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“The passenger seat is off limits to you from now on,” I tell her.
She giggles and snaps her seatbelt in place. When I start my truck and begin to drive, her hand moves to my thigh.
RYLEE
“WHAT ARE YOU doing tonight?” Savannah asks moments after I lift the phone to my ear.
“Hello to you too.” I laugh.
“Oh hush.” I can hear the smile in her voice. “I’m calling to see if you want to come hang at my house tonight. My parents have been asking about you. I know they’d love to see you. And truthfully, I need some best friend time.”
“I thought maybe you were looking for a new best friend after how Oliver treated you the last time you came here,” I tease. “It’s been almost two weeks since I’ve heard from you.”
“One, screw Oliver. You know I don’t scare off that easily. And two, I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve called. I’ve been swamped with student council and cheer, on top of the mountain of schoolwork I’m trying to keep up with. Not to mention I’m in charge of planning the spring formal.”
“It’s almost time for the spring formal, already?” I think out loud.
“It’s February,” Savannah reminds me. “The dance is the last weekend in March.”
“God, how is it February already?”
“I know, right? In just four months’ time, we will be high school graduates. Can you believe it? Time is flying.”
“I’m gonna miss not being there with you girls. I can’t believe I have to miss the last Spring Formal at Bristol. It feels wrong.”
“It feels wrong for me, too. Then again, most things feel strange without you here.” She sighs. “But, I do have some happy news to report. You’ll never guess who asked me to be his date?”
“Wait, you already have a date to the dance?”
“Yep. Bryan Avers asked me yesterday after Bio. I guess he was afraid I would agree to go with someone else, so he wanted to ask me before anyone else could.”
“You’re going to the dance with Bryan Avers?” I can’t hide the shock in my tone. “I thought you didn’t like him.”
“I didn’t. But then we were forced to work together as lab partners and, I don’t know, he’s kind of grown on me.”
“Wow.” I shake my head, ignoring the small pang of sadness in my chest. I hate feeling like I’m missing out on everything. Like my old life evaporated and everyone else’s went on like I was never there to begin with. And while I know that’s not true, it still feels that way sometimes.
“So tonight? Think you can make it? Maybe we can do some online dress shopping.”
I’m just about to answer her when my bedroom door swings open. My eyes dart to the doorway, my heart kicking up speed when I see Zayden prop a shoulder against the doorframe and hit me with a sexy smirk.
“Actually, I don’t think I can tonight. I, like you, have a ton of schoolwork right now,” I say a little too quickly.
I actually do have quite a lot of homework to get done before Monday, but clearly that’s not why I’m declining her invite.
“On a Friday night? Can’t you wait and do it on Sunday like most people do?”
“I can’t put it off until Sunday. At this rate I’ll be lucky if it doesn’t take me all weekend. Can I take a raincheck?”
“Fine,” she groans. “You officially suck.”
“Oh, hush.” I chuckle. “Listen, I gotta go. Can I call you later?”
“Yeah, yeah. Love you, Ry.”
“Love you, too.” I hang up the phone, not able to hide the smile that creeps across my face when my eyes swing back to Zayden.
“Love you, too?” He quirks his head to the side. “Is there something you need to tell me?” I can tell he’s teasing, but something in his expression still darkens slightly.
