Page 102 of When The Noise Stops

Legally.

Knox and I were officially dating.

Boyfriend and girlfriend.

At our big ages.

He hated when I called him my little boyfriend, so naturally, I did it every chance I got.

I still had my place. He still had his.

I slept in mine sometimes.

Alone.

It was Saturday night. Everybody was in my backyard. Gabby was sleeping.

The grill was going.

Knox sat beside me with one arm stretched across the back of my chair.

Tiny was across from us.

Ronny was beside him.

"You're staring," Knox murmured.

"I am observing."

"You're drunk."

"I can do two things at once."

Ronny started saying something.

I got ready to cut her off. I had been holding this shit in.

"With everything that had been going on with Gabby, it didn't seem right to say, 'Hey, everybody,'" I slurred.

Everybody looked at me.

I pointed across the table.

"Ronny and Tiny kissed on a dare in DC. I think they fucked."

Complete fucking silence.

Ronny slowly lowered her cup.

Tiny froze with a fork halfway to his mouth.

Knox closed his eyes.

"What? Why would you tell them that?" Ronny said.

"I've been holding that in for three months. Y'all should have seen that kiss in D.C. It was hot."

I turned to Tiny. "Did you fuck my best friend?"