Page 113 of Between the Lines

Nathan pays attention, I think as we push the swinging door to the ladies’ room.

He buys my favorite tea and paints my nails when I can’t afford to get manicures anymore. The first time he opened his doors tome was simply because I said I wanted a quiet place to read and he gave me one.

We find Penelope hovering over one of two stand-up sinks, clutching the edges like she’ll either break it or hold onto it while she breaks down. She’s gazing at herself in the mirror, taking slow, shallow breaths, and I wonder if I should wrap myself around her like a weighted blanket to take away some of the pressure. We all stand there silently, staring at each other in the reflection, before Penelope speaks first.

“You two are cool if I shun your men for the next few weeks, right?”

“I’m glad we’re on the same page,” Juliet agrees, folding her arms over her chest.

“Aaron knows he’s sleeping in the dog house after this one.”

Penelope quirks up a smile, but the corners of her eyes droop. We’re there to catch her.

“He’s just… I can’t do it, guys. Ican’t.”

Her body crumbles, but it isn’t the sink that catches her. It’sus. Her friends. Juliet catches her back while Lucy and I each take an arm. My heart breaks for her, and I’ve only heard the story of Penelope and Anthony on a surface level. I’ve never seen Penelope broken like this. But her shell has finally cracked.

“If it helps, they probably bonded over something stupid likeCall of Duty,” Juliet offers, rubbing her back slowly.

“I’ll hide the power cord to Aaron’s PlayStation when we get home,” Lucy nods. “He’s grounded.”

Penelope laughs through a sniffle.

“Thanks, guys. Don’t punish them. If I fell for his stupid charm, anyone can. Especially Aaron. Sorry, Luce.”

We help our girl clean up, and Lucy and Juliet text their guys that our table had better be vacant of its unwanted guest by the time we get back. When I exit, Anthony is nowhere to be seen.

But Nathan is there. Before his eyes find mine, Inotice his leg bouncing. Nervousness doesn’t suit him, but only because it’s so far from his norm, I’m not used to it. Iamused to it in the quiet. In the moments with me when he’s unsure. And as soon as he finds my eyes, he exhales. The rhythmic bouncing of his knee ceases, and his lips settle into a content smile.

Like I put it there.

My heart tears.

I had planned on finding an excuse to sneak to Nathan’s tonight, but I can’t now. I’m sure he’ll understand.

Even so, the moment we’re all settled at the table and ready to order, I place my hand beneath the table, atop the knee that was bouncing, and give him a gentle squeeze.

forty-five

nathan

I had not anticipatedthat gaining a group of friends would also mean becoming involved in drama.

“Could you run the full story by me?” I ask Claire, who is curled in my lap with her back against my chest on the couch in the living room. It’s Saturday evening. After the discord at the restaurant on Thursday, she spent the next few days with Penelope. With her roommate otherwise occupied tonight, she was able to sneak away.

“Do you want the long version, or the short version?”

“Cliff notes, please.”

She sighs, and I can feel her sadness.

“He told her that he wanted her, promised her all these things, and then just stopped texting. Cut off communication. Went full ghost-mode and dropped off the face of the planet.”

“But he told her that he wanted to keep seeing her?”

“Mhm.”

“And effectively led her on?”

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