Page 61 of Little Do You Know

I maintain the easy smile I’ve had on my face all night, but now my guard is further up. There’s something I’m not piecing together. Does she have feelings for him? Is that what all of this is about? “Why do you think I’d know anything? I can’t stand him, but I pity the poor girl stuck with him.” I feel slimy saying it, but it’s a necessary evil now. Underneath the table, Penelope bumps me with her knee.

Vera looks at me skeptically, clearly not buying it. “But you guys live together now? He hasn’t brought anyone over?”

She does have feelings for him! It makes sense. I always suspected she had a crush on him in high school, but Vera never admitted it.

“I don’t pay all that much attention to his comings and goings.” I pick at the peeling label on my bottle to play off my disinterest. I pay a lot of attention to his comings, especially that hitch in his breath before he loses control. Penelope bumps me again, and I force a smile as Vera refuses to let the matter drop.

“Have you guys seriously not made up yet? I figured by now he’d be done being mad about the party, and you’d be over the beach trip.”

“Nope. We’re both excellent at holding grudges.” It takes everything in me to bite my tongue about the party. The party Vera threw. If I wasn’t sure before, I am now.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize things were still bad between you. It didn’t seem like it the other night, but he was in a mood then too,” Vera continues, but my face must not reflect what I think it is, so she changes the subject. “Are you excited for your birthday? What is the plan?”

The plan is not to tell you anything.

Penelope seems to be the only one with a working brain right now, so she answers the question for me. “We’re having a small party that night at the apartment.”

I feel instant relief that Penelope left out the beach day we’re planning. Owen told me before they left for their game that their coach had already promised that afternoon off if they all came in early before morning weights to watch game film. I think this beach trip will go much smoother.

“You’re going to be twenty-one, Lia! There has to be more that you want to do. We could go shopping that afternoon if you want to get a new outfit for the party. Penelope, you’re more than welcome to come too,” Vera offers, and I see a glimpse of my friend again.

I hate this. It’s confusing, but I can’t let myself fall for it. There are just too many other things that don’t add up. Sebastian is what this is about. I have questions, but it’s not like I can ask Vera. Did she ask him out? I mean, why else would Sebastian tell her that he’s seeing someone? It’s the only thing that makes sense, but I think he would have told me if that was the case. It’s not as if I can call Bash right now and ask if my childhood best friend asked him out.

“I’ll have to talk to Owen and see if he has anything planned, but for now, I think it’s just the party,” I say, leaning back into the couch as Vera continues chatting about my birthday. I let her because I don’t trust myself to say anything right now.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Thalia

“THALIA. WAKE UP, or I’ll leave you out here,” I hear Sebastian’s deep voice say. I groan, pulling my arms up to cover my eyes.

“Go away, I’m sleeping,” I mumble, and I hear a gentle laugh.

“Yes, love, you are. You’re also on the kitchen table. I think my bed might be a little more comfortable, but it’s up to you.” His hand rubs my back, causing me to lift my head, squinting at him in the dim light. Did he call me love? What the hell?

“What did you just call me?” I ask, my vision slightly fuzzy with sleep.

That question earns me another laugh. “Don’t worry about it.”

I will worry about it, so that’s stupid to tell me. I rub my eyes tiredly. “I have to finish my paper.”

“Well, you weren’t doing that, so you might as well go lie in a bed,” Sebastian counters. I click the keypad to bring my computer back to life. All I have left is the conclusion and the proofreading. I’d prefer not to do homework on my birthday.

“Where’s Owen?” I ask, covering my yawn with my hand.

“He took a picture of you asleep on the table and then went to his room. I waited a bit before coming to wake you up because I thought the sound of all the doors shutting and us moving around would wake you up. My guess is Owen’s already sleeping. It was a long trip,” he explains. I smile up at him softly. I’m glad Bash is back; the apartment feels empty without both of them here.

“I missed you. I’m sorry you guys lost.”

Sebastian shrugs, trying to play it off, but I know better. “You win some, you lose some. They played better than us.” He brushes a strand of hair from my face. “I missed you too.” His dark eyes trail over my face, as if committing my features to memory.

I chuckle under my breath. Who have we turned into? “How pathetic are we? A few weeks of dating and then three days apart reduces us to a pathetic cliché where we can’t be apart for too long.”

“We are pathetic, but I’m not sorry about it.”

~

“Bash, I swear if you drop me in this water—” I leave my threat open ended as he holds me easily in his arms.I should become a mermaid. He’d always have to carry me on dry land. Sebastian would finally have a good reason to have all his muscles.

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