Page 87 of Little Do You Know

“When was I supposed to say something? All you ever thought about was fucking football, Sebastian! Then, when Thalia was finally out of the picture, it was obvious you had only ever thought about that stupid fight with Thalia! You didn’t go to parties unless Owen or Chris dragged you to them. I’ve never even seen you date someone except for that stupid cheerleader. Then Lia’s back, and you’re suddenly seeing someone. You were a zombie, and now you’re normal again. So why her? What is it about Thalia that makes her so damn special?”

Vera’s tears are rolling down her face and she coughs, growing increasingly more upset. I hand her a tissue because I’m not heartless, and at one point, Vera was my friend. “Because she is special to me. I can’t explain it because I don’t understand it myself. What I can tell you is the games have to stop. The stunt you pulled at her party was absolute bullshit, including everything before and after that. Stop telling Thalia she isn’t good enough to be with me. Just because you’ve convinced yourself you love me, it doesn’t give you a claim to me! How you have treated Lia when you’re supposed to be her best friend is not the kind of person I’d want to be with.”

“Then I’m sorry to inform you that she’s an even bigger bitch than I am. You’re only fooling yourself if you think she wouldn’t give you up in a heartbeat if you stood between her and her dreams,” Vera says defensively, and something in me snaps. Maybe it’s the part of me that fears she’s right about Thalia’s dreams. She’s bigger than this place. I’d follow her anywhere, but would she do the same?

“Get out. I heard what you had to say, and I don’t feel the same way. I’ve spent weeks trying to get her back because of you and what you said at the party!”

Vera stiffens, finally understanding I’m done. I don’t know why it’s taking this long to understand. “Have you considered why you never told her?”

I move to lead her out gently because it’s clear that while I’m done having this conversation, Vera isn’t going to leave. I open the door, ready to move her past the threshold if I have to. “I’m sorry I don’t return your feelings, but this isn’t you. When you’re ready to be friends, maybe we can try that, but you need to leave.”

And then, before I realize what’s happening, her lips are on mine, and I push her off as soon as I regain my bearings. It happens a second too late.

Thalia’s standing in the doorway, a stony expression on her beautiful features. “I’m sorry to interrupt. Carry on,” she says calmly, slipping past us without a second glance.

“You had no right to kiss me; leave now.” I glare at her, and this time, Vera listens. I hate it got to this point. Vera’s delusional, and now Thalia saw something that never should have happened. I lock the door behind Vera before I move quickly to Thalia’s room. I’m not surprised the door is locked when I try the door handle. “Lia, please. It wasn’t what it looked like.”

A drawer slams from inside her room, but there’s no verbal response.

“I’m sorry. Please open the door,” I plead, continuing to knock. I rest my forehead against the door as I stand there for what feels like forever, just waiting for Thalia to open the door so I can explain. I feel sick to my stomach. I can’t believe this is happening.

Eventually, she opens the door. Her green eyes are rimmed red from crying. “What was she doing here?” Thalia asks, suspiciously calm. Lia should be screaming and throwing things. The quietness in her demeanor is terrifying.

“Vera was waiting for me when I got back after practice. I told her to go, but she wanted to talk. I said I’d hear her out so she’d leave us alone. Thalia, please. I was walking her to the door when she turned and kissed me. It was only for a second, and I pushed her off me,” I say it all so quickly I’m not even sure she heard everything. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. I’m desperate. She has to know that I didn’t plan on this happening. She has to believe me.

“You never should have let her in! What did you think Vera came here to tell you? That she loved you and wanted to be with you? Did it feel good to have your ego stroked because Vera desperately wants to be the girl you’re with in ten years?” Thalia throws my words from the interview in my face. The words I said about Thalia being the one I want to be with. We both knew what I meant when I said it.

“I’m so sorry.” My voice breaks, and I run my hand through my hair. “I messed up. I don’t want Vera at all. You are the one I want. I don’t know how else to tell you that.”

Thalia grabs something from her closet and throws it in the suitcase on her bed. Suitcase? What? “I know Vera’s crazy. I know you don’t want her. I saw her kiss you, and I saw you push her away. I just…I don’t know,” she says, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m frustrated because I’m trying to understand why, after knowing every manipulative thing she’s done, you would still let her into the apartment?”

I open my mouth to answer, but I don’t have a good one. “She was my friend for a long time. After everything I did to fuck things up, I thought if I heard her out, Vera would drop it afterward. I didn’t know she’d kiss me,” I explain quietly, and Lia’s face falls.

“She’s been my friend for a really long time too,” she says, grabbing more clothes from her closet to put in her suitcase.

“Are you seriously running away right now because of this?” I ask roughly, looking at the clothing folded in her suitcase. I asked Lia to give me a chance. How is this going to work if we can’t even get through a conversation?

Thalia crosses her arms defensively over her chest. “I’m not running away. While I was at Blake’s, I got a call from a company in Paris that I worked for last year. There’s an event this week, and they want me over there earlier than they originally said. I wasn’t supposed to leave for a few days, but they moved my flight to tonight. I understand the logic behind why you let Vera in, and I know you didn’t mean for her to kiss you. I’m not mad at you, Bash. I’m upset at the whole situation, but I am not running.”

“Then talk to me! Listen to what I have to say, and tell me what you’re thinking so we can move forward!”

“I don’t know what I’m thinking right now! I need a minute to breathe and let my brain catch up. That’s what I’m trying to tell you!” she exclaims, her eyes welling up with tears, and for the second time today with a crying woman, I have no idea what to do.

“Don’t leave.” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

I catch her off guard, but her expression quickly darkens. “No. You don’t get to ask me to stay when this is important to me. I was going to tell you that I had to leave for a few days when I got back. It’s unfair of you to ask me to stay for you because I won’t do it.”

“Lia—” I take a step toward her, but Thalia shakes her head.

“I would never ask you to skip football.”

I sit on her bed silently, watching her finish packing. I shouldn’t have asked her not to go. Let’s add a new tally mark to my growing list of mistakes I’ve made speaking without thinking. She looked at me a few times as if she was going to speak but turned away each time without saying a word. Thalia zips her suitcase and exhales softly.

“Can I drive you to the airport?” I ask, trying to extend an olive branch to make up for asking Lia to stay. I shouldn’t have said it, but apparently, Thalia makes me crazy in more than one way.

Lia checks her phone and smiles sadly as she grabs her camera bag and suitcase. “My Uber is here.”

I swallow the lump in my throat and nod, forcing a pathetic smile. “Have a safe trip.”

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