“Let’s start with why both Brooks and Estaine ditched The Hamptons for Labor Day,” Teagan says. “It’s just expected that they’d throw a party. Imagine everybody’s surprise when they showed up and both houses were locked up.”
“Estaine stayed with me. I honestly have no idea why Brooks stayed,” I answer, trying to be as honest as I possibly can. “I kind of hurt Brooks. You know, ’cause I’m dating Estaine. I guess Estaine felt bad, because he knew how upset I was. He invited Brooks, to be nice.”
It’s sort of true.
“Is he trying to get you to dump him for Brooks?” Emma asks. “Cause Estaine is hot. The hottest guy here. But Brooks... he’s like... movie star hot.”
“I could totally see him being a movie star,” Teagan says, now looking at Emma. “Or a rock star. I wonder if he can sing.”
“Who cares? I’d go to the concerts just to stare at him.”
I roll my eyes. “Guys, can we focus?”
“Right,” Teagan says, looking back at me. “You already know I’m team Estaine. Brooks Remington is not commitment material.”
“You and Estaine are perfect for each other,” Emma says.
“But, be honest, you kissed Brooks back at the game.”
“Only because I was shocked,” I say. “I wasn’t sure what I was doing. I was just stunned. It took me about thirty minutes to even talk afterwards. And then I slapped him.”
“I’ve always wanted a guy to kiss me in the heat of the moment, and then me slap him,” Emma says. “Like they used to do in the old movies. It would be so romantic.”
Slapping a guy is romantic?
“Why did he even kiss you?” Teagan asks. “If he knew you’re with Estaine, I mean.”
“Brooks said he was jealous,” I answer.
“Wow,” Emma says, her mouth hanging open. I watch as gum falls out of her mouth and onto Teagan’s arm.
“Gross,” Teagan says, holding up her arm.
Emma takes the gum and sticks it back in her mouth.
Gross.
“Sorry,” Emma says. “I just... can’t even.”
“Ugh,” Teagan says. “You know I hate when people say that.”
“This situation totally calls for it,” she says.
“Maybe you’re right,” Teagan says, then looks at me. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” I answer. “I mean, I like Brooks. You’re right. He is gorgeous. But he’s super jealous. He always has been, even before Estaine and I started dating.”
I want to tell them that our relationship is phony. That we’re not dating. But I can’t do that without telling them a lot more. Things that I literally cannot tell them, unless I want to go into hiding again. Only this time, I don’t think it’ll be a place as nice as East Raven.
And Estaine won’t be there.
Or Brooks.
Or Teagan and Emma.
Or any of the friends I’ve made here.
“How was the kiss?” Emma asks.
“I don’t know,” I answer. “I don’t have any kisses to compare it to.”
“Oh, right. I forgot,” she says.
“You need to kiss Estaine already,” Teagan says. “I bet his kiss would make you forget all about Brooks.”
That’s what I’m scared of.
“What’s going on with you and Jason?” I ask Teagan.
“Well, over the break we kind of hung out,” Teagan answers.
“So, he’s your boyfriend now?” I ask.
Her face breaks out with a wide grin and her eyes light up. “Yeah. We were kissing one night, and he was like, ‘want to be my girlfriend?’”
“Romantic,” I say, laughing.
“That’s pretty much as romantic as Jason gets,” Emma says.
“He can be romantic when he wants to be,” Teagan says. “Besides, you know I’m not much of a flowers and chocolates kind of girl.”
“Fine. If Jason gives you flowers and chocolate, you can give them to me,” Emma says.
“Bryce can buy you flowers,” Teagan replies.
“We broke up. You were there, remember?”
“And I was there the time before when you broke up. And then, the time before. Oh, and the other fifty times. You guys will get back together. You always do,” Teagan says. “I can imagine you guys being married one day, going to the divorce lawyer every other day.”
Emma rolls her eyes. “I might date Bryce again, but I am not marrying him.”
“You’d better not, because I refuse to be maid of honor if you do.”
“When we go to college, I’m going to date a super-hot guy,” Emma says. “And he is going to help me forget I ever dated Bryce.”
I sit down on my bed, enjoying their easy banter.
It’s easy to see why Teagan and Emma are best friends. Emma is a pretty cool girl when she’s not crying over Bryce. I wish I could see this carefree side of her more often. I hope she doesn’t waste her entire high school experience on him.
“What are you going to do about your boy drama, Phoenix?” Emma asks.
“I am attracted to Brooks, but I have a feeling he and I would fight, like, all the time,” I say. “Estaine is different. He was my friend first. He’s still my friend. We might eventually fight, but it won’t be over stupid things all the time.”
“I’d better be a bridesmaid in your wedding,” Teagan says. “Since I basically set you and Estaine up.”
I throw my pillow at her and it smacks her in the face before she can move out of the way.
“You guys do make a very cute couple,” Emma says.
“Thanks,” I say.
Even if we aren’t a real couple.
Tuesday, September 5