“Hold up.” Hope’s hand raises like a stop sign. “What about LJ?”
Dax taps his helmet like a drum. “What about him?”
Hope scoffs in response.
Sylvie links arms with me. “Seriously, who is this?”
I give Dax an apologetic smile. “Thanks for the ride. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Dax smirks and puts his helmet back on. “Yeah, you will.”
When the motorcycle revs, both girls gasp beside me. Hope plants a hand on her chest. The horrified look on her face might stay etched on her skin forever.
“Ness.” Sylvie gasps, grabbing my shoulders. “How long have you been keeping him a secret?” We watch him ride away, and Sylvie sighs. “I mean, I totally get it. Like, super,superget it.”
I slide her hands off me. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Oh, come on,” Sylvie pries. “You just said he’s your date to the gala. Plus, I saw him do the whole Prince Charming move by kissing your hand.”
An uncontainable smile grows on my reddening face, and my insides melt to goo.
Hope grabs my wrist with a shocking amount of force. “He’s not your Prince Charming.”
“What?” It’s all I can manage to get out.
Sylvie raises her palms and takes a few steps away from us.
I pry her hand from around my wrist. “What are you saying?”
“Why don’t you want the fairytale with LJ?”
I double-take at her, wondering what planet she’s on. “Why does it matter so much to you?”
“I just think…” Hope bites her tongue, thinking better of her words.
But the scowl on her face sends my blood boiling. “Just say it, Hope. What do you think?”
Hope groans at the evening sky. She then looks back at me with a sigh. “Don’t you think, maybe, you’re being just the teeny-tiny bit ungrateful?”
A laugh sputters out of me. “Ungrateful? How so?”
“You have this whole life set up for you,” Hope replies. “You have the family money, a future laid out for you, and the dream guy who’ll keep everything afloat. Don’t you think the rest of us want something like that?”
My gaze narrows. “No. I assumed everyone wanted to make their own decisions in life.”
“Well, sometimes it’s too hard to think about the future. I mean, my mother is still climbing the freaking social ladder. I feel doomed in her shadow.” She takes my hand, squeezing it hard as urgency floods her expression. “Ness, I care about you. I don’t want you throwing away your future because you’re having family problems. It’ll pass. You’ll be sorry if you don’t make it work with LJ.”
I snatch my hand from her grip. “Don’t pretend to know what’s going on with my family.”
She raises her hands in defense. “I’m not. I just know it’s been hard for you and Ash having your mother away.”
“And you think that’s why I don’t want to be with LJ?”
She nods, and sincerity brightening her eyes. “It’s obviously a cry for attention. I’m just letting you know I’m here for you. Please don’t forget that.”
I blow out a breath, lowering my guard. “Okay. I understand your concern, but it’s unnecessary. What I need is for you to back off and stop pushing me toward LJ.”
“I just don’t want you to blow it.”
