Page 27 of Take What You Want

She chews on the inside of her mouth as she mutters a quiet, “Sorry.”

I brush her off. “You don’t have to apologize.”

It’s not something that bothers me anymore. When I was growing up and in college, however, I always hated when mysmaller friends asked if I wanted to borrow anything of theirs on a night out when I complained of being sick of all of my clothes. And when I would tell them that I wouldn’t fit in any of their stuff, they’d always come back with something like,Don’t say that! You’re beautiful!

I didn’t say I was ugly. I just said I wouldn’t fit in their small crop top.

Walker jogs down the stairs and throws me an old Whisper Me Nothings hoodie from their second tour. The fabric is worn and faded, but the embroidery on it is still holding strong.

I pull it over my head and burrow in. Scar chuckles at me but smiles knowingly. “If it was up to me, it’d be a solid 75 degrees in here.”

Walker gasps in horror. “Cook me alive, why don’t you.”

We roll our eyes at him and move into the living room while we wait for the food to arrive. I sink into one of the plush couches and stretch out, while Walker and Scar snuggle close on the one opposite of me. We get caught up on what’s new since we all last saw each other.

Scar talks about her new album and the Vegas residency she’s had for the last couple of months. Between that and her other shows around the country and internationally, I don’t know how she gets any sleep at all.

Walker’s been spending time in the studio with various artists, recording drums for them, but travels with Scar as much as he can. They recently visited her hometown to see her baby niece, which thankfully, was a smooth visit with no run-ins with her parents.

By the time the food arrives and we have piles of boxes splayed across their glass coffee table, the conversation has turned to me.

“So if Liam’s back around now, you think there’s any chance you’ll get back together with him?” Walker asks me around a mouthful of food. Scar elbows him and frowns.

“What?” he asks her.

“Try swallowing your food before you talk next time. You just launched a kernel of rice on my knee.” She flicks it off with a grimace.

Laughter clogs my throat but I swallow it down. Good luck to Scar on that one. Our mom has been losing that battle with him for years.

Walker brushes her off and looks at me expectedly.

“Absolutely not,” I say. I take another bite of Mongolian beef to try to shut down any more conversation about it.

He either doesn’t take the hint or doesn’t care. “Why not?”

I swallow my bite before answering,unlike him.“Because we broke up for a reason.”

“And that was…?”

We enter into a glaring contest. Scar bounces her eyes between the two of us and cracks a grin at the stalemate.

“Sometimes things just don’t work out,” I grit out.

“You don’t just end a long-term relationship like that for no reason.”

“I never said there wasn’t a reason.”

“But you never saidwhatthe reason was.”

“He cheated on me.”

Walker’s mouth drops open and Scar freezes.

“He what?” Walker says, voice low.

“Don’t make me repeat it a second time.” I hate the way my cheeks heat with embarrassment and stomach twists having to admit it out loud. Even though I know,I know, that it’s not my fault at how everything played out, I can’t help but feel ashamed at admitting it.

“Well, fuck him, then.” Scar sits back, crossing her legs likethat’s that.

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