Page 55 of Starstruck

I furrow my brows, confused as to what any of this meant. “Wait…what happened?”

Rory came flopping down on my bed as she claimed the spot next tome, an almighty sigh vibrating against the sheets as her thick ponytail scattered across them. She lifted her head just enough for me to see her as she mumbled, “When you left the table last night, and the others were distracted, I turned to Finn and sorta… kinda… asked him out.”

My mouth gaped. “Oh my God—”

Rory sprung up. “But it doesn’t matter, because when I asked him hegot all weird and awkward, and after thirty seconds of just staring at me and not saying anything I took the hint and turned away from him.” Rory brought her hands to her face, scrubbing her bronzed skin that seemed to glow in the strands of sunlight that seemed more intense thanks to the rain. “It’s fine, it’s my fault for picking another man-child whose brain hasn’t matured enough yet to communicate with the female species.” She looks to Daisy, guilt knitting through her brows. “Sorry, I know he’s your brother and—”

“Don’t apologise, I agree with you.” Daisy insisted, her golden spirals shaking as sheshook her head, before bouncing behind me and joining us on the bed, taking Rory under her arm and smoothing out her hair. “Is it time for me to hit him with my guitar?”

Rory peeked up at Daisy with a pout. “Yes, please.” The text tone ofsomeone's phone sounded, and when Rory pulled hers out and that soft smile faded. “Oh.”

My eyes darted to hers. “What’s up Ror?”

Her worried eyes found mine. “Oh, nothing… just my Dad.”

“Is he okay?” Cora’s voice held so much worry, purely fueled by theway the blush that constantly lived in Rory’s cheeks had faded.

“Yeah, he’s…” Her eyes went wide. “Actually, let me just call him realquick. I’ll be back in a second.” She pulled herself off the bed, her oversized sweater falling to her thighs as she sped out of the dorm and closed the door behind her.

“My heart breaks for her,” Cora said, as though she were lettingher thoughts out.

“Has she told you anything? About her dad?” I asked Cora, restingmy elbows on my knees.

“Not much, just that, after her mom passed away, he was neverreally himself. Had some heart problems ever since.”

I feltmyheart break for her then, too, wondering how she couldpossibly keep her smile so bright all the time when he thoughts must be somewhere else entirely.

I had to clamp my eyes shut, before the switch in my brain thatcontrolled the waterworks was turned on.

I looked up to Daisy, shaking my head free. “What about you Dais?What’s going on with you and Jesse?”

The green in her eyes got bolder as they widened. “What?”

I shrug. “You and Jesse… you two argue with big smiles on your facethe entire time. And when you’re together, it’s like a firework show should be projected behind you.”

Her mop of curls fell in front of her face as it fell, hiding herreddened cheeks. “Oh, God, is it obvious? Is itthatobvious?”

I just smile at her. “A little, we can just see that there’s somethingthere.”

Cora clears her throat. “Am I the only one who isn’t madly in lovewith someone?”

I narrow my eyes at her, raising my hand halfway. “I’m not madly inlove with anyone.”

She narrows hers right back. “Oh yeah, you’re madly in love withtwopeople. Sorry, my mistake, Gold’s.” She laughs, which earns her another pillow to the face.

Rory’s laughs bounce off the walls as she opens the dorm door, thesweet tones stealing my attention as she turns to us. “None of us are madly in love with anyone… were just…” She took a moment to think, before bobbing her head to the side and letting her eyes wander. “We’ve probably all been thinking about a time in our lives, where were free to do whatever we want, be grown up’s for the first time in our lives… and I don’t know about you guys but I’m gonna take a wild guess and say that we’re all pretty clueless about what happens next. But… let's not overthink it, okay? Let's just exist right here, and whatever happens, we’ll work through it together.”

I took the time to look at each of the girls, the ones who’d foundthemselves at the crossroads we were all standing at before we got to Liberty, and I took them in. I studied them, like if I did it for long enough I’d be able to see the secret thoughts that lived inside their mind. As though I’d be able to see the dreams they hadn’t shared yet.

But for now, we had each other. And Rory was right, I was cluelessabout what happened next. I’d spent so much time rushing to get here that I wanted to slow time down, and savour every emotion, every smile, every crack of my heart that I felt here… because I wanted to feel normal.

This was our time to be girls—stupidly hopeless and effortlessly ourselves.

I angled my head around one more time before I felt a corner of mybrain that hadn’t been touched in years light up. I couldn’t be bothered to hide my smile as I asked the room. “When was the last time you guys had a slumber party?”

Rory and Daisy looked at each other, lighting up their eyes as bigcheesy smiles sparkled against their mouths. I mirrored their faces, as all of looked at Cora.

She sat up straighter as her brows drew together. “What the fuckis aslumber party?”

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