Zoey jerked her face up, her eyes wide as she blinked them. “Y-you actually read The Silver Belt already? All of it?”
“Well...yeah. And it connected with me, like, really well. I kept thinking about it long after I finished. How Truman always felt like he was on the outside of everything, left out as if he was missing the biggest step of how to be a true fisherman. I feel that way practically every day. Not about fishing, but other things. And I’m serious about that frog. You’re not allowed to take him out of that story.”
She gave a watery laugh, and I swear, watching her smile made my entire day. “You really liked him?” she asked, her voice uncertain.
“I’ve read it three times,” I said. “So I don’t think the problem is your writing. It was just...your audience. I don’t think they wanted to teach you to be a better writer, they wanted to teach you to write a certain way. I just hope you know not everyone wants to read their kind of stories. Some of us prefer the talking animals. And there’s nothing wrong with that.”
She nodded and brushed the last of her tears off her face. “Okay. Thank you.” Her eyes lifted to mine. The trust and gratitude I saw made my chest fill with this awesome pressure. “I just wish I would’ve known that before I turned in my first story.”
I pulled her closer and gave her a one-armed hug. “So do I.” Because I seriously hated to see her cry.
“Thank you again, Quinn. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t come along and—”
“Hey, no problem.” I bumped my shoulder into her to get her to look at me. Then I grinned, flashing my dimple in pleading. “Just promise you’ll let me read more of your talking animals, and we’ll call it even.”
She rolled hers eyes but grinned back. “You don’t seriously want to read more.”
“Heck, yes, I do.” I stood up, dusted off my pants and then held down a hand to her. “Until then, what do you say? Want to work on some biology?”
Groaning as she stood, she gifted me with a dry glance. “No. But...I probably should. You’re a better teacher than the professor.”
I grinned. “Thank you. Now let’s find a table around here and get our geek on.”
When I tightened my grip on her hand, she tightened hers right back. I felt good that hour, helping her with her homework and making silly jokes about people against talking animals. She finally loosened up enough to joke back with me. I was never so happy that I’d been able to get past my physical reaction to her so we could finally be friends.
Because I really liked being Zoey’s friend.
My first trip to the Forbidden Nightclub to watch the band Non-Castrato play their first gig started with me full of nerves.
Not surprising, huh?
Since Caroline was adamant that I go with her, I drove to her place as soon as classes let out. She claimed she had “the dress” she wanted me to wear.
I wasn’t really a dress person, but she kind of sucked me into her enthusiasm, so I agreed and even started to get excited about it, too.
I met her two younger brothers—the older one, Brandt at fourteen, even flirted with me, making me blush, which in turn made Caroline chase him away. Then I met her brother’s girlfriend, Aspen...officially. Caroline had also talked Aspen into going. But I could tell as soon as I arrived that the poor ex-teacher was a quivering ball of nerves.
Caroline forced us both into dresses, short ones that fell way above our knees, and tops that conformed sexily to our figures. Then she went and put pants on herself. When I asked what that was about, she waved a hand, saying, “Pfft. I don’t have anyone to impress,” which really confused me because I didn’t have anyone to impress either. But when I said that, she merely sent me an unreadable Mona Lisa-type smile and said, “You look great. You’re wearing it.”
I’m not sure if I really looked that great, but it was soft and it made me feel pretty, so I gave in. And I think Aspen felt the same way. But even as she longingly eyed her reflection in the mirror, she made it seem like she didn’t want to leave the boys home alone.
“Are you sure you’re okay with heating up leftovers for supper?” she asked Brandt.
He snorted. “That’s how we ate every night before moving here.”
Aspen paled and opened her mouth, probably to say she wasn’t going to leave them alone, but Brandt waved her on “We’ll be fine. Just go. Have fun. Make Noel sweat by showing up, looking like that.”
Biting her lip, Aspen nodded and was helplessly swept along as Caroline hooked her arms through Aspen’s and then mine.
“I don’t know about you two, but I’m totally looking forward to tonight. I’m feeling good vibes.”
I was mostly just feeling nervous vibes, but I hoped she had more reliable vibes than I did.