Page 157 of Keeping 13

“What?” Both girls gaped at me.

“He said he doesn’t want to have sex with me,” I repeated, mortified.

“Who doesn’t want to have sex with you?” Claire’s older brother, Hughie, stopped in the hallway and arched a brow. His eyes widened then. “Holy shit! You’re talking about Cap?”

“No,” I blurted out, horrified. “I mean, I don’t… I didn’t—”

“Dammit, Claire,” Lizzie snapped. “I told you to close your door when you came up with the hot chocolates.”

“I didn’t expect perverts to be lurking around,” Claire growled, narrowing her eyes at her brother. “Go away, creep.”

“You’re all too young for that kind of talk,” Hughie stated, casting a meaningful look toward his sister. “Especiallyyou.”

“Oh my god, we’re sixteen!” Claire laughed. “And that’s rich coming from the boy whose headboard is positioned directly against my bedroom wall.” Walking over to her dresser, Claire began to bang her palm down on the dresser in a hard rhythm. “Oh, yeah, baby, give it to me,” she mimicked in a male voice. “Oh, Katie, I love what you do with your tongue—”

“Claire,” Hughie hissed in warning. “Pack it in.”

Unperturbed, Claire continued to mimic his voice, speeding up the banging. “Yes, baby. Now, now, I gotta pull out or I’m gonna cooooo—”

Hughie slammed the bedroom door shut just as Claire screamed, “Come!” and all three of us erupted in laughter.

“Fuck off,” Hughie roared as the sound of his bedroom door slamming filled our ears.

“What is it with brothers thinking they know everything?” Claire snickered, flopping down on the bed. “Eejits.”

I nodded. “You can say that again.”

“I think you should text him,” Lizzie suggested. “Johnny,” she added when we both looked at her in confusion. “Text him with that disgustingly pink phone he bought you,” she encouraged. “And see if he wants to…hang out?”

“Oh yeah, that’s good.” Claire waggled her brows. “Hang out.”

Excitement thrummed inside of me. “I don’t know.” Pulling my phone out of my jeans pocket, I glanced at the screen and then back at my friends. “I’m not even supposed to be over here, guys.”

“You’ve had a shitty week,” Lizzie shot back. “One filled withwaymore drama than any of us could handle. I think you should text your boyfriend and spend Saturday night hanging out together.”

“She’s making all the sense today, Shan,” Claire agreed with a grin. “You’re already out, which means you’re already in trouble.” Shrugging, she added, “Might as well make it worth it.”

“What if he’s busy?” I whispered, biting down on my lip.

“He’s not,” Claire chimed in. “He’s at the gym with Gerard.”

“How do you know?”

“Because that’s where they were when he called me earlier,” Claire replied. “And that’s where they’ll be until the place closes.”

I gaped. “All day?”

Claire rolled her eyes. “He’s your boyfriend, Shan. You should know that he spends every hour of his waking day working out.” She flexed her bicep and kissed it before adding, “Chasing those gains.”

“You’re so dumb.” Lizzie chuckled.

“It’s true.” Claire laughed.

“Text him,” they both said in unison.

Inhaling a deep breath, I opened my messages and began to tap out a text message.

“Ask him what he’s doing tonight,” Lizzie said.

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