“Oh, hell no,” I whisper, swallowing hard. “We are not doing this.”
I shove my phone back into my bag before the tears can actually fall. I grab my board, my towel, and start walking home.
I’m sitting in the back of the truck. Blankets pulled around my shoulders, the cold night air brushing against my face.
I thought the quiet here might help. That worked for about thirty seconds. Now all I can think about is how this is where it started. Right here in this truck.
I exhale slowly and reach for my phone. I open the group chat with the girls.
ME: you guys up?
DAWN: always.
TESS: what’s wrong?
DAPHNE: u okay?
I don’t even hesitate.
ME: can I call?
Seconds later, three familiar faces light up my screen.
“Okay,” Dawn says immediately, squinting at me. “What’s going on with that face?”
I chew the inside of my cheek. “Ryan and I… ended the fake dating thing.”
All three of them freeze.
“…Okay,” Daphne says carefully. “And how do you feel about that?”
“I mean…” My eyes dart everywhere except the screen. “It was the deal, right? It was supposed to end eventually.”
“Sure,” Tess says gently. “But you look like someone just snapped your surfboard in half.”
There’s a long pause and I feel the truth rising before I can stop it. “We kissed.”
Dead silence.
“YOU WHAT?!” Dawn screeches, nearly dropping her phone.
“Hold on—” Daphne blinks. “Likekissedkissed? Or one of those awkward little fake pecks?”
“No,” I mutter, rubbing a hand over my face. “Not fake.”
Dawn gasps. “IS THAT WHY YOU WERE ACTING WEIRD AT THE CAFÉ?”
Tess frowns. “What did she do?”
Before I can answer, Dawn launches in. “She literally dove under the bar—”
“I did not—”
“You absolutely did,” Dawn continues. “And then she whisper-fought me while he was ordering coffee—”
Daphne bursts out laughing while Tess covers her mouth, shaking.
“Okay, that’s dramatic,” I mumble, but my lips twitch anyway.
