Page 50 of One Last Time
I shake my head and close my eyes. There’s no hope with her. “I don’t feel comfortable with this idea. I don’t even know what towrite.”
She shrugs. “Welcome to celebrity journalism. You take what he gives you and make it sound likemore.”
I internally groan. Apparently, she isn’t going to budge. “Can you give me some idea of what you’re lookingfor?”
Erica stands and then places her hands on the ground with her ass in the air. “Just follow your gut. I need to finish here and then I’m on a flight to NewYork.”
“NewYork?”
She lifts her one leg and arm, stretching them toward the ceiling. “Yes, I’m meeting a friend for aprotest.”
I’m not caught up on current events. My days consist of this, and my nights are homework and whatever awful show Aubrey puts on. In the back of my mind, I know that I’m going to regret asking her for any details, but Erica has piqued myinterest.
“What are youprotesting?”
She comes back to standing and smiles. “It’s a legit important issue for mygeneration.”
The way she says it clearly means I’m too old to understand. “Oh?”
“We’re protesting because they’re talking about making us pay a monthly fee for a social mediaapp.”
I have no words. Literally—none.
“I don’t get it.” She huffs. “Why do they think it’s okay to charge us to use something that costs them nothing? It’s crazy. I feel like this is another way that proves we’re all just part of some experiment, youknow?”
No, no I donot.
What she’s talking about is business, but I don’t point that out. Clearly, she wouldn’tagree.
Erica continues. “If they wanted us to pay for it, then they should charge up-front so we can decide to become addicted to the app. Now, to suddenly decide . . . it’swrong.”
I nod and hum because I don’t trust myself to speak and not call her a crazyperson.
She looks at the clock. “I’ll be back in a few days. I’d like to see notes next week. Noah said he’ll be waiting for yourcall.”
“Okay,” I say with disappointment. I really don’t want to be around Noah. I know exactly what he wants. Well, he’s in for a rude awakening. I’m a pro at avoiding sex—just ask Scott, it’s been cobwebs growing foryears.
I pacearound the living room, trying to prepare myself to ask Heather for Noah’s number. Of course, he didn’t give it to Erica. Instead, I have to call my best friend as if I’m in highschool.
Fuckit.
“Hey!” Heather says as sheanswers.
“Hey.”
“What’s up?” sheasks.
Oh, just calling because your boyfriend’s friend is trying to mess with my head—Ithink.
“Not much. What are you upto?”
“Just waiting for Eli to get back from the store,” she tells me as a bunch of pots bang in thebackground.
“Is Noah with Eli? I need to talk to him, and I was wondering if he was there?” A long pause stretches between us, and I look at the phone to see if the call dropped. “Heather?”
She clears her throat. “I’m here. Sorry, I thought you asked me something about Noah and since he mentioned you today as well . . . I’m just trying to put the pieces together. So, tell me, dear friend, did you do somethingnaughty?”
It is nothing compared to what she did the first night she met Eli. I didn’t sleep with him, run off, and then pretend as if it never happened. Nope. I kissed him even though I told myself I wouldn’t and now am in denial about whether I feel a damn thing forhim.
