Page 49 of Little Do You Know

I shake my head, regretting the sudden movement immediately. “I don’t understand why he drank so much. He knew he had workouts this morning.”

“I think he hoped Blake would break up with her boyfriend, which didn’t happen,” Bash explains, and now that I think about it, that makes a lot of sense.

“Explains his mood. Now that you say it, that’s probably what happened with Blake and Owen. They might not have broken up, but I still don’t think her trip went well if you look at her passed out on the couch.”

“If you weren’t half-dead, I’d suggest hiking. You could show Penelope what’s so special about North Carolina, and I promise to sit patiently for hours if that’s what it takes for you to get the perfect shot.” That sounds perfect. Bash is annoyingly good at this whole relationship thing. I smile, tilting my head to look up at him.

“I knew you were talking about yourself when you said that.”

“Am I still drunk, or are you guys hugging?” Blake asks hoarsely, and Sebastian unravels himself from me.

“Drunk. You had a lot of tequila last night. I’ll get you a glass of water.” Bash fills up two glasses of water, setting one in front of me before giving Blake one. “How was California?”

She groans and leans back on the couch, pressing a hand to her forehead. “I don’t want to talk about it. Why were you hugging Thalia?”

I take a sip of the water, knowing I need it. My headache will last longer if I sit here and do nothing. “Go back to sleep, Blake.”

“Are you guys like…together?”

Bash looks questioningly at me, but I don’t care if she knows. The more people that find out, the harder it will be when we do tell Owen. No one else can find out before we tell him.

“Yeah, we are. We’re not telling people yet,” he explains briefly, causing Blake to laugh before she holds her head in pain.

“Yeah, you might want to be more careful then,” she warns, covering her face with a pillow. At the same time, I hear the shower click off.

“You might want to hold your liquor better,” I reply, laying my head back down on the counter. I’m not moving from here. I’ll wither away and die in this spot.

Sebastian runs his hand up and down my back. “You should take your own advice. Lia, why don’t you go back to bed?”

If I’m not going to class, then sleeping is the answer. I wish I were going to sleep in his bed. “Heading there now,” I say, peeling myself off the counter. I lean up to kiss his cheek briefly and wander back to my room. Penelope is still knocked out in the bed, and I climb in to lie beside her, crashing hard.

~

Once alive and back to normal, Penelope and I left the apartment while the guys were at practice.

“It’s so quiet here,” Penelope says, and I agree.

“It’s still busier here than in other parts of the Carolinas, but nothing compared to what you’re used to in Paris.”

Today is the first day it’s chilly enough to need anything more than a shirt. I successfully stole another one of Sebastian’s sweatshirts that I never plan on returning to him. It’s mine until it needs a refresher of how he smells. Then he can wear it once, and I’ll take it back after.

“The architecture is amazing.” She looks up at the high arches of the tunnel we’re walking through. “So is that guy of yours; he’s much better than Louis.”

“When we’re not fighting, yeah, he’s pretty great—definitely an upgrade from Louis in every way.” It’s weird hearing Sebastian referred to as mine. I mean, I guess he is, but it’ll take some getting used to. “Trust me, I wish we were still back in Paris. Everything there feels like it was so much more…simple. Penelope, we went everywhere we wanted without any real sense of responsibility.”

“You should finish school at least. You’re welcome anytime you want to visit too. It’ll just take some adjusting while being back here,” she says, looping her arm with mine. “You didn’t like France very much when you got there either,” Penelope reminds me, and she’s right.

“That was because all the people there are mean, but at least they say shit to your face. Here? I have no idea what people are thinking. I took it for granted,” I complain, rolling my eyes.

“I’m not sure who we’re talking about now. You’re being vague.” She can see right through me. I’m not sure why I’m even surprised by it. “It can’t be Sebastian because I think he’s very clear about what he thinks. You weren’t listening.”

I shake my head, causing pieces of my blonde hair to fall in my face—stupid curtain bangs. I was sold on a trend, but they never stay pulled back. “No, it’s not about him. It’s about Vera. I’m starting to think she’s not my friend, which sounds nuts. I mean, am I crazy?”

“Can I ask for more background knowledge because I thought she was your best friend? Isn’t that why she was at your place last night?” Penelope asks, and I can see why she thinks that. Our conversations have been preoccupied with figuring out Sebastian’s intentions, not Vera’s.

“You’re my best friend,” I correct Penelope. “I have no idea why she was there. V showed up and said, ‘Hey, aren’t we having our movie night tonight?’ Except I don’t remember nailing an exact date for our movie night. Nor did I tell her I was interested in our friend Landon, but she still told him to ask me out.”

Penelope and I turn a corner to walk farther into the heart of campus. “That sounds harmless, but I’m assuming there’s more?”

---