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“Don’t roll your eyes at me, Dallas. Sex is all fun and new for you. I get that. But at some point, you’re going to get tired of doing it with someone who you mean nothing to. Or you’re going to care about a girl. You’ll be in love with her. You’ll think because the sex is amazing that she loves you back. But then her ex will text her, or she’ll tell you that you’re getting too serious, or that she’s leaving for a year, and it will break your freaking heart. I’m talking break it in two. You’ll be on the ground sobbing.”
Dallas rolls his eyes at me again and passes me the joint he just lit and took a hit off.
“I’m seventeen. I don’t think I’m going to be looking for anything serious for quite some time. And I’m certainly not going to let myself get hurt.”
“Says the romantic who wanted to wait until it was special.”
“So it didn’t work out according to plan. I’m not going to get my panties all in a wad if something doesn’t go the way I expected it to.”
“You wearing panties now?” Riley asks, teasingly.
“I could. I have a whole drawer full of them. It’d save me from doing laundry every week. Look, Kiki, I’m sorry you got hurt. You know that. But sex is fun. I’m having fun. I’m not going to apologize for that.”
“You shouldn’t,” Riley says. “And you shouldn’t make me feel bad because I’m choosing to wait for someone I think I care about.”
“Exactly,” I say, so they will stop arguing. I take a hit, then another, then get brave and say, “Have you either of you ever used a feather on a girl?”
Thursday, October 20th
He’s an idiot.
7:30am
I’m in line waiting for coffee when I notice A
I step out of line and walk back to her. I’m sick of her avoiding me.
Her eyes get big as she sees me marching toward her. She looks around for a second, like she’s considering just making a run for it.
“Why are you avoiding me?”
She fiddles with the zipper on her backpack. “I know you’re probably mad at me.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because you threw the star back at Aiden. Because you’re mad at him most of the time. And I helped him. There. I said it.”
“I assumed that you helped him. The bliss candy was a pretty big hint.”
She sighs. “When you threw the star back, he looked hurt. So I asked him why he wanted to give the star to you. And he kind of spilled his guts. He told me about the stars, the candy, phone jail, the four-leaf clover. I would’ve totally swooned if a guy did all that for me. You just frustrate me.”
“I apologized for throwing it at him. We went out for di
“So, you’re done with Dawson?”
“Um, not really.”
“Are you serious? That’s never going to work. And why would want to keep dating Dawson? He’s an idiot.”
“He is not. He needed closure with Whitney. I get that.”
“So that’s it? You’re going to forgive him, just like that!?” She stops and looks around, sees people are staring at her. She lowers her voice, looks like she’s about to cry, and stomps away. “This is why I haven’t been talking to you.”
Jake wanders up from behind me. “What was that all about?”
“She’s mad at me. Thinks I shouldn’t be giving Dawson another chance.”
“I can’t say that I disagree with her on that,” he says, surprisingly.
“How was the library with Maggie?”
“How was di
In history, Riley babbled on about how gorgeous Ariela is going to look in a toga and asks me if girls wear underwear with them.
My phone buzzes with a text.
Braxton: Hey, baby. What’s up? You got my Welcome to Eastbrooke, Bitches party pla
Me: Yes. That’s what this weekend is. All about you.
Braxton: I love the place already. So there’s this girl.
Me: Isn’t there always?
Braxton: She’s the one I told you about. She dates older guys. Thinks I’m immature.
Me: She the one with long dark hair and the longest eyelashes ever?
Braxton: Yeah. Embry. She’s coming this weekend too.
Me: Let me guess. You want to impress her?
Braxton: Can’t decide. Part of me wants to kiss some hot older girl right in front of her. Make her see that I’m not immature.
Me: Um, trying to make someone jealous on purpose is sort of immature. I’m afraid she’d see right through it.
Braxton: Fine. Then I’ll forget about her and you can be my date.
Me: Me?
Braxton: Remember the beach this summer? How if I walk around with a hottie on my arm, all the girls will want me? Don’t you remember that? It was an important conversation!
Me: I remember the conversation. And I will be your date for the party. That will actually solve a tricky situation for me too.
Braxton: Heard you’re still fucking my brother while you’re dating someone else. Kinda slutty, if you ask me.
Me: I didn’t ask you. And I’m not doing that. I’m single. Dawson and I screwed up by taking things too fast sexually. That should be a lesson to you.
Braxton: Dawson is brilliant if you ask me. Loved the video, by the way.
Me: Riley told me that you tried to recreate it.
Braxton: That didn’t go over too well with Mom.
Me: I heard that too. Got your toga ready?
Braxton: You know, in ancient Greece, they went commando. I am a Johnson. I’ve always been big for my age. Better watch out.
Me: So is the girl excited to come?
Braxton: Isn’t it the girl gets excited, then she comes?
Me: Grow up.
Braxton: Fine. Yes. I heard her talking about it. She saw the video you did. Wants to meet you. Wants to be on the dance team. Thought the guys playing soccer with no shirts on were hot.
Me: I have a new line for you. Dallas told me yesterday during class.
Braxton: Hit me.
Me: Did you know that one minute of kissing burns 25 calories? We should work out together.
Braxton: I changed my mind. I want the trio.
Me: What trio?
Braxton: From the video. Blonde, brunette, and redhead. You can all be my dates. Get ready, bitches!!! Shit, I have to go. Teacher is giving me the evil eye.
How can I refuse?
Lunch
I wander into the café trying to figure out where I’m going to sit today.
Aiden, who was all sweet last night, has been nowhere to be found. I thought he might try and talk to me today. Walk me to class. Text me.
Something.
Anything.
But, no.
And it’s such a letdown.
I spy Maggie already sitting at a table with Ace, A
“Sit with me,” Dawson says.
I look at him. So gorgeous and sweet. “Sure,” I say, knowing that he’s trying.
When we sit down, Jake and Bryce are talking about going to the JV game tonight.
“You should come with us,” Jake says to me.
“Yeah,” Bryce says. “It’s supposed to rain, so it should be a muddy game. Those are so fun to watch.”
“Sitting in the rain doesn’t really sound fun,” I say. “But I don’t have rehearsal tonight, so why not.”
Dawson rests his hand on my leg and turns toward me. “Why don’t we meet the guys there? We can stop and get di
“Wow, when you put it that way, how can I refuse?”
“I love you, Keatie.”
And I know I should feel all warm and fuzzy when he says that but, right now, it just sort of feels inappropriate.
And the way Peyton and Whitney both shake their heads and roll their eyes at him, I know I’m not alone in my thinking.