Page 15 of We Can't Be Friends

When it’s Chloe’s turn to order, Seth speaks over her.

“We’ll have the Cheesus, Mary, and Joseph,” he tells the young waitress, giving her a once-over.

Is he seriously checking her out with Chloe sitting right there?

“On the gluten-free crust,” Chloe modifies their order.

“No. We aren’t getting that. It’s disgusting.”

“I have celiac. . . I can’t eat gluten, you know that.”

“That’s not my problem, Chloe. Pick off the toppings.”

The waitress hovers her pen over the order pad.

“Are you serious?” She twists her body to face him. “I’m not picking off the toppings. We agreed before we got here.”

“Why are you being dramatic? It’s embarrassing.”

Chloe snaps her mouth shut, shaking her head and turning forward.

“Do you want to split something?” Emerson whispers to her. “I don’t have to share with them.”

“It’s fine,” she huffs out.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

The waitress recites everyone’s orders. When she’s finished, I stop her, asking quietly, “Can you substitute gluten-free crust?”

5

CHLOE

“Chloeeeeee. Chloe! Why is your alarm going off at six on a Saturday?” Seth groans from the other side of my bed.

I’m already up. Have been since four. Restless. Worried about my best friend.

“I’m meeting Emme for coffee.”

Well, actually, I am going to grab coffee on my way to her apartment. We agreed to meet at a coffee shop near her, but I would rather leave zero room for her not to show up. Dinner was a clusterfuck for everyone at the table. Emerson left shortly after we ordered and I caught her and Liam in a heated moment outside the bathroom.

After her departure, everyone played musical chairs, putting Cal and I across from each other.

“This early?”

“Yes,” I reply, rounding my bed from my closet to turn off my alarm.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Sleep? Walk Tucker? Watch TV? You are twenty-nine. You can find something to do in Chicago.”

“Are you serious? I am not walking your dog.”

“Okay, then. I don’t care. Hang out here. There is food in the fridge. You know how to use a remote.”

“I flew all the way here to spend time withyouand you’re leaving me alone.”

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