Page 53 of Boys Like You

“Oh good, you have a friend,” Mrs Lace says.

Rory grabs my hand. “They’re not friends.” He takes me to an empty table, while Mrs Lace hands out a book to everyone. It’s a cookbook, but one we can write our own recipes in. She pairs us up and sets us to work devising a menu. We’re to plan and cook a meal with enough for the whole class to try. Seems easy enough.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper once she stops talking.

“For what?” Rory asks, looking over at me.

“Being a bitch this morning. I don’t know what came over me.”

His hand covers mine. “I’m not mad at you, just dealing with stuff.” He sighs. “My mum has relapsed again.”

“That sucks.” I don’t know what else to say.

“I honestly don’t care anymore; it just brings back memories I would much rather forget.” Changing the subject, he asks, “What was up with you in form?”

“I had a run in with Naomi and Cindy. They tried the whole mean girl act, and when it didn’t work, Cindy tried to make me jealous.” He sits up straight in his chair.

“What did she say?”

“Just to ask where you were last night. Don’t worry, I set her straight that you and I are just friends and you would tell me if you wanted me to know.”

“You were mad because you think I saw her.” I see the way he looks at me when he says it, like he is waiting for me to get jealous.

“No, of course not. I’m pissed that she would air your business; if you were with her, she shouldn’t be using it to try and make someone jealous.”

“You’re amazing; do you know that?” He wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his side.

“It doesn’t hurt to hear it out loud.”

He laughs. “You’ll be lucky to fit through the door if I keep telling you that.”

We both go back to planning our menu, Mac comes over a few times to try and talk but Rory tells him to buzz off which just seems to encourage him more. He even invites me to come and watch him practice, when I tell him I can’t he seems to catch the attention of a busty brunette in the class and she keeps him occupied for the rest of the lesson, leaving Rory and I alone. Which I’m grateful for, he doesn’t talk about anything other than the class but he seems to be in a better mood.

Time seems to fly by. We get into a comfortable routine, between school and movie marathons, everything seems easy. Beth did have to take me in for a sketch artist to do a drawing of me; they didn’t want to directly show a picture of me since I had changed my hair. So that is now out there for the world to see. We pushed it back for as long as we could but Lissa and Deacon convinced Beth it was time. We haven’t heard anything yet and every time Beth’s phone rings or there is a knock at the door, I get jumpy. My anxiety is a lot worse with all this waiting. Why hasn’t anyone come forward?

“Honey, you home?” Rocky calls out. I wait a few minutes, and as predicted, he walks through my bedroom door. I have taken up residence on the couch. Turns out I get nasty headaches, stomach cramps that make me feel like my uterus is being pulled out through my ass, and PMS. “I come bearing gifts.” He drops a shopping bag in front of me, lifts my legs and sits on the couch, putting my legs over his lap.

“You brought chocolate?” He nods, I look at him, he is in black Adidas sweats and a plain white t-shirt that clings to his body like a second skin.

“I did, I made my dad stop at the shop on the way over. The guys should be here soon.”

The guys, things have started to get interesting, they all seem to touch me, just subtle ways, holding my hand, or resting an arm next to mine or a leg. After my kiss with Maximus I thought it would be weird for them, but it hasn’t been. I know I like them and have been working through that with my therapist, she knew it was bothering me that I feel so protective of them, she asked if I liked one more than the others and I can honestly say I don’t, I could list a million reasons why each is so special to me. We are working through figuring out if I feel this way because they saved me, and it is possible I have attached myself to them, but the sexual tension is hard to resist. I have been working up the courage to talk to them all together, usually I seem to be very straight forward, but this is more than touching and accidental hard ons. Talking with Lena, she thinks it’s best to wait, but why? Even if I get my memories back I will still like all the guys. I want there to be more between us but what rational person likes multiple people. Google tells me it’s more normal than I thought and apparently there are books.

Rory and Maximus are next to arrive. Rory’s mum didn’t go to rehab. He opened up to the guys and I. She went to a psych ward about six months ago and was released just after the guys met me. She went back again and he went to visit her yesterday. It’s about a three-hour drive from here. I offered to go but he went weird and the guys assured me he would ask if he needed me. I just wish there was something I could do.

Rory and Maximus walk in and Rory holds out a bunch of red roses.

“You didn’t have to buy me flowers.” I pull my feet from Rocky and place them on the floor. I take the flowers and inhale deeply. They smell amazing. I stand to give him a hug, and he wraps his arms around me until my feet lift from the ground.

“I’m so sorry I was moody again, this shit with my mum has my head all messed up,” he whispers into my hair.

“Nothing to apologise for, if anyone is moody it’s me.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Levi agrees as he and Mercer join us.

“Before you kill Levi, we bring food.” Mercer places the three bags on the floor, pushing the coffee table out of the way. “Chinese.”

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