Page 10 of Liberty

Kylee came in a little later. I was already in my pajamas, sitting on the bed.

“Libby? What’s up?”

“I don’t know. He tried to kiss me.”

Kylee blinked and came to sit on my bed. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. Just, I feel weird.”

“About the kiss?”

“He didn’t actually kiss me. Just tried.”

She tilted her head. “Did he try again when you weren’t into it?”

I shook my head. “No. He backed off.”

“Okay, so, no problem.”

No problem? Easy for her to say.

I felt bad. And weird. And I was thinking about Ryan again.

“Can I have my phone?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Nope. Sorry. Not when you’re upset. You’ll just start looking at Ryan’s Facebook.”

She was right. I sighed heavily and leaned back against the pillows.

Kylee stood up. “I’m gonna go shower, okay? And then we’ll talk more.”

“Okay.”

I closed my eyes, vaguely listening as she wandered around the room to get ready for her shower. She went into the bathroom and closed the door.

Maybe I had been too quick to back off.

Maybe I could go find him again.

And then I heard a shout from the bathroom.

Kylee opened the door, panic on her face. “Call maintenance? The toilet just, like, exploded water everywhere!”

Shit.

Chapter Four

Cooper

After Libby left, I went back to my room.

I’d been having a nice time with her, and now all I could think was that I had done something wrong. She’d run off like a scared cat, and I hated to think that I’d upset her.

I stood on the balcony, watching the party wind down on the beach below. I’d been going to that party for a few years, and this was the first time I’d left it so disappointed.

Maybe the interest had been one-sided. Maybe she hadn’t been attracted at all, and had just taken up my offer to dance because her friend wasn’t with her.

I kinda doubted that.

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