Page 48 of Give Me Love

“With Bryce?” she asks, raising her brows.

“Yep.”

“What’s the deal with you two, anyway? I thought you were going to hit it and quit it?”

I shake my head. “I haven’t hit anything.”

She grins. “Ahh. You’re doing a slow burn and then you’ll bail.”

I roll my eyes and laugh. “You’re an idiot, you know that?”

She puts her hand over her chest and inhales dramatically like I’ve offended her.

I smirk. “We’re just friends.”

“Friends?” she says doubtfully, rolling over on her stomach and lifting her feet up behind her. “You’ve seenWhen Harry Met Sally. You know guys and girls can’t be friends.”

“That’s ridiculous. Look at you, Austin, and me. We’ve been friends forever.”

“Yeah. There’re rules to it.”

“What rules?” I ask.

“Well, you and Austin can be friends because neither one of you is attracted to the other.”

“Austin and me?” I ask, twirling my hair around the curling iron. I don’t know why I’m doing this. It’ll fall as soon as I step outside. “What about you and Austin?”

“That’s a little more complicated.”

“How so?”

“Because I’m in love with him.”

“What?” I put the curling iron down. “You’re kidding me?” I look back at her in shock. I mean, I’ve had my suspicions about the two of them, but never thought it was that serious. And what’s up with her keeping things from me? First, there was Cain and that horrible situation, and now she’s in love with Austin and has never told me? I don’t get it. We’re supposed to be best friends.

“I wish I were,” she says, looking down.

“Why haven’t you told me?”

“I’ve tried really hard to convince myself that it wasn’t true.”

“Just like you tried to convince yourself Cain wasn’t abusive?” My tone is a little harsher than I meant it to be, but I can’t hide the hurt on this one.

“Hey, that’s a low blow.” She rolls back over and sits cross-legged.

“I’m just saying. I don’t understand why you’re not telling me things. We’re best friends, Claire.”

“Oh, like you’ve told me everything about your past.”

“I’ve told you enough for you to know it was shitty.”

“Yeah, that’s basically it. You’ve told me you had a crappy childhood and your mother left when you were eight. That could mean anything.” She shrugs. “What? You didn’t get a lot of Christmas gifts growing up? Your stepdad worked all the time, so you were alone? I mean, I have no idea.” She throws her hands up. I see this conversation has escalated quickly.

Okay, so maybe I haven’t told my two closest friendseverything. But why do they need to know the depressing details of my past? Why does anyone need to know?

“How can you sit here and judge me when you don’t open up? You know my parents smothered me growing up. You know I have brothers who can be too protective, and it drives me crazy. You know me,” she says. “But sometimes I don’t know if I really know you. You’re so private, Kat. It’s like you’re scared to get too close, and that’s sad, because in this life you need people. Regardless if you think you don’t.”

I exhale as she stands up. “I’m going to take a shower. Have fun,” she says, halfheartedly.

---