Cat nods with a smile, and I flash him a thumbs-up sign.
He keeps us safe, 'Nuff said, and in the world we live in, knowing your priorities is key.
"Signoraand the boys are already there," Francisco informs us. "Cat,SignoraMarchetti expects you to attend the meeting as well and take notes."
"And me?" I ask archly.
"She has also given you a task," Francisco confirms.
"Don't get into trouble?" I ask sarcastically.
The older man chuckles. "I told you from the start, didn't I? You and thesignorawill get along perfectly."
Grrr.
Cat glances at me at that moment, and her pensive expression already has my hackles rising even when she's yet to say a word.
"What?"
"That's what I wanted to ask you." Cat remains unfazed despite my belligerence, and it makes me feel I've just wasted two seconds of my life.
This is Cat, after all. If I'm like a walkingDo Not Disturb sign, she's the opposite.Impossible To Disturb.
"What has gotten into you lately?" the other girl asks.
I force myself to shrug. "Nothing." I turn my gaze to the window while speaking. As much as I hate to admit this, it's still stupidly hard for me to maintain eye contact when lying.
"I don't believe you."
"Then don't. You can—-"
"You're not the type to throw your life away for nothing."
Shit.
I hate, hate,hatewhen Cat comes out of the blue and just spouts out the hard truths like her words can't throw one's life upside-down.
But it does.
Always.
My teeth start grinding as her mind starts replaying her words endlessly.
You're not the type to throw your life away for nothing.
Is that how the past week seems to Cat?
And is it what everyone else is thinking?
The way I've been hanging out with the wrong crowd, cutting classes, and upvoting all the Reddit posts that talk shit about Giancarlo—-
If that's me throwing my life away, does this mean Idon'tandwon'thave a life without the Marchettis?
"Did something happen between you two?"
If only it were easy for me to say 'yes'.
Because somethingdidhappen between Giancarlo and me, and I don't even know how to explain it.