Page 59 of Daydream

I’m not sure how well not turning up for your game would rank on the being a good leader scale.

Heading to bed. Good luck for tomorrow

Night, Cap. Lock your door.

“That the new guy?” Will says as he reappears holding a T-shirt with his college’s crest on it.

I lock my screen quickly, but it’s pointless given my background is also Henry, since I didn’t change it after Henry set it himself. Idon’t think he saw more than a glimpse, so I quickly move on before he starts asking. “Thank you for calling me, Will. I appreciate it.”

“Why are you being so formal with me?” he asks. “You’ve never been this formal with me.”

Honestly, it’s because I don’t feel like I know him anymore. I’m uncomfortable and awkward around him, and I’m struggling to remember that at one time he was my closest friend. “I’m sorry. I’m just tired from the drive, and school and—”

“Yeah,” he says, interrupting me. “I want to talk more, Hals. I mean it. I don’t like this distance between us and there’s no reason for it. We should do something, just me and you, when we’re home for Thanksgiving. Dinner and a movie, maybe.”

I don’t know if it’s the surprise or the stress of the evening, but it takes four times as long for me to blink. “But I’m not going home for Thanksgiving… We agreed months ago.”

He shrugs nonchalantly, and for some reason, it enrages me. “I think we were being dramatic.”

Disbelief. Pure disbelief. “But I’ve already agreed to work… You couldn’t have mentioned that you thought we were being dramatic before now?”

“I didn’t realize you thought it was such a big deal. Just switch your shift with someone.”

“I can’t just switch my shift. Everyone has plans for the holidays. I haven’t even told my mom yet because I know she’s going to be mad. I can’t believe you’ve just changed your mind and didn’t tell me.”

“Baby…”

“Why are you calling me that?” I snap, standing from my seat. I take the T-shirt and head toward the stairs. “Thank you for helping with my sister. I’m going to bed.”

I ignore him calling after me as I climb the stairs, and when I enter his room with Gigi already in bed, I do lock the door like Henry said.

“I’m sorry,” Gigi says quietly.

“I know.”

“I won’t be irresponsible again,” she says after I change and climb into the bed beside her.

“You will.”

“I’m sorry you and Will broke up.”

I turn off the beside lamp and pull the covers over us both. “I’m not.”

Chapter EighteenHENRY

“THIS IS NOT WHAT WEagreed,” Bobby snaps, looking Russ up and down.

“What happened to team spirit?” Mattie adds, planting his hands on his hips. “What happened to flavortown?”

Aurora scoffs as she repositions her ear headband. “Yeah, sorry guys. I’m not making out with Guy Fieri tonight. I have a boyfriend for the first time in my life. I’m doing cute couple shit on Halloween.”

“Your whiskers are smudged,” I point out to her. Russ blushes the way he does about everything, so I don’t bother telling him that he has whisker residue on his face. It doesn’t take a genius to work out why they’re late. “Why are you a mouse in a chef’s hat?” I ask Aurora.

“I’m Remy!” She looks offended, like she expects me to have any idea what she’s talking about. I think she recognizes the blank expression that’s no doubt on my face because she clarifies. “FromRatatouille! Russ is Linguini. And I’m a rat, not a mouse.”

“If I knew there were options outside of this I’d have taken them.”

“Where’s your bunny?” Aurora asks, looking around the group dressed in black flamed shirts, blond-spiked wigs, goatees, and sunglasses.

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