Page 44 of Catching Feeling

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” I loop my arm over her shoulder and pull her to me. “I’m sincerely sorry from the bottom of my heart. I just… I didn’t want anyone to know. No one will ever let me live it down if they find out. Plus, it was a mistake. One that I never intended on ever repeating.”

Hallie blinks, trying to process everything that I’ve told her, and I’m kind of scared of what she’ll say once she has. It’s part of the reason that I’ve kept the secret for so many months.

“I think my brain is broken,” she mutters before taking a deep inhale. She repeats it a few times. “You had sex with Reese. Reese Landry.”

I nod, staying silent.

“I knew it!” she all but screams. It’s more of a very enthusiastic whisper-yell, but still. It feels like every eye in the room is on us. Every eye except the guy that we’re talking about, and that just annoys me. “God, I totally knew something was going on between the two of you! Seriously, I told Lane that I was picking up on some weird vibes, and he said that you guys wanted to bang each other. Ha! Joke’s on him—you were definitely banging.”

I gave her a second to ramble, but I stop her at that. “It was a one-time thing. One and only time, Hal. I was weak, and I promised myself it would never happen again. That I wouldn’t fall for his stupid, charming smile.”

Against my will, my gaze drags back to Reese across the room, and Hallie follows my eyes to the culprit.

“Viv, I need more details. I feel like I’m in an alternate universe right now, and normally, I’d be all about that, but I feel like you’ve been keeping me in the dark. When, where, how? And most importantly, if it was a one-time thing, then why do you want to do it again?”

Guilt kicks inside of me at her comment, and my stomach twists. She’s right, and I hate it. There’s nothing I hate more than keeping things from her, and of all the things I’m keeping a secret right now, this is low on the list.

“I know, Hal. I’m sorr?—”

She holds her hand up, stopping me before leaning forward and looping her arm in mine, then tugs me against her small frame. “Don’t apologize. It’s okay. You had your reasons. I just need you to know that I’m always here, Viv. I don’t want you to ever think you can’t talk to me about something. If we have to hide a body, you already know where to find the pigs.”

My head falls to her shoulder as I laugh. “I know. Ugh, I’m just confused. I want to bang him, but I also sometimes want to kick him in the balls.”

“Pretty sure that’s normal,” she says cheekily. “I think it’s just the way relationships are.”

“He walks around our house with no shirt all the time, and I mean, honestly, Hal, how am I supposed to resist him when he looks like that? I think he does it on purpose because he knows that I want him. I don’t want to want him, but it’s like I just can’t stop it.” I’m annoyed at myself for it. “Anyway, let’s talk about my… dilemma later. I want to do more shots and forget about Reese.”

And the rest of my problems.

An hour later, and I am preeeetty drunk. Actually, I’m teetering on the edge of too drunk. I’ve lost count of how many tequila shots I’ve had, but that’s perfectly okay because it just means you’re doing it right.

“Viv, you cannot go up there!” Hallie giggles. She’s not much of a drinker, but even she had a drink tonight. Just one, but still. Lane, of course, has been keeping a very watchful eye on us all night like the dutiful boyfriend he is. I mean babysitter. I mean boyfriend.

I hear my best friend tell me that I can’t go participate in the Jell-O wrestling competition, but what I think she actually meant to say is yes. Definitely, you’re meant to be the champion.

The best idea I’ve had all night. Maybe all week. Aside from coming to this party, that is.

“Sorry, babe. But it’s calling my name, and I must go where the Jell-O takes me. Like the sea, mate!” I announce like a pirate, and I have no idea why. Okay, yeah, I’m drunk.

But I’m happy, and my arms already feel like wiggly noodles, and I haven’t even looked for Reese in fifteen whole minutes. He could be in a room with his tongue down Playboy Bunny’s throat right now.

And guess what? I don’t even care.

What I do care about is getting first place in this Jell-O wrestling competition. I’m gonna take a hoe down. Respectfully, of course.

“This is insane. You are insane!” Hallie cries as I thread my hand in hers and pull her toward the middle of the room, where there’s a toddler-size blow-up pool in the center full of red Jell-O.

Ouch, I wonder how long it took the pledges to make all this. “I’m insane, but I’m fun, which makes it all alright, space babe. Plus, you know that I’m overly competitive, and I am taking home that trophy,” I say, pointing to the gold trophy on the top of the table that’s a girl’s naked torso. The boobs look like porn star’s with very pointy nipples, and it has a plaque that

reads “Jell-O Champ.” It’s already mine.

Hallie just shakes her head and giggles, her black, curly hair all over the place from the last hour of dancing with me.

I needed this night so badly, and now I never want it to end. I feel like a free bird, without a single care in the world.

“Okay.” I blow out a breath and stretch my neck with my hands. “Hype me up. C’mon, you’re my cutman. You gotta get me ready for my match.”

I start bouncing on my toes, my grin widening when Hallie clutches her hand to her mouth to stifle her laughter.

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