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“Ooh, Ev, look. Did you see the dimple?”
“What dimple?”
“Look. Look at my baby sister...there, there it is. Left side. It’s only the slightest indentation, the barest hint of a dimple on the trace of a smile, but I saw it.”
“You did not,” I protest.
“Did I miss the memo where Ash isn’t allowed to smile?”
“Oh, no, she’s allowed to smile all she wants. It’s just that particular smile, the hidden dimple one? That means she’s keeping a secret.”
“Am not,” I say, even though those two words are basically an admission.
“You totally are,” Ava, one of our stepsisters, plops down on the chair next to mine. “What aren’t you telling us?”
“Um, if I’m not telling you something, that means I don’t want you to know about it.”
“Molls, should I get Wyatt to hack into her phone?” Ava asks, stealing a bite of pie from my plate.
“No!” I screech, my hand reaching toward my back pocket to ensure that my phone is still safely ensconced inside. It is. Whew. I love Ava’s little brother, but I do not need him to go through my phone. Not that there’s anything saucy or exciting to report. Sure, I chat with Catlover99, but we haven’t really gotten to the good parts, you know. And just the thought of Catlover99’s good parts has me smiling again.”
“I saw it!” Ev says. “Right there.”
I blush, because they’re right and I’m not getting out of this room without spilling a few details.
“Is there someone special in your life?” Ava asks, her nosey-ness on full display.
Molly sighs. “May the good Lord help me, but if that special someone is Ethan Schuler, I’m going to crush his windpipe, rip it out of his throat, and shove it up his ass.”
“I love how detail-oriented you are,” Ev tells her, stroking her cheek.
“It’s not Ethan,” I say, realizing too late that I’ve said too much.
“Better not be. That kid is a douche canoe of the highest order. I’m not a judger...ok, I totally am, but he deserves it. You are worth so much more than that, Ash.”
It’s no secret that Molly never liked Ethan. We started dating freshman year and while I thought he was perfect and found it easy to dismiss or ignore his many flaws, my family did not. When we finally broke up for good almost a year ago, Molly cheered and baked me a cheesecake.
“I know I am. Look, it’s new. Like super new. Like not-even-really-happening-yet new. So... I’m not divulging anything, but I met this guy on my school’s chat and we’ve been talking.”
“Wait, talking like fucking, or like actual talking?” Molly asks.
“Talking is not fucking,” Ev tells her, and she just rolls her eyes.
“We’ve been through this before, honey. It really is.”
I enjoy my last bite of pie before answering. “Talking like messaging.”
“Wait a damn minute,” Molly says, and I know what’s coming next. “You’re texting? That’s it?”
“Yea,” I admit.
“What’s wrong with that?” Ev asks. “They’re getting to know each other.”
“What’s wrong with that is she’s texting with a total stranger on the internet. He could be a creepy old man! How do you know he’s even a Bainbridge student?”
“He is, I promise. You have to have a student ID to get on the app.”
“That means nothing!” Molly’s fired up now. “He could be the freaky stepdad of a Bainbridge student. Or maybe he is enrolled, but he’s some old non-trad who likes to prey on young girls.”
