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“My mom went on and on last night about the fucking Dean’s List, and how I should be more like my brother, and I’m just so tired of hearing about it!” She took a sip of her coffee. “Why can’t I just do what I want? Live my own life.”
“You mean fawning over boys and drooling in class?” Melody teased.
A slight smile drew over Amelia’s face. “Oh, shut up!” And she laughed.
“So, how’d your search go last night? Did Lucas get back to you?” Melody changed the subject as they walked over to a vacant table. The coffee shop was much emptier than usual, as most of the students had already left for their break.
Amelia pulled out her phone to check if there were any new messages. Nothing. “I think he’s playing hard to get.”
“I think he’s playing not interested.” Melody burst into laughter and tilted her head back.
“That’s not funny! I truly believe that Lucas Liard is the man for me. He just hasn’t realized it yet. He’ll come around soon, trust me.”
“If you say so.”
***
AN HOUR LATER, AMELIA said farewell to her friend and walked toward the parking garage with her suitcase. She knew she didn’t need much, as her room back home still had most of her things, but she didn’t want to be caught in a situation where she didn’t have her loyal stilettos or her sexy black dress with her.
She stepped into her car and scouted the area near her school for somewhere that was still open. The three cups of caffeine today weren’t nearly enough to balance out her two hours of sleep.
“Closed. Closed. Closed,” she read sign after sign out loud as she rounded each corner. “The perk of living in the middle of nowhere truly is that everything closes before seven.”
A few minutes later, she spotted a gas station. Not the cleanest, but it’ll do for a quick stop. She quickly pulled into a spot and walked inside, heading back toward the refrigerated section of the store. When she reached in to pull out a can of energy drink, she heard a deep voice call out her name.
“Amelia? Amelia, is that you?”
Amelia spun around and found herself staring at a lanky man around her age whom she’d never seen before. He had rounded red glasses over his eyes, messy light brown hair, and wore a long sleeve tee that looked way too oversized for him.
“Uhm, yeah… Do I know you?” she asked, backing away slightly in hopes that he’d get the hint.
“No, but you should. I’m Patrick. I super liked you on Hooked three days ago, and I never heard back from you.”
Hooked, Amelia thought.That’s my app.“Oh… uhm… yeah… sorry, I’ve… been super busy lately. Haven’t been on the app much.”Ugh, I wanted Lucas, and instead, this freak shows up?
“Bummer, that sucks. Well, we’re both here now! What do you say we go out and grab a drink? And then maybe back to my place for some R&R?”
A small stream of bile rose in her throat, and she quickly forced herself to push it back down. “I can’t, sorry. I’m actually on my way home for spring break. I’m sure you know how parents can be when you’re late.”I never thought I’d be so grateful to go home.
“Well, do you wanna swap numbers at least? That way, we can chat during break, and then hang out when you get back? There’s this new arcade near here that I’ve been dying to go to. What do you say we make it our first date?”
Amelia felt her heart bleeding inside her chest.Why won’t this kid just go away? There’s a reason I never responded to him. I don’t like him. I don’t like you!But she couldn’t say that to him, especially not to his face. Confrontation had always been her Achilles’ heel, and she just wanted to get the hell out of there as soon as possible.
“I… I have to go. I’ll message you back. But I really have to run,” she stammered.
“Just quickly swap numbers. What if I don’t see you again?” He began following her.
Then that surely wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.“I’ll message you,” she stammered again.
She spun around on her heel and quickly made her way toward the front door.
“Hey, what about your drink?” Patrick called out after her.
I’d rather risk my chance passing out at the wheel than stay another minute around this loser.“Don’t need it anymore. Thanks!” And she pushed her way out the door, sprinting to her car and driving away before he had a chance to catch up to her. Her heart was beating fast, definitely not tired anymore, and she fumbled with her phone to dial Melody’s number, putting her on speaker while she continued to drive.
“Lia? Aren’t you heading down to your parents?”
“I was—am. Driving as we speak. You won’tbelievewhat just happened to me.”
