Page 38 of Baby Love

Spin?

I quickly tap out a reply and hit send.

Nevermind. I’ll explain later.

Bass is looking at me. “What? You mean it wasn’t the math nerd?”

Sighing, Cushion rubs her hands over her face.

“The person I’m thinking of wouldn’t do a one-and-done with a friend,” I say.

“Maybe you don’t know that person as well as you think you do,” Cushion replies.

My stomach sinks.

Bass stomps his foot in frustration. “Stop talking in riddles!”

“Was it before he started dating—“

“Of course. Beginning of freshman year.”

“But how…” I leave off, unsure how to word the question I want to ask.

“I started it. It was all my fault, so you can take that look off your face that says you’re disappointed in him. I never told you because I didn’t want it to mess with your friendship with him. Or make you feel sorry for me.”

“Who did you fuck?” Bass demands exasperatedly.

Cushion and I turn to look at him.

“I can’t believe you haven’t figured this out. You really are dumb,” Cushion says.

“Kiet, “ I say softly. “She slept with Kiet.”

“WHAT?” Bass stares, mouth open. “Kiet? Our Kiet? No way!”

“It was before that girl he dated—what was her name? Plum? And only once. I would like to forget about it, but since it was my first time, it’s kind of hard to completely erase it from the board.”

“Kiet took your virginity,” Bass whispers wonderingly.

“It’s not like he stole it,” Cushion snaps at him. “I told you it was my idea. I said we could just do it as friends.”

What a shitty first time that must have been. If Cushion really liked Kiet enough to go that far, knowing that her feelings were stronger than his.

“I’m sorry,” I say.

“Oh, no.” Cushion waves her hands in the air. “Don’t cast those puppy eyes at me, Baby. That was a long time ago. I’m fine.”

The more I think about it, the more pissed I am at Kiet. What a shit move, even if Cushion did bring up the idea.

“And please don’t do that, either,” Cushion says. “This is exactly why I never told you. I knew you’d hold it against him.”

I want to ask her if she’s been with anyone else since then, but I don’t because I have a feeling the answer would be no, and if that’s the case, I’ll be even angrier at Kiet. Cushion slept with him because she had—has—feelings for him. I’m sure of it. Kiet was just in it for sex.

I don’t even know how to process this.

Chapter Sixteen: Park

It’s Sunday, and I straighten up the kitchen and make khao soi for lunch while Spin plays with Anya. Bass dropped him off an hour ago, and Spin insisted on playing dolls with Anya while I get some things done. Food ready, I put a load of laundry in the wash and return to the living room to find Spin making cute voices for Anya’s dolls, sending her into fits of giggles.

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