“There’s no one, babes. Drop it.”
“Liar.” Raven didn’t look up. “You have that look.”
“What look?”
“The one where you’re trying very hard not to look interested, but you’re totally interested.” Sierra leaned forward, eyes gleaming. “Spill.”
I sighed, knowing I wasn’t getting out of this. “It’s nothing. Just some guy from the gym.”
“Some guy from the gym,” Calliope repeated slowly. “And you have his number.”
“We exchanged numbers. For gym advice.”
All three of them stared at me.
“Gym advice.” Raven’s voice was completely flat.
“Yes.”
“You’ve been going to that gym for six years,” Sierra pointed out. “What possible gym advice could you need?”
“Maybe I’m mentoring him. Being a helpful community member.”
“You’re full of shit.” Calliope grinned. “What’s his name? What does he look like? Is he hot? Obviously he’s hot, or you wouldn’t be checking your phone every five minutes.”
“His name is Ellis. He’s tall. He’s… yeah, he’s hot.” Saying it out loud felt like admitting something. “But it’s not like that. We’re just… I don’t know. Talking.”
“You don’t just talk to people,” Raven said. “You flirt with people, sleepwith people, or ignore people. There’s no in-between.”
She wasn’t wrong.
“Maybe I’m trying something new,” I said, going for casual and probably missing by a mile. “Being friends first, or whatever.”
“Friends,” Sierra repeated, and there was something soft in her voice. Almost hopeful. “That’s… good, Jett. Really good.”
“Don’t make it a thing, Camera Girl.”
“Too late,” Calliope said. “It’s already a thing. When are you seeing him again?”
“I don’t know. Maybe never. He might ghost me.”
“He won’t.” Sierra spoke with annoying confidence. “If he gave you his number, he’s interested.”
“Or he’s just being polite.”
“Boys don’t give out their numbers to be polite,” Raven argued. “Trust me. I’ve been on the receiving end of ‘polite’ and it’s much more passive-aggressive.”
My phone buzzed.
Ellis:How’s your Friday going?
My heart did something stupid.
“Oh my god, he’s texting you right now, isn’t he?” Calliope practically launched herself across the room to see my screen.
I held the phone out of reach. “Personal boundaries, please.”
“Let me see!”
