Page 30 of In Too Deep

“So, you don’t want to date him? Can I ask why?”

“I’m not really sure it’s any of your business,” I clip, immediately feeling bad for my harsh tone. After a calming breath, I begin again much softer. “I just don’t feel that way about him. He’s one of my best friends, like a brother to me. I don’t want to mess that up by making it into something it isn’t.”

“I can understand that, but…” I grit my teeth, my agitation growing by the second. I’m so over defending my decision not to date Robbie. Not to mention it sucks having the boy I’m crushing on trying to push him on me. “It could be great. You’ll never know unless you give it a chance.”

“I guess.”

He doesn’t seem to miss the annoyance in my response, the line going silent for several seconds before he speaks again. “Do you like someone else?”

His question catches me by surprise, and my pulse races as I wonder if Robbie shared his theory about me liking Lawrence with him.

“No…,” I lie.

“Good, then you should give him a chance.”

The line goes silent again as I consider what to say next, wanting to find a way to steer the conversation away from Robbie. Then I remember what prompted all this: Caroline wanting Lawrence to ask her out.

“And what about you? Are you going to ask Caroline to be your girlfriend?” I ask, wanting to put him on the spot the same way he had me. Only, he quickly turns the tables right back around.

“Do you think I should?”

I scoff. “Why do you care what I think?”

“Well, you’re her best friend. You probably know her better than anyone. Do you think she really likes me?”

No, I don’t. But I can’t tell him that. Surely, he must realize I can’t speak freely. Alone or not. I don’t understand the point of this. It’s almost like he’s stalling. Maybe he doesn’t like Caroline as much as she thinks he does.

“She wants you to ask her out, so I guess she does.”

“And what about you?”

His question causes my heart to stop. “What about me?”

“Do you think I should ask her out?”

The beating in my chest resumes as I let out a sigh, my dizzy head forcing me to take a seat on the end of Caroline’s bed. I can’t figure out why he keeps asking me what he should do, or why he even cares what I think. It’s not like I can answer him honestly. If I could, I’d tell him no. If I were brave, I’d tell him I’m the one he should ask out. But I can’t, and I’m not.

“I’m her best friend…of course I’m going to tell you that you should because it’s what she wants.”

He moans, sounding annoyed with my response. “That’s not a very straightforward answer,” he mocks.

“Yeah, well…at least I gave you an answer.”

He laughs. “Fair point. All right, you want to know if I’m going to ask Caroline to go out with me? I’ll ask her out, if you agree to go out with Robbie.”

18

Lawrence

I’ll admit, when I told Cat I’d date Caroline if she agreed to date Robbie, I thought she’d refuse. That would’ve given me an out with Caroline. When she agreed instead, I thought it could be good. I was sure with me dating her best friend and her dating mine, it would squash any connection we might have been feeling. Instead, we’ve only grown closer. With the four of us spending so much time together, Cat and I have formed a friendship, and I’m falling for her more every day.

“So, you’ve seriously never been to a haunted house before?” I tease.

Cat playfully cuts her eyes at me, her lips bunching as she tries to hold back her smile. “Don’t make fun of me, Lawrence. It’s not funny. I’m slightly terrified right now.”

She startles as someone exits the haunted house screaming and wraps herself into a hug as she shudders. I chuckle at her. She’s so dang cute.

“But I thought you loved horror movies.”

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