Page 120 of The 21-Day Boyfriend
“Unfortunately for me.”
I check my mirror before pulling away from the kerb, and move out into the road.
“Did I really just tell Sean I’ve been sleeping with his sister?”
“You did worse than that. You told him you’re in love with her.”
I look over at him. Jake is smiling, his gaze fixed out the window.
“So it’s true. You’re really… In love with her?”
“Yeah.”
“And how do we fix this?”
“I was hoping with the help of a good friend.”
“So you thought…?”
Jake laughs. “Fuck, my nose hurts.”
“You deserved it.”
“He’ll forgive me. He’s a good guy.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“He’ll forgive you, too.”
“Me? What did I do?”
“Nothing, yet. But I know you will. You always fuck up everything.”
“Who gave you the right to…?”
“We’re the same, you and me. We just cause damage. But luckily we have people like Sean in our lives.”
“And Mila?”
Jake looks at me. “You get it, now.”
I’m not sure I really do, but I have a feeling I’ll find out pretty soon.
32Sean
My sister helps me put on my jacket, standing behind me so that we can both study my reflection in the mirror.
“Isn’t it a bit too much?” I ask, scrutinising myself. I’m not convinced I want to look so formal for this event.
“You’ve already changed twice. First, you wanted a jumper; then no, maybe a shirt and tie would be better; then the tie was too much, so now we’ve decided on a shirt and blazer.”
“It’s just that it’s not an official event – he’s asked me over to his grandmother’s house to help put up the decorations.”
There are only a few days to go until Christmas. Too few. And we haven’t seen each other for two days. We’ve exchanged a few messages. He tried to call me during a lesson, and I tried to call him back while he was working. We haven’t talked yet. After the other night; the kisses, the way we left things. Then this morning he called to ask whether I wanted to go with him to his grandmother’s house, to help with the last few bits before Christmas.
I said yes before he could even finish his sentence.
I was desperate. Iamdesperate. Desperately scared that this thing might be over before I can work out what’s really happening. Because it is happening. I can’t possibly have read the signs wrong. There have been signs, and there have been… Er… Facts. There are some things you just can’t misinterpret.
