Page 83 of Celebrities Don't Date Bookworms

“Hey man,” Hudson said. “Thanks. You sure yours is working well enough?”

“Yeah, it’ll be fine,” Neil said. “Are you still good to be on the livestream? The fans will go nuts for it.”

“It should be fine,” Hudson said. “I might miss the beginning, though. I’m not sure.”

“No worries,” Neil said. Both their phones went off at the same time, probably from a text in the group chat. I was suddenly very happy that I’d thought to turn my ringer off before. We didn’t need Neil getting suspicious of why there was a third phone going off. “Oh, it’s Luca.”

Even though I knew I shouldn’t turn my phone on in case the light could be seen through the blanket, my curiosity got the better of me, and I pulled my own phone out as well. A little megaphone next to the notification told me someone had tagged me in the message.

Group name:I promise this isn’t a group chat, Dad

Members:Ni-Ni, Bay, Sharky, Tis Moi Luca, Eggo, Not Zesty

Tis Moi, Luca

Hey uh @eggo

Eggo

Yeah?

Tis Moi, Luca

Not to sound super creepy or something

But I just looked at your location

Eggo

Why?

Tis Moi, Luca

I was trying to see where Fi was but I clicked on your name by accident

Anyway

Why are you on our street?

I gasped loudly. I immediately realized my mistake and covered my mouth with my hand, but it was too late—the boys had already fallen silent, and I could just picture them looking around the room for the source of the noise. Maybe even connecting Luca’s text to the noise. I was clearly not built for espionage.

“Hudson,” Neil said slowly, “why did your blanket just gasp?”

“Uh… it’s a talking blanket.”

I practically had to stuff my fist in my mouth to stop my laugh from escaping.

“What?”

“You know,” Hudson said. To his credit, he sounded more confident as he said it this time. “Like those stuffed animals where you can squeeze their foot, and they say something? It’s like that but in blanket form.”

“A talking blanket?” Neil repeated.

“Yes.”

“That gasps insteadof talking.”

“I think it’s meant to sound like breathing, but it’s just not very good,” Hudson said.

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