Page 28 of Little Do You Know

“You’re not a child either,” Blake reminds me. I’m convinced Blake is secretly a social butterfly as she starts chatting with Eric like she’s known him forever. I’m distracted from the conversation when I spot Vera walking into the coffee shop with Stacey.

I haven’t seen or heard from Vera since the party when she left Landon and me alone. I’ve been staying holed up in my room at the apartment or Blake’s dorm room. Honestly, I don’t know what to think about her anymore. She’s known Bash and Owen just as long as she’s known me, but I’m not entirely sure where her loyalties lie anymore. It makes it a little hard to want to be around her when I can’t talk to her about the things going on in my life. I mean, is Vera even my friend anymore?

She waves at me, and I wave back. I tune back into whatever conversation is being had right next to me.

“Was there a reason you got so drunk?” Eric asks me, but Blake is quick to chime in. What she fails to notice is Vera appearing right behind her.

“Oh, you mean Landon—” I kick my foot out, probably harder than necessary to silence her. It’s too little too late.

“What about Landon?” Vera asks, causing Blake to turn around quickly. Awesome. This is perfect. It’s not Blake’s fault because she didn’t see her there, but I’d rather face Sebastian than answer Vera’s question.

“Nothing much. Just that I haven’t seen him around lately,” I reply casually, and she gives me a suspicious look.

“You’re the one we haven’t seen since that party we went to. Someone said you left with Eric.”

Eric nods, smiling charmingly at her. He’s like a teddy bear, but he’s perfect for Natalie. I did a good thing setting them up. “Kept the princess safe. Haven’t you heard I’m a knight in shining armor?”

“You know, Eric, I can’t say I did know that. Good information for next time we’re out on the town.” Vera chuckles as Stacey pops up with two coffees in her hands.

I shake my head adamantly. “I won’t be going out again for a while. I had the worst hangover the next day.” The last thing I want is to give Owen any more ammunition to use against me. I’d hate to embarrass him again. I love my brother, but right now, I really don’t like him. “Actually, do you still have my keys?”

“Yeah, I kept meaning to text you that I still had them.” Vera pulls them out of her bag, handing them to me. Perfect, now I don’t have to be worried about getting locked out of the apartment. “Whatever you say, Lia. I know you,” she says, and Blake shifts in her seat, watching me closely. I bite my tongue, getting the sense she doesn’t mean that in a positive way. What the hell happened to my friend while I was gone?

“Isn’t your birthday coming up soon?” Eric asks.

Blake lights up at the mention of my birthday. “It’s in a few weeks. I’m going to try to learn French so I can better understand her friend and Lia when she switches languages without realizing it.”

“If I knew I was doing it, I wouldn’t. It just happens, and I don’t know. In Paris, I used both interchangeably. Here, it’s just the one, and I guess I forget that most people don’t speak it,” I say nonchalantly because I know it sounds like I’d rather be there than here. It honestly might be true.I didn’t have to work so hard at avoiding Bash in Paris.

“Hey, Lia, can you come with me to the bathroom for a second?” Vera asks, and it catches me off guard. Why does she need me to come with her? Does she need a tampon or something? I used my last emergency one two weeks ago, so she’s out of luck if that’s it.

“Uh, sure. Be right back?”

The three remaining at the table look just as confused as I am. I regret not telling Blake any of my concerns with Vera.

Once we’re in the bathroom, Vera wipes at the mascara underneath her eye. “So why did you reject Landon?”

Great, we’re starting with a bang already. I guess it’s a good thing she didn’t need a tampon from me.

“Because I don’t see him that way. He’s just a friend.” I feel bad enough rejecting him that I don’t want to make a big deal out of it, especially to Vera.

Her dark hair falls down her shoulders in a dark sheen, and she combs her fingers through it quickly. “Thalia, I love you like a sister, but I feel like I don’t even know you anymore. During our freshman year, you would have killed to go out with Landon, and now you’re shutting him down? Are you seeing someone else?”

“No, I’m not. I never saw him that way then either,” I say, trying to keep a neutral tone. Vera hasn’t asked it yet, but I want to know her real question. Has she always been like this, and I was blind to it before?

“Is there someone you are interested in?” Vera asks, apparently not understanding this isn’t the time or place. Why is she asking me these questions right now? “I feel like you have told me nothing since you got back. I miss you.”

I want to believe her words, but I remember how she threw me under the bus for the impromptu party on my first night back. I didn’t throw that party; Vera was the one who invited everyone over. She also left me alone at that party a few weeks ago. Not once has she reached out, so I don’t feel bad for not telling Vera anything.

“You’re worrying over nothing. I promise there’s no one I’m interested in.” I force a smile, shaking my head. “I miss you too. We’ll have to do a movie night soon to catch up on everything, okay?” I throw my arms around her and hug her quickly. “They’re all probably wondering what’s up, so I’m going back to the table.”

Blake asked me weeks ago if life in France was simpler, and it certainly was. I miss everyone being straight to your face,unafraid to say what was on their mind. Everything here is a mind game.

Why would Vera be playing mind games with me? That’s what I’m struggling to figure out.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Thalia

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