Crap.
Why am I smiling?
I can’t just tell them I’m smiling over Brooks. Especially considering I told Estaine I would stay away from him.
“Food,” I say. “Duh.”
The food does look pretty awesome. Plus, there is a coffee shop right here on campus and I needed a double shot after today’s training.
“You’re weird, Phoenix,” Ian says.
“Thanks,” I say, grinning. Being weird isn’t such a bad thing. Really.
“I happen to like your level of weirdness,” Estaine says.
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” Ian asks.
Estaine and I both laugh.
“It was supposed to be, but it came out wrong,” Estaine says. “What I mean to say is I think you’re a pretty cool chick.”
“Last time somebody told me I was pretty cool, they asked me to hack their girlfriend’s phone records to see if she was cheating on him,” I say. “Do you need me to hack something? If you do, all you have to do it ask. I don’t need flattery.”
Another tray joins the table.
“You can do that?” Bryce asks, as he sits down. “You can hack somebody’s phone records?”
“Yep,” I answer.
He looks worried.
“Don’t worry,” I tell him. “Pretty sure Emma doesn’t even care that you’re cheating on her.”
At least he has the audacity to look guilty. Maybe he has a conscience after all.
Still, if he’s not interested in truly dating Emma, he should just break up with her. Sure, it would suck for Emma. And me, because she’d probably be crying in my dorm room. But she would get over it and move on. Maybe she’d even get a new boyfriend, one who wouldn’t treat her like dirt.
“I never cheat on Emma,” Bryce says. “I always break up with her before it gets that far.”
“Right. So, sending girls flirty text messages doesn’t count as cheating,” I say, the sarcasm heavy in my voice. “Got it. So, you wouldn’t care if Emma was texting other guys?”
Bryce casts his gaze downward. He just answered my question without speaking. Of course he wouldn’t be okay with it.
My phone vibrates and I know without looking that it’s Brooks. I wait until the guys start talking about football, to read the text, careful to keep my phone hidden underneath the table. I so do not want anybody finding out that I’m texting him.
BROOKS: My friends keep asking me why I'm smiling... I told them it's because I was texting you. They laughed at me, called me a girl, until I showed them your picture. Now, they're all jealous.
ME: Now I know you're delusional...
BROOKS: Tell me about the last guy you dated.
ME: Isn't it a little early to be having the ex talk? Which, by the way, would be a very short talk. I have had one boyfriend. In the sixth grade. I broke up with him after a week because he took another girl to see my favorite boy band. I'm clearly still heartbroken.
BROOKS: Please tell me you're joking. Because if you're not, guys on the West Coast are seriously idiots.
“I don't think I've ever seen her use her phone so much.”
“Earth to Phoenix.”
I look up and see that Teagan and Emma have now joined the table.
“Sorry,” I say, locking my phone. “It was... my cousin.”
Another lie.
I'm already lying about who I am. I get it. It's for my safety. But now I'm lying about Brooks. I hate liars. How did I become one?
Oh, right. Because I was kidnapped by terrorists and given a new identity by the government for my safety.
“Sam, Penny, and Zoey want to have a girl’s hangout night tonight,” Teagan tells me. “You in?”
“Obviously,” I say.
“They really like you,” she says.
Why?
Seriously, I don’t feel like I’m a very likable person. I’m really not, because if I was, maybe I would’ve had more friends in Malibu. Instead, I just tagged along with Charlie and all of his friends.
“They tried to talk me into joining the dance team,” I tell her.
“The dance team looks fun, but it interferes with our soccer schedule. Obviously. They dance at the games,” Emma says.
“You should join the dance team,” I tell Emma. “That way you can go to the football games and the soccer games.”
“But there is also field hockey, basketball, baseball, swim team, and a ton of other sports,” Emma says. “The dance and cheer team are always super busy. I mean, it looks like they have a blast, but...”
Bryce.
It’s her unfinished word.
Being busy isn’t bad. I like being busy. And I have a feeling it would be good for Emma.
If only I could talk her into it.
“You should do it,” I tell her, then look at Bryce. “Right, Bryce?”
He looks at me, stunned, then looks at Emma. “Absolutely, babe.”
“He’d even come watch you dance,” I say.
He nods his head.
Ha.
I love that he’s scared I’m going to hack his phone records.
I equally hate that he’s scared of it because he knows Emma would dump him if I did. Which means he definitely has something to hide.