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The room went cold.
I looked toward Leo, who was reclined back on my bed, gazing at us. Then, I looked back at Elliot.
“What I’m looking at,” Leo started, “is a fucking horrible kiss.”
“Like you could do any better,” Elliot retorted.
I stepped back from Elliot and went to plop myself down on my desk chair. I wasn’t about to put up with a third fight over my ass.
“So, I know why you need a place to crash,” I said to Elliot, then shifted my attention to Leo. “But why are you here?”
Leo’s lips curled up at the corner, a devilish smirk.
“Well, it’s pretty simple, actually,” he said, shooting a wicked glance at Elliot. In comparison, I imagined him adding. “I can’t just have the two of you staying alone together, can I?”
“Guess not,” I replied. “Except, we wouldn’t be alone. I was planning on staying with my mom over break. I haven’t seen her since school started.”
That seemed to stun both of them. The boys looked at each other like they’d been caught sneaking out—or rather, sneaking into my own bedroom. But, hey, that was the truth.
“That doesn’t mean you have to change plans,” I continued. “My mom’s pretty chill. I’m just saying, though, you’ll be sleeping in the living room.”
“Of course,” Elliot said, regaining some composure. “Are you sure, though? Your mom and my family don’t exactly, well …”
“Get along?” I shrugged. “It’s fine. It’s my choice to bring you guys. Plus …” crossing my legs, I leaned forward, looking at Elliot, “It’ll give you the chance to piss off your father even more, if you know what I mean.” I gave him a wink.
“Yeah, I feel like pissing him off is the last thing I want to do,” he replied. “Or, the last thing I should do.”
“Either way, you’ll be pissing him off, right?” I said, realizing how similar this conversation sounded to the one I had with Pierre. Like Elliot, he was coming to stay with me in order to avoid his parents, and in doing so, he’d be sending them one message—I don’t need you anymore.
“Kat?” Leo said, snapping me out of my headspace. “Something wrong?”
God, he could read me easily. Too easily.
“Yeah,” I said quickly. “I mean, no. There’s something else you guys should know before you decide to stay over.”
There was no way for them to see this coming. Even I had to admit the whole situation was ridiculous. I could never expect the three of them to share the same space for half a second, let alone a few days. It was funny—I couldn’t see them getting mad about knowing I was fucking Pierre. They already knew he was into me. Of all the news I could’ve shared with them, this was the big kicker.
“Spit it out, Kitty Kat,” Elliot said, his tone smooth even though the words seemed harsh. “We can take it.”
I swallowed.
“I invited Pierre to come stay with me, too,” I said, the words hot on my tongue, dripping out of my lips like lava. I didn’t want to continue. “We planned it out before I came back. He’ll be here sometime early tomorrow morning.”
Leo put a hand up to his mouth, looking more amused than anything. Elliot, on the other hand, looked like he had been turned to stone.
“Look,” I said, wanting to avoid an awkward silence. “If this causes a problem, then—”
“Well, yeah, it kind of does,” Elliot growled, pushing himself away from the wall to step toward me. “He’s staying with you? Doesn’t he have his own house to sleep in?”
That got me angry. Mirroring his demeanor, I stood up from the chair, and walked toward him.
“He could ask you the same,” I said, my voice low, a borderline growl. When it came between my high school crush and my best friend, it shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone that I would back Pierre. “Maybe you’re not the only one with a shitty household.”
That seemed to shut him up. He flicked his gaze over to Leo, then stalked back toward the door. It seemed like he was about to leave, but at the last second, he turned back around.
“So, it’s settled,” he said curtly. “The three of us will stay with you. Because what choice do I have?”
The way he spoke made it sound like he was holding back an avalanche of swears, but I appreciated the effort. As a reward for trying to put on a happy face, I smiled at him.
