I bump her back but don’t bother denying it because I really, really do.
“Tell her to hurry up or we’ll be late,” Chloe calls from the driver’s side as I step out of her warm car. “She better not still be napping.”
“I know, I know,” I mumble and close the door. I glance at my phone.
We were supposed to meet at my house at eight so Chloe could drive us to a New Year’s party on the other side of town. But eight o’clock came and went without a word from Alex. Even after several texts and a few unanswered calls.
Normally, my first reaction would be that something was wrong with Mason. Except I know that’s not the case because he texted me a photo of him and his date at some fancy restaurant about fifteen minutes ago.
Ms. Pestano’s car is gone, so she’s either at work or at Richard’s, and a quick peek in the garage shows Alex’s motorcycle is still inside. Now I’m just annoyed. If she needed more time, all she had to do was say something.
I knock, but there’s no answer. I get the spare key ready, but the front door is unlocked, so I pop my head in. “Alex, you ready? Chloe’s getting antsy.”
Still no answer. The house is quiet, and I wouldn’t put it past Alex to indeed still be napping. I sigh and start up the stairs. Her bedroom door is open slightly, and soft music plays from within.
“Hey, Al?” I push open the door and step inside. “Are you ready because Chloe’s—” but the sight in front of me causes me to freeze. “Waiting,” I finish lamely. Becauseoh my God.
A girl is straddling Alex in her bed, her bare back on full display, and Alex’s hands are on her sides, her fingers pressed into her ribs like she’s holding on. The sheets cover most of them, but I manage to catch more than enough before they both realize what’s happening.
And that’s when I see way more of Simone Howard than I ever did back in our locker room days.
“Oh my God.” I close my eyes and back out of the room, pulling the door shut behind me. There’s murmuring coming from inside the room, and I take a second to try to settle the hammering of my heart.“I’m so sorry,” I say through the door and race down the stairs and out of the house as quickly as possible, wishing I could disappear entirely.
Ignoring the bit of snow starting to fall, I slide into Chloe’s car and stare out the windshield, not daring to look back at the house. Of coursethat’swhen I notice Simone’s car parked across the street.
“Is she coming?” Chloe asks.
“Pretty damn close,” I say, and my face feels flushed.
“What does that mean?”
“It means she’s busy.” Chloe stares at me, still clearly confused. My phone vibrates, and without looking, I know it’s Alex. “We should just go.”
“Why? What’s going on? Does she need more time or—”
“She’s with Simone.” The images of them in bed flash inside my mind, and I squeeze my eyes shut and attempt to think of anything other than Simone’s breasts.
A slow smile spreads across Chloe’s lips. “No shit? Good for her.”
My phone buzzes, and this time, it doesn’t stop. I send the call to voice mail, not yet ready to deal with the fallout of walking in on my best friend having sex.
“Okay, then, it’s just you and me, babe.” Chloe shifts her car into reverse and slowly backs out of the driveway. “Alex is ringing in the new year with a bang. I love it.”
Against my better judgment I glance back at the house. It’s just as quiet as it was before I let myself in. Except this time, I slouch low, embarrassed and unsettled.
The party is…fine. It’s not a big, loud college frat party where people are drinking questionable beverages mixed in even more questionable containers. It’s a mellower, low-key get-together of a few dozen kids from high school, all excited to catch up and talk about what they’ve been up to these past few months post-graduation.
Except I’m not that interested in what they’ve all been doing. I’m too wrapped up in wondering when the hell Alex and Simone started having sex and why Alex felt she had to keep it a secret.
Okay, I know why she didn’t say anything. My reaction to her showing interest in Simone this past summer was less than inviting.
Somewhere near ten, I finally cave and read Alex’s texts. The first one is an apology for missing a string of my earlier messages, followed by another apology for missing our meetup time, followed by a few asking if it was still okay if she came to the party.
Feeling guilty, I tell her that yeah, we’ll wait for her to get here.
After catching up with just about everyone we know, Chloe and I camp out in the side room, close to the kitchen, both of us kind of over being here. I’m no longer in a party mood, and Chloe seems to deflate once she realizes Jon Jacobs probably isn’t coming.
Alex finally shows up around ten thirty, and to my relief, Simone isn’t with her. She finds us easily and leans against the wall next to where we’re sitting. Despite the heavy coat and knit cap, she looks frozen.
