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22
Cece
Holding up a blouse, I inspect the pink and green trim on it while Stephanie changes in a dressing room. When she exits, she spins around, and the small skirt she’s wearing waves back and forth, the light purple color shimmering under the fluorescent lights inside of the store we’re in.
“That’s cute,” I tell her. “So, who’s going with you to this party?”
The question is casual, and I’m not even really paying attention to her answer as I scroll through my phone. I’m just making conversation since I can’t go to it because of the dinner tonight with Maddox. But when she doesn’t answer, I glance back at her, and she’s eyeing me cautiously.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing. I mean, it’s just a few people we know. Alicia is going to show up, and …” She looks away, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Nervously, her fingers begin to fidget with the dress. “Winston.”
My eyes pop open, along with an unbelieving smirk. “Winston?”
“Please don’t be mad.”
“Mad? Why on earth would I be mad? I’m more shocked than anything. Are you serious? The last time I saw you two, you were bickering at the double date.”
Her shoulders slump. “I know. And I’m not saying he’s not a geek, because he is.” I roll my eyes at her comment. “But then we went to that party Maddox told us about. I don’t know … he seemed a little different the rest of the night. He wasn’t all uptight like at the dinner, and then …” She cringes, showing me her teeth. “We kissed.”
“You kissed?” I yell, earning a look from one of the retail workers toward the front of the store. “What? How? You and Winston? Oh my God, this is crazy!”
She throws her head back. “I know!”
“I can’t believe he didn’t say anything. I just saw him at my brother’s birthday party, no thanks to my dad.”
“Yeah, he told me,” she says, but it comes out almost with a guilty tone. “I asked him not to say anything yet.”
My brow furrows in confusion. “Why?”
“I wanted to tell you first. You guys were initially set up, but I know you weren’t really interested.” She lets out a confused chuckle. “I can’t believe I’m interested in him, but … yeah. I don’t know, I just didn’t want it to be weird because of how you two were set up.”
“Girl, there’s nothing to be weirded out about. You know there was never a connection between us. I’m happy for you.” I wrap my arms around her.
“Okay, calm down. We’re not getting married or anything. In all honesty, I don’t know what happened. At the party, he was more relaxed or something. And then he offered to buy me a drink, so of course I said yes. I figured he was going to go on about his schooling and how he feels like he doesn’t know what he’s doing. I get that stuff’s confusing, but it was getting annoying at dinner.”
I shake my head at her with a smile. I remember him talking about that a little at the dinner, but that’s his life and everything he’s figuring out. Steph was a bit rude that night.
“But he didn’t,” she continues. “He asked me about my channel and seemed more confident. I don’t know what happened, but … yeah. Later that night, we made out.”
She adds the last comment with a smirk, and I start giggling. Then I remember Maddox telling me that night that he gave Winston some advice. It makes me wonder what it was, but more than that, it reminds me that Maddox knows how to talk to girls.
He knows how to act and the right things to say and do to wrap most girls around his finger. And even with all of that, I don’t feel like he’s ever done that with me. Sure, he tried to in the beginning, but he seems to have abandoned the playbook he no doubt has perfected. It reminds me of the times he’s told me the things he says aren’t lines; they’re the truth.
The thought brings a new smile to me, and I give Stephanie another hug. “I’m happy for you. This is awesome, we can totally double-date again. For real this time.”
“We’ll see,” she says with a leery smirk. “Let’s see how this party goes tonight. You sure you don’t want to ditch the restaurant and come out with us?”
I shake my head. “I’m so busy with Luxe, and Maddox with his band. Not to mention, when we see one another at the club, it’s not like it’s free time or anything like that. I want these little moments with him.”
“Uh-oh,” she says, poking my shoulder with a giggle. “Is someone falling for the rock star?”
“I didn’t think so,” I reply, looking away. Staring at myself in the mirror in front of us, I try to think of a good reason to give her that I’m not falling for him. But there are none. “He’s Maddox Barkley, you know?”
“And you’re Cece Mavin.”
I laugh off her comment. “You know what I mean. The weird thing is he’s been nothing but genuine and kind and …” I bite my lip. “I think I am falling for him. Am I crazy?”
