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“You have a secret,” I accuse, eyeing them with my arms crossed.
They both waver, shifting their weight and scratching the backs of their necks, not denying it.
“Tell me,” I demand. “Come on. I don’t like being out of the loop.”
“What’s going on?” The sound of Blaise’s soft voice sails over my shoulder.
While Ryder can sometimes push my buttons, and Reece teases me to no end, Blaise is always sweet to me. I latch on to that right now because I feel outnumbered.
I flash Ryder and Reece a smirk then spin around and loop my arms around Blaise.
Blaise is usually dressed in all black, and today is no exception. Even his chin-length hair is black, and so are his square-framed glasses. The only sparkle of color is the piercings in his lips and the thumb ring he wears, which I gave him for his birthday a few years ago.
“Ryder and Reece are keeping a secret from me.” I dramatically pout. “Do you know what it is?”
Blaise’s gaze flicks to my bottom lip that’s jutted out. He probably thinks I’m being overdramatic, and I am, but Blaise won’t ever say that to me.
“No.” He looks at Ryder and Reece as his arm slips around my waist, his hand settling on my back. “Come on, guys; whatever it is, just tell her. She tells you her secrets all the time.”
I secretly smile to myself. I knew Blaise would take my side.
“She wants to know why Ryder thinks she shouldn’t date Porter,” Reece says in a weird sort of indicating tone. “Or, well, not just Porter, but any guy, for that matter.”
I expect Blaise to tell Ryder to tell me his reasons he’s saying that, or at least to tell him that he shouldn’t tell me that I can’t date. Instead, Blaise’s expression crumbles.
“You want to date Porter Fellingford?” He appears hurt, which makes no sense, so I’m probably reading him wrong.
I lift a shoulder. “I think he’s cute, and we both like art and …” I frown.
Why is he acting like this? Blaise almost always spoils me, so it’s odd that he’s questioning me with something like this.
I step back, and his arm falls to his side. “Why are you all being so weird about this?”
“We’re not,” Ryder says calmly. “You’re just being paranoid.”
He’s lying. And he knows I know he is.
I glance at Reece, hoping he’ll cave and tell me. Or at least let a truth slip since he can be a blabbermouth at times, at least with me. But he simply offers me an apologetic look.
I return my attention to Blaise, but he’s a portrait of hurt and worry.
“Fine, if you guys don’t tell me, then I’ll just leave.” I stride past Blaise and out of the alcove, thinking that one of them will grab me, pull me back, and tell me what I want to know. That’s how it usually works whenever we argue.
But, for the first time, the three of them let me walk away without saying a word.
FIVE
ALLURA
Several hits later, I’m lying on the bed beside Bong Dude while Jay and Jessa make out on the floor. It’d be weird, but I’m too stoned to care.
“They’re noisy fuckers,” Bong Dude says at the sound of Jessa’s and Jay’s lips smacking together.
“For sure.” I stare up at the ceiling.
Glow-in-the-dark stars cover it, and I can’t stop staring at them. They’re pretty. The world is pretty. Everything is pretty.
Bong Guy groans. “Those noises are driving me crazy.” He turns his head toward me. “We should make out so we don’t have to hear them.”
