Page 20 of Can't Kiss the Chef

“Do you think I should go?”

She squints, like she is reading my soul. “If this were a few days ago, I would have said no. But now, since you have to work with him all semester, you should go.”

I glare at her and let Cookie take the lead. The rest of the ride is just what I needed it to be. Two friends enjoying the outdoors, doing what they love and shooting the shit.

Charlotte pulls out before me, and when our cars are side by side, she rolls down her window, and I do the same.

“So, will I see you tonight?”

I shrug my shoulders, and she just laughs at me as she pulls out. I watch her car fade into the distance, and it’s not lost on me that I came here to get out of my head.

It helped, for a second.

I’m in the shower in my own little world. My thoughts focused on the book I’m going to start and the bowl of ice cream waiting for me while I catch up on my favorite trashy reality shows.

I’m halfway through deciding the order I’m going to watch my shows in, when the bathroom door swings open. The lid of the porcelain toilet seat shoots down and I hear someone settling down on it.

“Hello?”

I’m not sure if it’s because I listen to too many true crime podcasts but I’m convinced I’m going to be met by some serial killer when I peek over the shower curtain.

I finally allow myself to exhale when I see it’s just Indy staring up at me with a cheshire grin.

“Do you need something?” I ask, my hands plastered over my boobs even though she can’t see them.

She just sits there, eyes bright, like it is totally normal to just barge in on your roommate’s shower.

“You’re coming tonight.”

It’s a statement.

She knows I don’t do well with being told what to do.

“I already have plans–”

Indy holds up her hand, cutting me off. I slick back my short hair so the water doesn’t drip on the floor and to keep my hands from reaching out and shoving my dear friend out of the bathroom.

Indy looks up at me, eyes big like I’m personally offending her by not wanting to go to the boys’ house tonight.

“You can’t hide from him forever,” she looks down at our tiled bathroom floor, taking a deep breath.

My heart beats in time with the falling water. I feel like I’m not going to like what she has to say next.

“I’m only saying this because I love you.” Yeah, I’m really not going to like this. “But you need to stop pushing people away when you get close to them. The first time they do something to upset you, you freak out. Not everyone you are close to is going to hurt you. I know you don’t have the relationship you once had with your parents, but that doesn’t mean everyone is always judging you.”

She takes a deep breath and looks me in the eyes for this last slap.

“You really go MIA when you go home. We all love you, Lo, and we don’t want to live on the outskirts of your life. Even if it’s just because you have to work with him this semester, come and be the one to break the ice.”

I blink a couple of times, not caring for the impromptu therapy session. I love my friends, I really do, they have been nothing but supportive, but I learned a long time ago that the only person I can trust is myself.

Maybe she does have a point. Maybe I can show up for my friends a little more.

“Fine, I’ll come.”

Indy jumps up, looking at me with big eyes and an over-delighted smile.

“Really, you’ll come?”

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