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When everything is finished, there is less than fifteen minutes left until the fireworks start. The sun is gone and the sky is darker, the stars almost visible. Many people are distributed around the field, also waiting for the event to commence.
“Vi, can I ask you something?” Ellie asks, sitting down with her head tilted back, looking at the sky. I look at her as she begins to blink slowly.
“Of course. But if it’s to go to one of my concerts, you know the answer,” I reply. Ellie has wanted to go to my concerts ever since we came to LA, but she knows it's dangerous for her to be there. Plus, she can’t go alone, and Mom would rather not go to such a public place.
“It’s not a favor,” she quickly replies.
“Okay, ask away.”
“Are you dating anyone?” she turns her head to me and asks. I raise my eyebrows. That’s the last question I’d expect Ellie to ask me.
“Since when did you ask things like that?” I answer her question with another question.
“I’m just asking,” she replies. I look to the sky.
“No, I’m not dating anyone. You know I haven’t dated anyone since Tristan,” I remind her. She groans, pretending to be grossed out.
“Tristan was dumb. I’m glad Mom released that info on his father and put him out of business. I mean, who did he think he was to give you a concussion and just run away?” she comments. I really don’t know. He was stupid anyway, so I’ve gotten over it. “So, you’re really not dating anyone?” she asks again. Why is she so stuck on the idea? Did someone tell her I was dating someone? That is the only plausible reason I can find right now.
“If you don’t trust me, why did you ask me in the first place?” I state. She frowns, opening her mouth to explain herself before closing it and hesitating. I wait for a second, and she lets out a breath of air.
“I don’t know. I mean, I thought you and Lorenzo were dating,” she finally says. I lean forward then sit up straight. Lorenzo and me? Everyone knows we’re best friends. Why would she think that? Wait, does everyone seriously think that me and Lorenzo are dating?
“You think we’re dating?” I ask her in surprise, and she almost looks offended.
“I mean, yeah. I thought everyone did,” she points out. I look at her with a confused expression. Why would anyone think Lorenzo and I were dating? There’s no reason for it. We’re best friends, everyone knows that.
“Ellie, we’re friends,” I explain. “I thought that was pretty obvious. Why did you think we were dating though?”
“I don’t know, I heard Lorenzo and Mom talk about it,” she replies. I turn my whole body to face her now. Talking about what?
“What do you mean? What were Mom and Lorenzo talking about?” I ask, a hint of concern in my voice. Lorenzo and my mom don’t keep secrets from me. At least, that’s what I thought. Now I don’t even know anymore.
“You don’t know? I thought you would’ve known that.”
Know what? What’s going on?
“What were they talking about?” I repeat. Ellie now turns her body toward me and sits cross-legged, readying to give me an explanation.
“It might be wrong, so don’t take my word for it,” she tells me.
I feel my stomach twist slightly. Now she’s scaring me. I don’t know if she’s stalling, and my worry increases as I wait for her to continue. “I won’t,” I tell her. She needs to tell me what’s going on already. It’s stressing me out.
“Well, I heard Lorenzo saying he liked you. He was talking to Mom about it,” she tells me.
A wave of confusion and uncertainty hits me. What? No, that’s obviously wrong. Ellie must have heard it wrong. Lorenzo doesn’t like me. He would’ve told me if he did. He doesn’t like me, right?
“No, I’m sure that’s wrong. He would have told me if it was true. Don’t worry about it,” I reassure her, yet I fail to reassure myself. My chest tightens as the thought circles my head repeatedly. Ellie shrugs the idea away and turns back to look at the sky, awaiting the show.
I heard Lorenzo saying he liked you.
Maybe he wouldn’t have told me. If he had actually liked me, he would never tell me because he knows me. He knew what happened. He knew what I was going through. He knowsmy thoughts on all of it. If he actually loved me, he would do everything he could to keep away from me.
The truth hits me hard.Lorenzo likes me.I shake my head repeatedly to myself, concern covering my face. He can’t like me. Something has to be wrong. Suddenly, a loud sound fills the air, and I look up to see the fireworks have already begun. I look down to Ellie again, who’s admiring the explosions and all the colors surrounding them. I continue to look at her, rethinking the idea again and again.Lorenzo can’t like me.
I wait for the show to come to a stop, then pull my phone out and call his number. It rings three times before he answers. “Hey Violet. You need me to come?” he asks from the other side.
“Hey. No, we’re taking a taxi home. I just wanted to see if you’re free later,” I ask him, shifting my position on the grass slightly.
