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Hannah released a sigh.
“Except Madison obviously.”
“Okay, I deserve that. Yes, except Madison. It was easier for me to connect with her than with you. I knew I hurt you. By the time I was ready to talk, it was too late. You seemed over it, and I didn’t have the intention of coming back then…”
“So you thoughtOh well, it was nice knowing youand just forgot about me altogether.”
“Of course not. I could never forget you. You’re my best friend. I can’t imagine my life without you. I was a total douche.”
Hannah pulled over and turned to face me.
“God, I want to scream at you so much!” she was trying to keep her tone casual; her whole body was tense.
“So scream,” I simply said. And she did. She yelled at me for ten minutes, then hugged me and cried for another ten.
“Are you coming back for good?” she asked when she was finally turning into her normal self.
“If you’re asking if I’m going back to London, no. I’m not. If you’re asking if I’m going back home to live with my mother forever, then also no. I have to figure school out. I have to graduate. So obviously I will be here for a while. I have no other plans beyond that.”
“What about Lucas?” Hannah asked, her voice warming up to me with every sentence. I shrugged in response. I didn’t know what to say. “You’re an asshole, Clem. But I forgive you,” she paused. “He will too.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Clementine
I saw Lucas for the first time in four months on a Friday morning. He was going out for a run, and I was lurking around outside his house for hours.
He froze for a second. I saw the surprised look on his face. So Elizabeth really kept my return a secret.
For the past seventy-two hours I thought about that moment a million times. I imagined us screaming at each other, throwing accusations in the other one’s face. Nothing like that happened in reality.
His gaze dropped down to my neck. I knew what he was looking for. It was there. Under my tee. The chain was visible though. He frowned.
“You look like shit,” he mumbled.
“Thanks,” I rolled my eyes.
“What are you doing here?”
Oh, wow. I wasn’t expecting us to go to the important part so fast. I took a deep breath and started talking.
“I didn’t really like it in London, and I…”
“I meant in front of my house?” he clarified, and my cheeks turned red. I could feel their warmth.
“Oh. I was waiting for you. Hannah told me you were running every morning so…”
I didn’t finish my sentence. He took a few steps in my direction, probably waiting for me to talk. I felt my body itching with need to touch his. He was so handsome. His dark hair was a mess like always, and he looked me with a scowl I wanted to erase with a kiss.
“Do you want to tell me something or you just came here to stare at me?” he asked, and I couldn’t read his tone. Was he teasing me or was he irritated?
“I want to talk to you…I…,” I looked around nervously. “I’ve been waiting for two hours. I really have to pee.”
Way to go, Clementine. That’s the first truth you decided to share?
“Go pee, Clementine,” he nodded pointing his house. “I’ll go for a run,” he rounded me and added, “I’ll come back in about an hour, and we will talk, okay?”
“Sure. Yes. I’ll wait.”
