“You okay?” is all he says.
He knows something’s off.
“Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?” I never meet his eyes.
He frowns at my tone but doesn’t insist. Luke joins us two minutes later. He greets me with a smile, which I return to the best of my “sorry I stood you up” ability.
Morgan, Luke, and I make small talk for the rest of the class. Will doesn’t comment once, depriving us from his usual snarky remarks, which makes for a heavy, awkward period.
“So, you’re feeling better?” Luke asks five minutes before class ends.
I stare question marks at him.
“You had food poisoning, didn’t you?”
“Oh, right.” I’m reminded of my lame excuse. “Yes, I’m much better, thank you.”
Will not-so-discreetly scoffs.
I glower at him while Morgan glowers at me, confused as to when on earth I got food poisoning. Makes sense. She has no idea Luke asked me out. It just didn’t come up.
“So… Does that mean you’re going to the pool party tomorrow night?” Luke continues.
“There’s a party?” I ask.
“Yeah, it’s at Natasha’s place. Everybody’s going.”
My gaze travels to Will, whose attention doesn’t budge from his project whatsoever. His careless behavior sends my mind to a place I don’t like.
A place I can’t escape.
I picture him moving in and out of Callie, see her writhing beneath him, clawing at his back, and wonder if he slept with her recently. Probably. Maybe even the day he came over and slept in my bed. Why wouldn’t he? He’s single.
But so am I.
“I mean, will you be there?” I offer Luke a seductive smile, nearly wincing at the sour taste this bad decision leaves on my tongue.
That finally seems to be enough for Will’s head to jerk up.
“Wouldn’t miss it.” Luke nods.
“So… you’ll save me a dance, then?”
Why am I like this?
“Oh, I can save you a lot more than that.” Luke’s flirtatious response only fuels the disaster that is this conversation. I can feel Morgan’s eyes burning into my skull, hear her thinking, “Why are you leading him on?”
But I can’t answer her.
Because I’m wondering the same thing.
The bell rings and I make my way out of the classroom with Morgan on my tail. I beg her to accompany me to this party, tell her she owes it to herself to have at least one night out during her high school years, to which she replies with a reluctant “I’ll think about it.” The second I lose her into the crowd, a tall silhouette materializes in my blind spot.
“What the fuck was that?”
I yelp in surprise when a strong body cages me into the tight corner couples use to make out near the girls’ bathroom. Will stands tall before me, eyes flaring with… something. Anger? Hard to tell. For all I know, I’m just seeing what I want to see.
“Hey, Willy. What’s up?” I falter, my confidence crumbling.
He cuts to the chase. “I thought you said you weren’t into him.”
“Oh, Luke? Yeah, I know. But I changed my mind. You’re right. I should give him a chance. Hey, you should bring a date, too. I’m sure Callie’s available.”
His jaw drops.
What’s wrong, Willy? Was I not supposed to know about that?
I’m long gone before he can even think of getting a word in. I push my way through the crowd, forbidding myself from enjoying this as much as I am.
Winter is nearly done packing her stuff by the time I reach our locker and shove my books into my backpack. We make small talk, steering toward the exit together. I also try to convince her to go to the pool party with me since I know Zoey will most likely bail on me the minute we get there, and Morgan, well… Morgan hates people.
Winter absentmindedly agrees, her gaze combing through the halls. Haze hasn’t been at school much lately. That’s his thing. Disappearing whenever he feels like it. Something tells me he’s to blame for my cousin’s half-assed answers.
Winter tells me Will is giving her a ride home tonight, and I have to stop myself from asking why she’s randomly riding with him instead of me. What trouble has their street fight mess lured them into now?
We part ways a few steps out of the building. I’m working tonight, and the last thing this crap day needs is a warning from Jenny for being late. I unlock my car door, my phone pinging with a text just as I’m dropping into the passenger seat.
It’s Will.
Willy Wonka: Thanks for the advice. Callie said yes. I’ll see you at the party.
Kassidy
Kass: Hey. Is it true you’re banging Callie Cooper?
Sitting on the edge of Zoey’s unmade bed, I huff out a laugh at my own text and practically assault the Delete button. Like I’d ever have the balls to send him that. Granted it’d probably make things a lot easier—in the beginning, at least. Then it’d dig up secrets better left buried, shine light on questions better left in the dark.
Asking him would mean I give a damn.
A bit more than I should.
Shit… is Morgan right?
Do I like Will?
I didn’t message him back after he texted me he’d found himself a hot date yesterday. Felt weird. Turns out I got used to our 3:00 a.m. banter. I hate to admit it, but…
The little fucker grew on me.
“Perfect. See you there.” Zoey trails back into the room, hanging up her phone and securing it inside her bikini top.
“Who was that?” Morgan interrupts her wrestling with a curling iron to ask.
Yes, Morgan decided to come to the pool party, although she skipped the swimsuit part. Something about her cousins telling her she’d end up marrying books when they came to visit. She said one party couldn’t hurt.
Still waiting for the hidden cameras.
“Callie,” Zoey says, checking out her outfit one last time. Our ride should be here any minute.
I fidget with the short, sleeveless white dress I threw over my aqua bikini, tugging it up
