Page 124 of Okay, Cupid

But I’m not here for any of them. I’m here for one person. One person who—I’ll admit, it never occurred to me—might not be here until I was already standing here, looking in the hallways for him.

When I walk through the doors to the gym, Neve is one of the first people I see, her arms wrapped around Alice, their heads on each other’s shoulders as a soft song plays. The gym has been decorated to the nines, with streamers and balloons everywhere, a table filled with finger foods and drinks. Even the lights have these translucent pink filters wrapped around them, so the entire gym is painted this loving aura.

Neve’s eyes meet mine, and she gets Alice’s attention. Both of them are dressed nicely, Neve going for a more traditional look in a soft orange dress, Alice almost going for a deliberately tacky prom suit like she purposely overdressed for this occasion. I mean, it’s not prom, after all, but they both still look amazing.

“He’s not here,” Neve tells me, her voice low.

“Where is he?” I ask.

Alice grimaces. “The bakery, if I had to guess.”

“I’m going to find him.” I’m already backing out the door that I just walked through.

“Wait! Jude!” Alice reaches for my hand, but I’m already in the hallway.

“Don’t try to stop me.”

“We’re not trying to stop you,” Neve says. “We’re trying to help you! I have my dad’s car!”

“What?”

“Come on, there was no way I was getting on the bus dressed like this!” Alice holds her arms out, giving me a full chance to appreciate her outfit, poofy sleeves and all.

I can’t help but laugh. “Where’d you even get that?”

“What? You think it’s not flattering?” Alice turns again, showing off her butt. “I think I look good.”

Neve walks over slowly. “I can give you a ride. We’ll barely make it before closing, but maybe you can catch him.”

“Please?” I say.

“What are you going to say to him?” she asks.

“I don’t know yet.”

“Well, it’ll take us like twenty minutes to get there, so you’ll have plenty of time to think about it.” Neve smiles at me. “Let me get my purse. I left it inside.”

“We’ll meet you at the car,” Alice tells her, and we watch her dip back into the gym while Alice leads me out toward the street where Neve has parked her father’s black Honda Civic. “It’s kind of funny, if you think about it.”

The words surprise me in the soft night, cars driving past us, pulling up to the red light before they’re allowed to go.

“What?”

“Just … I don’t know, that Huy fell for both of us. It’s pretty funny.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” I try to laugh, but I can’t really force it.

“Hey, umm, Jude.” Alice leans against the car door. “Can I ask you something weird? You don’t have to answer it, if you don’t want to. And if it crosses a line, just forget I asked. But I’m curious.”

“Well, how can I resist the intrigue?”

“Fair point.” Alice sticks her tongue into her cheek. “Are you in love with Huy?”

Another surprise, this one far less expected than the first.

I don’t hesitate, though. I know my answer.

“Yeah. I am. Maybe that’s stupid to say, and maybe it’s too early, but … the way that he makes me feel. About him, about myself. No other person has ever made me feel that way before.”