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I’m about to ask her what the hell her problem is when I glance up and gasp.
“Oh shit.” I yank Lani’s arm, tugging her sideways into an alley. “Hide,” I whisper urgently, forcing her to duck behind a dumpster.
“Are you serious?” She spits out the words, obviously super pissed.
The dumpster stinks, and the brick walls of this alley are filthy. Lani stands there trying not to touch any part of her clothing against any of the grimy surfaces while she hides beside me.
I wince and press my back against the wall. Lani peeks out and watches Ben walk past.
“Do you think he saw us?” My wince is becoming a deep cringe.
Lani’s unimpressed glare isn’t helping.
“What?” I stand up once I’m sure we’re in the clear, tugging down my shirt and frowning right back at her. “What is your problem?”
Seriously, my roommate is getting grumpier by the day.
“You’re making a mistake.” She gives me a pointed look. “You know you’re in the wrong here.”
I bristle at her words, flashing my eyes at her.
“You could be with a really nice guy.” She points down the alley where Ben walked past only moments ago. “Someone who wants you. Someone who is desperate for your number because he wants to call it—every day, no doubt! He’d support you no matter what you decide.” She flicks her finger, pointing at my stomach, then shaking her head. “But no, you go for the Nolan U man slut.”
My face scrunches as I turn away from her and throw the rest of my ice cream in the dumpster. “We have a connection,” I try to argue, but my tone sounds annoyingly lame right now. “And he does support me.”
“Whatever.” Lani eyes me up and down, tutting and shaking her head. “He’s like a walking STD. He’ll screw any girl on campus who will have him.”
“He’s clean, okay?” I glare right back at her.
Her expression crumples, her shoulders slumping before she flicks her hands in the air. “Do you honestly want him to be the father of your kid? He’s a total man-child, allergic to responsibility, and… and…” She huffs. “I just don’t get you!”
I gape at her, wondering how long she’s been harboring all these angsty feelings. I mean, I knew she hasn’t been impressed by my sex-fest, but she’s usually way more supportive than this.
“Well, I don’t get you right now,” I fire back. “You’ve been so freaking grumpy since I told you. It’s like you’re punishing me for this.”
Lani sighs and shakes her head again. “I don’t understand what you see in him.”
“Well, you don’t have to, because you’re not the one who’s dating him.”
She turns to look at me, her face etched with sadness as she softly asks, “Are you dating him?”
I clamp my lips together and cross my arms, looking away from her.
“You’re not. You’re just screwing like rabbits. That’s not dating, Caroline.” Her voice is going gentle now, filled with that desperation for me to hear her. I stiffen when she touches my arm. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but he’ll probably be long gone by the time this shit gets real. Don’t set yourself up for heartbreak. You don’t need a man. You can do this on your own. No matter what you decide, I have faith in you.”
I flick her off me. The idea of facing what I’m up against by myself is repellent.
I can tell she’s about to launch into some spiel about how she’ll be there and my supportive family could help, too, but I don’t want those people.
I want Casey!
“Just because you’re Miss Independence doesn’t mean I want to be.” I snap out the words. “Stop pressuring me with all your feminist ideals. There’s nothing wrong with being a romantic. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to fall in love and be in a relationship with someone.”
“But it’s not a relationship!” She flings her arms wide. “He’s not in love with you, Caroline.”
The words sting like a slap to the face. My eyes start to burn, but like hell I’m going to let her see that she made me cry.
Clenching my jaw, I give her my best glare before spinning away and storming back onto Main Street.
