“Wonderful,” I repeat dryly. “So wonderful I’ve never had a boyfriend. So wonderful that only a
couple of weeks ago, he would scowl at me when he saw me.”
“People are complex, Maya. I think you know that better than most,” she says with a soft smile.
“We all walk around the world stuck in our heads, mostly oblivious to the people around us. Then one
day, something, or someone, shakes us out of our stupor, and suddenly, we see what’s right in front of
us. Maybe, that day at self-defense, which” she turns to Cara with a raised brow, “I’m really sorry I
missed.”
Cara rolls her eyes. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t find you. You went off too quickly with Mr. Mysterious.
Are we ever going to meet him, by the way? Why don’t you see if he wants to double date with
Declan and me? And maybe,” she draws out theesound, “Zach and Maya. It could be fun.”
Janey blushes and kicks her heels softly against my desk. “I can ask him. He says he likes it when
it’s just the two of us.”
“Just the two of you,” Cara says thoughtfully. “How long have you guys been dating?”
“Six weeks.”
“And you’re seeing a lot of him?”
Another blush. “Yes.”
Cara firms her lips. “Then it’s time he meets your friends.”
“Friends,” Janey says, repeating the world like its rich ice cream on her tongue. “Yes, he should
meet my friends.” She stares off, a small smile on her lips. I can’t figure out if it’s because she’s
thinking about her guy, or because she’s happy to have friends. I would be smiling for both reasons, so
maybe she is too.
She visibly shakes herself. “What was I saying? Right, so maybe that day at self-defense, you
shook him out of his bubble, and he saw how amazing you are.”
Cara snorts and taps her lip. “Do you think it was the way you kicked him in the balls or the kiss
that shook him up?”
I slap my hands over my cheeks, blushing furiously. That was an overwhelming, strange, life-
changing day. “I don’t know,” I mumble.
“Hello.”
All three of us startle and swing to the doorway to find Jonas staring at us.
“For fuck’s sake, Jonas, I’m going to make you wear a bell if you don’t stop sneaking up on us,”
