Page 74 of Third Wheel

“Oh, no, Amy is definitely not a sadist in the streets. A brat, maybe, but not a sadist.”

“Hey.” Amy turned her head to frown at Freddy, straightening up a little. “I can be mean.”

“Your version of mean versus my version of mean are two very different things,” he told her.

“He has a point,” Sam admitted.

Amy sniffed. She could be mean if she wanted to. She just… didn’t want to most of the time. Being mean didn’t make her feel good and there was usually no point to it.

But she totally could be if she wanted to.

“Who wants s’mores?” Someone called out, and everyone cheered again, making Amy laugh. She looked around. It was quite the collection of people, not all of whom got along, but they were all here to support her.

Marissa and Carolyn were on one side of the yard, shooting looks over at the other side, where Leigh was hanging out with some of her friends. Amy didn’t agree that Leigh had stolen Marissa’s ex, but she also knew better than to think they would ever get along. The fact that they were both here and not causing drama was a big deal since, normally, they couldn’t be in the same space together without Marissa doing something.

But she wasn’t. Because tonight was about Amy.

As if Marissa had heard her thoughts, she looked over and caught Amy’s gaze. She turned to say something to Carolyn, then started walking over. Amy gave Freddy a little squeeze, then slipped out from under his arm so she could meet Marissa halfway.

“I’ve got to head out. I have an early flight,” she said, which Amy already knew. She opened her arms for a hug, which Amy stepped into.

“Have a good trip.” Amy hugged her hard. Marissa wasn’t always an easy person to be friends with, not the least because half the time she wasn’t in town, but Amy had been more grateful for her friendship than ever over the past few weeks. “When are you coming back again?”

“In a few weeks.” Marissa stepped away, waving her hand. “Probably. I’m up for a part in California that’s right afterward. If I get that, it’ll be a few months.”

“I don’t know whether to wish you luck or not, then,” Amy teased. “Since selfishly, I’m not sure I want you gone that long.”

That made Marissa laugh.

“As if you could ever be selfish.” She hugged Amy again, then walked away, leaving Amy feeling a little odd.

Was that how everyone saw her? She couldn’t be mean, she couldn’t be selfish… neither of those things seemed bad on the surface, but she couldn’t help but wonder if that’s how Jeremy had seen her, too. Not just unable to be mean or selfish, but as a doormat. Someone who wasn’t ever going to stand up for herself. Someone who wasn’t going to ask for anything for herself.

She didn’t think she liked that idea too much.

“What’s with the frowny face?” Morgan appeared in front of her, a s’more in each hand. She held one out, offering it to Amy. “You were happy a few minutes ago. What did Marissa say?”

“It’s not something she said exactly, just… do you think I let people walk all over me?” she asked, taking the offered s’more. One of the best things about being friends with Morgan was that tact often escaped her. She was bluntly truthful, though she did her best not to be cruel or unkind.

“Sometimes,” Morgan said blithely. She bit into the s’more in her hand and made an odd face. “Huh.”

“What?”

Morgan looked down at the s’more in her hand, now slightly crumbled, and wrinkled her nose.

“I don’t think I like it.”

That… actually did not entirely surprise Amy. Morgan was the kind of person who ate salads because she liked them. She didn’t like most sweets. And s’mores were very sweet.

As she frowned at it, Rae, Domi, and Iris were walking up, and the expression on Rae’s face was even funnier than Morgan’s.

“I’m sorry, did you just say you didn’t like the s’more?” Rae asked, sounding scandalized.

Amy tensed a little, but thankfully, Morgan didn’t take offense.

“Yeah, I don’t think this is for me.” Morgan held it out toward Rae. “Do you want it?”

Rae didn’t even hesitate. “Yes, please,” she said, plucking it from Morgan’s fingers, then turning away from Domi, who had tried to reach for it too. “Mine.”

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