Page 147 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

“This shit’s painful to watch.

“Just text the boy.”

“Nah,” I mutter. “I don’t take advice from you anymore. ‘Be hard with ‘appreciate the stuffin’, remember that?” I jab the air between us with my bottled water. “Yeah, next thing I know, I’m in the Draft Room gettin’ clocked in the face.” Celie snorts and rolls her eyes. “So, yeah. I’m wallin’ up now,” I say. “His insecure ass can chase me if he wants me. I did nothin’ wrong.”

She purses her lips and gives me a once-over. “Yeah, aight. That why your pinky’s shakin’ like a cokehead?”

I press my thumb down on my pinky to pin the tremor still. “Better my pinky shakin’ than me textin’ him like some thirsty bitch.”

Celie snaps forward with a full laugh. “Yeah 'cause you don't look thirsty at all.” She shifts in her seat. “Hear me out. Say he’s just as stubborn, sittin’ there same way you’re sittin’. Month goes by, no one moves—what then?” Her brow climbs. “You sayin’ that’s how it ends?”

I dig my nail into the plastic label of my water bottle. “At least I know he didn’t want it bad enough.”

Celie dips back, as if I’m the crazy one in the car. “Girl, stop. You mad ‘cause even though he walked, it’s you who did the damage.”

My chest knots tight.

I glance away, the sunlight burning hot through the tint. Still less cruel than her glare when she presses.

“You the one who fucked some guy right after him, like he don’t matter. Now he’s seein’—”

“Seein’ what?” I snap, squinting at her,

daring her to keep going.

She does ‘cause she’s not scared of me. “Seein’ if you give a fuck about him. If you still want him.” She pops her gum, shakes her head. “He ain’t comin’ to you this time, baby. You want him? You better hit ‘im up.”

I hold her gaze with the devil in my narrowed eyes right as the car jerks to a stop in front of the hotel.

My eyes don’t leave her as I dump my phone into my bag and unbuckle my seatbelt. “Yeah. I don’t want him that bad.

“So… Guess it’s over. End of story.”

Truth is, I want him back just as badly

as I want him gone.

// DEC 5, 10:31 PM - VENOM - WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA //

Buzz.

Today 10:31 PM

Eli Stone

Just landed. Heading straight from LAX.

Should get there on time. See ya soon.

Pathetic.

My phone buzzes,

and my whole body says Andrew.

But it’s not, and now my pulse is still sprinting, still riding the rush after being caught red-handed for wishful thinking.

I text back,