“What the hell are you doing here?” I blurted out, shaking my head in confusion. As soon as I realized how rude that had sounded, I slapped my hand over my mouth. “I mean...sorry. I just...I wasn’t expecting anyone. I thought my roommate had just come home and—”
“You mean Jodi? Oh, she did.” The blonde hooked a thumb over her shoulder, motioning out of the kitchen and toward the rest of the apartment. “I take Theatrical Design class with her, and when we got out early tonight, we decided to go somewhere to eat, but she wanted to stop by her place first to change, so voilà. That’s why I’m here, waiting on her. I’m Caroline, by the way.”
“Re—” I automatically started to answer before I caught myself, wondering if I should give her my real name. She was friends with Asher, married to his coworker. How safe was I in getting to know her as a girl? Then I decided, screw it. I didn’t feel like lying for the rest of the evening, so I smiled and said, “Remy.”
She smiled back as if pleased with my answer. I wondered if she knew the truth. Her husband knew; but had he told her?
“So do you want to get something to eat with us?” she asked, looking eager as if she really wanted me to go along.
“Uh...” I glanced toward the dishes, which I really didn’t want to finish. But spending too much time with Asher’s friend might get me caught up in some lie I didn’t want to tell.
Before I could regretfully decline, though, Jodi burst into the kitchen, saying, “Yes! Of course, you do. It feels as if I haven’t seen you in forever. You’re always busy, spending time with—”
“Sure,” I butted in before she could say Asher’s name or his band’s name. “I’ll tag along, if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” Caroline answered brightly.
“Great.” My smile was forced and my heart was pounding with stress. “Let me just go change into something a little more suitable.”
“Oh, hell no.” Jodi grabbed my arm, stopping me. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen you looking so nice. You are totally wearing that.” Then she crinkled her eyebrows into a confused frown. “Actually, why are you wearing that to do the dishes?”
I flushed hard as I shrugged. “Just, you know...sometimes you want to feel pretty when you’re slaving away at menial tasks.”
Caroline laughed at my answer. “I think I’m going to like you.”
I sent her a small, sick smile. Swell. I’d probably have to lie and deceive the girl all night, but she liked me. Nothing else for me to feel guilty about there.
No, not at all.
“You know, your singing reminds me of one of my friends. He’s always singing to himself when he’s absorbed in things like cleaning.”
“Hmm,” I murmured, trying not to act interested in such a coincidence because I had a feeling I knew exactly which friend she was referring to. “So, if I’m not allowed to change, should we go now?” Get this night over with already.
It ended up that I actually really liked Caroline, even though I tried not to so I wouldn’t have to feel so guilty about my deception. But she was just so personable and friendly, and she kept involving me in everything she and Jodi discussed.
Once we made it to the restaurant and were seated, I ordered a pi?a colada as soon as the waiter approached our table and before he could even ask for drink requests.
What? It’d been way too long since I’d been able to indulge in one.
Jodi laughed, while Caroline just sent me a curious glance. As soon as the waiter was gone again, Jodi asked, “Missing the girl life, huh?”
I nudged her under the table with the tips of my high heels.
But Caroline had already lasered in like a heat-seeking missile. “Girl life?”
I waved a hand and shook my head as if it were no big deal, but Jodi immediately started explaining, “Remy’s the girl I’ve been dressing up as a guy.”
I kicked her again under the table, but she just kept talking. “You know, the project I’m doing my term assignment on?”
When I walloped her again, she whirled to me with a frown. “Why the fuck do you keep kicking me?”
As I glared at her, Caroline laughed. “I think she’s trying to get you to shut up so I won’t figure out who she really is,” she told my roommate.
With a groan, I slunk lower in my chair. “Except you already know,” I concluded. “Right?”
She laughed. “Yep. I figured it out a few days after your first performance at Forbidden when Jodi brought a picture of Sticks to class and explained how she helped transform you to get you into Asher’s band.”
“?Dios mío, Jodi!” I cried, gaping. “You told an entire classroom full of people about it?”
My roommate winced, realizing she might have messed up. “Well, I...”
“She totally did,” Caroline gleefully informed me.
“Great,” I muttered. “Now, you, your husband, and an entire classroom full of strangers know.”
“Wait,” Caroline demanded. “Oren knows?” just as Jodi whirled to her and squawked, “You’re married?”
I shook my head, confused. “Oren?”
Caroline rolled her eyes. “Well, you didn’t think his real first name was Ten, did you?”