Page 105 of Perfect on Paper

ORIELLA ORATES VIP PASS

209 SLATER BLVD, SANTA MONICA, CA 90408

ADMIT: 2

I stared at the ticket in disbelief while Brougham spoke quickly beside me. “I know how much you love her, and I was checking out her videos and saw she’s coming, and I asked Ainsley and she said you didn’t have tickets so it was kind of perfect. And I got two so you wouldn’t have to go alone, but you can take whoever you want. And if you can’t find anyone I’ll totally come with you, like, I don’t want you to be alone, and it’d probably be interesting, but I didn’t get you two tickets so you’d have to take me. Just to clarify.”

This.

Would’ve cost.

So much money.

Too much money for a friend’s gift. Did Brougham realize that? Or did rich kids just not grasp the implications of spending a fortune on someone?

A warm breeze picked up, blowing my hair into my face. The sunset cast a peachy glow over the pool, the porch columns, our skin. A dragonfly darted past Brougham’s head and skimmed the surface of the pool, dipping down to the water and sending ripples scattering. He was watching me, a little uncertainly, like he thought I hated it or something.

It wasn’t that.

It was just…

“Brougham?” I asked, still grasping the ticket in both hands. “Does Winona, um… know, we’re friends?”

Brougham looked confused. “What are you on about?”

“I’mon aboutthe fact that sometimes people hide friendships from their girlfriends because they’re worried, and I’ve never seen that end well. So, does she know?”

“Okay, leaving the obvious problem with that question aside for a second, do you reckon people shouldn’t be allowedto hang out with the gender they’re into when they’re in a relationship?”

I huffed. “Of course not. I mean, I’m bi. If I couldn’t, that’d be pretty damn limiting for me.”

“You made it sound like there’s something wrong with it.”

“No, it’s about openness and honesty.”

“But why would people hide something that isn’t wrong in the first place?”

“They justdo.And I don’t wanna interfere with your relationship, but—”

“But interfering in relationships is literally how you made a living,” Brougham finished for me helpfully. “Though I don’t know what relationship you’re talking about.”

I smacked my hand on the concrete, frustrated. “You and Winona!”

“What?” Brougham looked briefly amused, then the laughter in his eyes faded to something more quizzical. “Wait, did you really not know we broke up?”

“Youwhat? When? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Hope sparked in my chest, while my brain scrambled for clarity. None of this made any sense. I wouldknowif they’d broken up, wouldn’t I? Brougham would share that with me, right?

Brougham wrenched his stare away from me, eyebrows furrowed. He looked about as baffled as I felt. “Honestly, Darcy, I thought you knew. I figured Finn told you. I thought you said hehad.I broke up with her after prom.”

I stared at him, totally lost for words, as I tried to reshuffle the last week in my head.

He’d ended things with Winona at the party.

Gotten into a fight over me.

Gotten drunk.

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