s fine. He came over the day after the party and apologized. He was just trying to be a good wingman for Marcus. He ended up talking about me for most of their conversation anyway, so.”
“I’m sorry.” Brinley leans forward. “You’re saying Fletcher was talking to an attractive girl—”
“How do you know she was attractive?”
“You wouldn’t be jealous if you didn’t think he was attracted to her.”
“I’m not jeal—”
Brinley puts a hand up as if to tell me to stop talking. “And instead of flirting with her, possibly trying to spend the night with her, he talked aboutyou?!”
“And?”
“And?” Brinley’s eyes widen, and she looks at Maia.
“Guys don’t talk about another girl to a girl they’re planning on sleeping with.”
“Unless they're clueless,” Maia adds.
“Exactly.”
“Have you met Fletcher?” My eyebrows furrow. “He’s pretty clueless.”
“I think he loves you and doesn’t want to ruin your friendship, so he tried to make you jealous by talking to that girl when, in reality, all he did was talk about you.”
“He told her stories, all of which involved me. It’s not like he told the girl my whole life story.” I press my lips together.
“You don’t know that. He could be lying to you.”
“Who’s lying to you?” I glance up at Ember, who pulls her jacket off and slides into the booth next to Brinley.
“Nobody,” I say at the same time Brinley and Maia say, “Fletcher.”
“What’s he lying to you about?”
“He’s not.” I sigh. “How was class?”
I hope the change in topic gets the girls to move on from Fletcher and me completely.
“It was fine. Sorry, it took me so long to get here. I got held up.” Ember removes her scarf, stuffing it into her coat, and that’s when I see the mark on her neck.
