Page 129 of Due Diligence

“I love you,” I told him, my lips brushing against his as I spoke. “Always have.”

He smiled. “I love you too. And—” He pulled his face back from mine to glance down at his Apple Watch, and said, “it’s three o’clock, so we only have nine hours until midnight. Do you want to go back to my place and have sex for like, nine hours straight?”

“Thought you’d never ask.”

***

One Week Later

Marcus: I miss you.

Marcus: I miss you so much.

Marcus: I’ve been thinking about you all day.

Marcus: Are we being stupid?

Marcus: Actually, don’t answer that. If you say yes, nothing could stop me from calling an Uber right now and coming to see you.

Me: I miss you too.

Me: I think we are being stupid, but I can think of one thing that’s going to stop you from coming to see me right now.

Marcus: Try me.

Me: My parents are sitting in my living room.

Marcus: OH.

Marcus: Oh shit.

Marcus: Should I come over?

Me: Why??? That would make this so much worse.

Me: What would I even tell them?

Me: “By the way, this is my secret boyfriend who’s probably going to be investigated by the Federal Trade Commission any day now.”

Marcus: So…that’s a no?

Me: You’re ridiculous.

Me: Anyway, I have to go. I’ve been hiding in the bathroom for five minutes now and they’re probably getting freaked out. Love you.

Marcus: Before you go, just be open minded. I do think they love you. Not as much as I do, but they really do love you.

Me: Sure.

Marcus: No, I mean that. You’re the one who said to me: Paying back the debt won’t solve the problem. The problem is so much deeper than the money.

Marcus: Anyway, love you too.

I had endured only one week without Marcus and I already knew I never wanted to be apart from him again.

When I emerged from my bathroom and walked back to the living room, my mom and dad were still sitting stiffly on my used IKEA couch, crowded together on one cushion like they were huddled for safety. My father’s attention was squarely on the oversize Libra hoodie I was wearing over leggings and I could practically read his mind:That’s not the kind of outfit you wear if you want to be successful, Cassandra.

I woke up this morning to Bethany sitting on my bed and shaking me with both hands. Her eyes were practically wild with confusion and the alarm on her face led me to believe that we were facing the onset of a zombie apocalypse. To my surprise, Walter and Felicity Pierson were standing in my living room.

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