“Mmm, romantic.”
“It really was,” she says.
“And was it the same? Better?” She doesn’t answer right away. “Worse?”
Eventually she exhales. “It was different. Still good. The thing is it just felt so right with both of them. Because they’re my mates and we love each other I stopped being nervous and it just felt good, like it was meant to happen.”
“That’s really sweet.” I slip my hand between hers. “I’m proud of you.”
She looks deeply into my eyes and I realize we haven’t hung out like this in a while.
“It’ll be like that with you and Jasper too,” she says. “I just know it.”
I blow air out between my puckered lips, my heart rate picking up speed. “You think?”
“I know.”
“And has anything changed? Since you…?”
“Yes,” she says, her smile softening. “It’s better between us—all three of us. It’s like we’ve figured out that we’re the only people for each other. There’s less jealousy between them, less fighting. They haven’t been flirting with other girls either.”
“Good,” I say with a snort.
“I was scared of how I would feel after, how things could change for the worse. But now that we’ve done it I—I never felt closer to them. I hope that’s how you feel as well.”
She squeezes my hand and I squeeze back.
“I’m glad you told me,” I say.
“MAAAAAAAX!” Mom calls up the stairs, breaking the quiet of our best-friend moment. “Are you ready? Jasper will be here soon!”
“I should probably finish packing,” I say to Katie, then plant a soft little kiss on her forehead.
“He’s here,” Mom says as I lug my overstuffed duffel bag down the stairs, Katie following behind me.
“Stop peering through the blinds like some creepy stalker,” I say when I spot Mom kneeling on the sofa so she can lean over the headrest to spy through the window.
She jumps up and smooths out her shirt. “He’s here,” she repeats. “You all set?”
I take a little breath and try to pull my shoulders back. The truth is…I’m a little nervous—not just about sleeping in the same bed as Jasper, but about leaving my life, my friends, and my parents behind for two whole weeks, about flying across the country. Suddenly this whole escape plan feels too big, the destination too unknown. And I can’t help wondering whether it’s too late to turn back.
“Uh…” I say. “I think so.”
Mom comes over and puts her hands on my shoulders, instantly making me feel more settled. “You’ll have a great time,” she says. She places one hand on the side of my face. “You deserve this. Your dad and I are really proud of you, kiddo.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I mumble back.
“Now have you got enough underwear? Bug spray?”
My head falls backward as I groan.“Yeeeees.”
“Okay,” she says, grinning at me. “Have an amazing time.” Mom kisses my forehead then pulls me in for a hug. “Dad said to squeeze you extra hard since he couldn’t be here to see you off.”
Her arms are wrapped so tightly around me I’m worried she’ll break a rib. “Did he say to crush your only child?”
I take in a deep gulp of air when she lets me go and turn as Katie opens the front door. The sun is bright and warm and floods through the door, blinding me, but I know out there Jasper’s car is parked at the end of our drive, and he’s waiting for me. I step to Katie and she gives me another too-firm hug.
“I’m really happy for you,” she whispers in my ear. “Enjoy it.”
