Page 89 of Released from the Sin Bin

“Kandi,” I call out as a warning, but her door is already open, and she swivels in her desk chair with the corner of her mouth lifted, as if she was waiting for me.

“Well, look who it is.”

I close the door behind me and sit on her bed to face her.

“Did anyone else see?”

“Nope.” She pops the word out. “The girls dropped me off at my car after we got food, but they didn’t see anything.”

“Tha–”

“Do you always smack the guys around like that when they're coming?” Kandi cuts me off with her question.

“No.” I shoot up off the bed. “He asked me to do that.”

“Hmm.” She crosses her legs. “I was thinking of asking Luca how he feels about me doing it.”

Oh no.

“Kandi, you can’t tell Luca.” I sit back down and grab her hand to beg her to keep my secret. “Please, you can’t tell anyone.”

“Why–” Her phone rings, cutting us off. “Speak of the hockey demon…I’m busy.” She answers Luca's call with a shout and hangs up on him.

“Please, you can’t tell him. He hates Carter.”

The phone rings again and she answers, “what?”

“Busy doing what?” Luca roars through the phone.

“Girl talk. I’ll call you back.” She hangs up on him again. “I understand Luca is just looking out for you, but Carter isn’t that bad. He saved your life and is better than Vic or most of the other guys at this school. Luca will understand eventually.”

“It’s not like that. We’re just friends.” I clear my throat and shake out my hands that I was wringing together in my lap. “We talked, and it’s never going to happen again.”

“Oh, please.” Kandi laughs. “A blind man could see the chemistry sparking between you two.”

“Shh!” I stand up and stick my head out the door to make sure no one else hears us before closing it again.

“Why is it such a big secret?” she whispers dramatically.

“I lied to Jocelyn.” I run my hands over my face. I can’t even look at myself. I feel horrible and I don’t want to face anyone to say it.

I betrayed my best friend. I broke the girl code. She told me she liked him, and I should’ve never let him kiss me.

“I told her we weren’t hooking up, because it was only a one-time thing. It was only supposed to be a drunken one-time thing, so Vic wouldn’t be my one and only. I didn’t even know she liked him when we did it.” I stop my pacing to sit back down. “I am the worst friend ever.”

“Willa, you are not the worst friend.” Kandi’s phone rings again, interrupting us.

“Luca, she’ll call you back,” I say in annoyance and quickly cover my mouth.

“Was that Willa? Love, I’m getting antsy waiting over here.”

“Yes, it’s Willa.” Kandi turns her phone to face me.

“Hi, Luca.” I mutter, trying not to sound so sad.

“Oh shit.” He scrambles through the phone. “A warning would’ve been nice. I’m naked, Babe.”

“Oh, I didn’t notice.” Kandi turns the phone back to examine it.

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