“Why not?”
“Because you don’t stand a chance with them anyway. Jax, help me out here.”
“Brin is off limits because she’s Declan’s little sister.” Jax scrolls through his phone. “So, you can’t count her because there’s no chance of that ever happening. And Tate, well, you’d be breaking the bro code, so—”
“Whoa.” I twist toward Jax, waving my hands in front of me. “How would he be breaking the bro code?”
“Don’t make me say it.” Jax sighs.
“What?”
“Whether you admit it or not, you love Tate. Or loved her. None of us would ever think about going there with her. It would be the beginning of the end of our friend group.”
I suppose I never really tried to hide how I felt about Tate in high school, but I thought I was doing a better job of it in college. I think deep down, there will always be a part of me that has feelings for Tate. She was my first love.
But I think the world knew going there would be a bad idea. Forget the bro code. I think Tate and I going there would be the beginning of the end of our friend group anyway. I think that’s why I chickened out when Becca told me to tell Tate how I felt. Even if she did feel the same way, what would happen if things didn’t work out?
What would happen if we built up the idea of us so much that the truth just let us down? Perhaps some friendships are meant to be just that— friendships.
“Not that she’d be interested in any of you losers anyway.” I tease.
“Everybody is interested in me.” Zeke winks.
“You’re the worst.”
“Also, Ember doesn’t count because she shot you down already. Multiple times.” Jax puts his phone down and sits up. “And well, Declan totally has a thing for her.”
“Speaking of Ember and Declan,” I scoot back on the couch, and suddenly, this conversation feels like it’s turning into a gossip session. “Does anyone know what happened with them last week at the Halloween party?”
“No.” Jax rubs his chin. “I’ve been trying to get the fucker to talk to me about that night, but he keeps dodging the questions. And I’d ask Brin, but we aren’t exactly on speaking terms right now.”
I’ve never seen Jaxon like this. The whole Brin situation has really gotten to him. I know he’d never admit it, but her ignoring him isbreaking his heart. I don’t blame her for what she’s doing, but I also can’t help but feel bad for my friend.
“They both disappeared from that party pretty early.” Zeke leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
“How would you know?” I ask. “You were hooking up with some girl in your room.”
“Pretty sure he was gone before I ran off to my room.”
“Do you think something happened between them?” Jax whispers.
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Girls talk about these things in greater detail than guys do, but he’d at least say something, right? Like,‘Hey, Ember and I kissed,’or‘We’re dating now,’something.”
“And Tate hasn’t said anything to you about it?” Zeke pats me on the back. “I feel like it’s something you’d talk about.”
“I was too busy groveling the day after Halloween because I was an idiot.”
“No arguments here.”
“If he wants to talk about it, he will. Until then, we just wait.” Zeke leans back; his eyes focus on the TV. “But something totally happened.”
“Definitely,” Jax adds as the front door opens and Ember and Declan walk in.
“Hey guys.” Ember gives a soft smile. “What’re you doing?”
“Nothing,” I say at the same time Zeke says, “Playing video games,” and Jax says, “Talking.”
“Um.” Ember’s eyes dart from us to Declan and then back to us. And I don’t know what comes over us, but suddenly, we burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.
