Page 62 of The Casanova Complex

I don’t even think before I respond, my fingers tapping across the screen.

ME: Cool if I tag along?

STABBY GIRL : YOU want to come trick or treating??

ME: Yeah why not?

STABBY GIRL : I mean it’s just going to be me dragging my little brother around all night. Dunno just doesn’t seem like… your vibe

ME: Maybe you don’t know my vibe then. Maybe you just think you do, Mer Bear

The dots along the screen flash once, then disappear, then again, then again, and then finally after a minute, her response comes through.

STABBY GIRL : No one is going to be there to see us together so…

ME: We’ll take some pics for socials. It looks good… Us taking your little bro trick or treating shows that we’re serious you know, not just hooking up

Even though the thought honestly didn’t cross my mind until she just mentioned it. The truth is I just want to spend time with her, and obviously, I can’t fucking say that to her because she’s… Merritt.

For whatever reason, one I haven’t been able to figure out yet, she’s still holding back and keeping me at arm’s length. Something I hope to get to the bottom of.

ASAP.

STABBY GIRL : Fine. You can come if you want. Be at my house by six.

ME: So is that a no to Shrek and Fiona or…

STABBY GIRL : Don’t make me block you Goalie

ME:

I drop my phone into my lap and look up, finding both Ty and Zach staring at me.

“What?”

Zach’s dark brow lifts, and he tosses the Xbox controller onto the coffee table. “That your new girlfriend?”

“Who told you?” I say.

“Brother,” Tyler mutters from the other side of Zach. He leans past him, deadpanning. “The entire fucking campus knows about you two basically dry humping outside the locker room yesterday. Have you not been online?”

I shake my head. “Nope.”

“Unsurprising.” Zach rolls his eyes. “You know, I’m actually hurt that we had to find out from the internet and not our best friend. That we literally fucking live with.”

“It’s not a big deal. I got a girlfriend,” I retort. “Why are you two making it a big deal?”

“Oh, I dunno, maybe because in the entire time I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you commit to anything but hockey. Literally ever. So yeah, this new girlfriend is a red flag.”

I scoff. “Not true. I commit to plenty of shit.”

Zach’s brow arches. “Yeah? Like what?”

Like…

Shit.

“Okay, maybe I… commit to less things than I thought,” I say, rolling my lips together. “But you know what they say. It only takes one woman to change a man.”