Page 83

As soon as Knox leaves, Odelia, Ada, and Lottie all take their spots on Riley’s sectional and pull out the book that none of them read. I don’t know why they even bother buying the books at this point, but it is a nice excuse for us all to get together considering all of our classes are split up and I’m in a co-op where I spend half of my after-lunch periods at the shelter.

Lottie flips open her copy of the book and immediately shuts it again. “All right, who actually read past chapter three this time?”

We all glance around the room, avoiding eye contact. Usually I’m the first to finish the books we pick out, in fact I’m the one to pick a majority of the time, but Knox and I have been…busy the last week, and reading romance has, for once, been the last thing on my mind.

Odelia leans back against the arm of the couch. “I…skimmed the back.”

“I watched the movie adaptation!” Ada says proudly.

“There is no movie adaptation,” Lottie replies and Ada snorts.

“Then I imagined one. It was very artsy and had Tom Welling in it in my mind. Five stars all around.”

I sink into my own cushion. “Soo…no book club?”

I can’t even fake disappointment. I’m just as ready to get out and see Knox as he was desperate to not leave in the first place. It’s like all this pent-up energy between us has left me restless, and the only thing I can think to do with it is just be with him all the time. More so than ever, which really says something considering our summers were basically spent being glued at the hip growing up.

“Book club is postponed,” Lottie corrects me. “Because…we have more pressing matters to discuss.”

“Like?” Odelia asks, but Lottie is looking directly at me, and I have a feeling I know exactly what she’s planning.

“Halloween.” Lottie wiggles her brows. “We haven’t done anything for Halloween the last two years, and I don’t know about y’all, but I am not spending another year handing out candy to ungrateful kids that have more than enough brain rot settled in them already.”

She’s mentioned it briefly before, wanting to go out for Halloween, but again, I had been so busy that planning took a spot in the back of my mind. Partially because I’m not much of a party girl, and also because I’m beginning to completely understand how Lottie missed my animal shelter event this summer after she and Walker started officially dating. If she was half as distracted with him as I have been with Knox, then it’s more than understandable.

Lottie gives us all a pleading look when we’re mostly quiet, and guilt rings low in my gut. Ever since she had her accident two summers ago, leaving her with post-traumatic epilepsy, all of us (me especially) have been guilty of trying to protect her from any high-stress situations that could cause her to have a seizure.

This summer I, along with all of our friends and her family, agreed we would pull back and let her make decisions and explore for herself, but there’s still this almost maternal instinct that makes me want to keep her safe.

A low-key, simple Halloween party would be fine, I know that. But our low-key parties in the past have spun out of control before—case in point being a party at Odelia’s house a few years ago where over half of the school showed up and her brother had to force them all to leave.

“I have ground rules,” Ada says, hand in the air. “We either all do the whole ‘sexy animals’ theme, or we’re going full-on Legolas and Gandalf costumes. I’m not doing any of this half-and-half stuff.”

“I personally find Legolas very sexy,” Odelia chirps, and we all take a moment to eye her before Lottie says, “All out, I agree!”

“We could do couples costumes?” I suggest and immediately regret it when Ada squints at me.

“Only half of us are in relationships.” She points from me to Lottie. “Unless, Odie, should we go as dates?”

Odelia immediately nods. “I say we do Bert and Ernie.”

“Very smart. Couples costumes it is.”

“First things first, where are we even going? I’m not doing another haunted house with Flick; she freaked me out with her laughing last time.”

My phone buzzes against my thigh, and like a sixth sense, before I even read it, I know it’s Knox. I don’t even look before unlocking to answer.

Knox: Send two duck emojis if they’re bullying you

I smile at the screen in my lap, warmth blooming low in my chest.

Me: They’re not too bad tonight

Knox: Is it better than it being just us?

Me: Is anything better than just us?

Knox: Not that I’ve ever seen, love