It means everything I don’t want.
“She’s right here,” Tess says, holding out the phone.
For a split second, hope sparks in me sharp and immediate. Maybe it’s Zane. Maybe he found a way to reach me. Maybe he lost my number and is going through Tess because that’s the only contact he has.
“Hello,” I say as I take the phone.
“Hi,” comes Lisa’s voice.
The hope fades just as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a small, quiet disappointment I can’t quite hide. Still, I smile through it. “How are you?”
“I’m alright. How are you?” I reply, defaulting to the easiest way to keep the conversation balanced.
“I’m good,” she says. “I think I need a girls’ night. Are you free on Friday? Tess said she is.”
“Isn’t there a game on Friday? I thought that was the semi-finals?” I ask, a little surprised.
“There is,” Lisa says with a light chuckle, “but I want to hang out with you. Besides, semi-finals don’t really count. The finals are where it gets exciting.”
I hate the small, guilty feeling that follows like I’m somehow pulling her in two directions at once.
“You don’t have to do this,” I say with a quiet sigh.
“Gwen, stop,” Lisa replies immediately, her tone firm but warm. “We’re friends. I like you. Stop pushing me away.”
Her words catch me off guard.
And yet… they land exactly where they’re supposed to.
I hadn’t realized I was doing that, pulling back, creating distance, but now that she’s said it, it feels obvious. Clear in a way I couldn’t see before.
“Ok… so Friday?” I ask.
“Girls’ night. We can meet at my place if that’s not too weird?” she suggests.
I swallow, then let out a small, uneasy laugh. “No, that’s fine. I’ve only been there once anyway.”
“Alright. See you tomorrow,” she says before hanging up.
I hand the phone back to Tess.
“I’m really looking forward to this,” Tess says, her excitement immediate and genuine.
“To what?” Leo calls from the back.
“A girls’ night. Just Gwen, Lisa, and me,” she explains.
Leo pauses, processing that. “So who do I go to the game with?”
The genuine confusion in his voice makes both Tess and me laugh.
“Maybe try your friend Julian,” Tess suggests. “I think he misses you.”
Leo’s expression shifts instantly like a light switch flipping on. His face brightens as if an idea just clicked into place.
“Yeah… yeah, that might actually work,” he says, already thinking it through. “I’ll be right back,” he says, grabbing his phone before stepping out toward the alley.
We finish up at the bakery, and by the time Leo returns, we’re all ready to head out.
