Page 33 of Love, Just In

Would you do it again?

Zac’s mouth opens, but then shuts again. He rolls onto his back and silently stares up at his living-room ceiling, the line in his brow setting off an alarm bell in my head.

‘Are you mad?’ I say, my stomach shrinking with a pang that reminds me of that time when he asked me out at the train station. To be honest, I’m still mad at him for risking this friendship by doing that.

He scrunches his face. ‘No. Why would I be?’ The edges of our blow-up mattresses squeak together when he shifts around to face me. ‘So,youkissed Damien?’

‘Yeah. I just said that.’

‘I mean, you put your lips on his first?’

‘Zac.’ I pull a face like he’s being weird. ‘Why does that matter? Wekissed. With tongue.’

He almost gags, like I just suggested he eat mushroom soup. Except I know that Zac made out with Clara Ng last month at the train station for ten whole minutes, and now he’s acting as if this topic is grossing him out.

‘Hekissedme,’ I elaborate, a little irked by his reaction. ‘We were behind the science building.’

‘Everyonekisses there,’ Zac mumbles. Why is he being a brat? This was my first kiss, and it’s kind of a big deal.

‘I liked it a lot,’ I lie, turning onto my back and flopping an arm behind my head.

Zac says nothing.

Whatever.I’ve waited an absolute eternity of a day to tell Zac this because I wanted it to be when we were alone, face to face, and his mum and dad have only just gone to bed. I pictured a proud grin, maybe a congratulatory jab on the shoulder, an interrogation for all the details. That’s how Amy reacted when I blabbed to her about it during our free period together this morning because Ihadto tell someone.

But Zac doesn’t seem to want to know.

After a long time, he asks, ‘Are you his girlfriend now?’

I’m almost asleep, but I peel my eyes open and blink hazily at the miniature mountain range of Zac’s silhouette. He’s facing me, sitting up on one elbow.

‘I think I am,’ I reply.

His swallow is audible. ‘Cool. I’m gonna go to sleep now.’

‘’Kay. Have a good sleep, favourite.’

‘’Night, Josie.’

CHAPTER 12

Today

I’m mid-pee and smiling at Lindsay’s text praising my news report on solar panel recycling last night, when a message from Zac flashes at the top of the screen. Mr Punctuality is waiting outside—my ride for today’s pub lunch with Zac’s cousin Ross and Ross’s fiancée, Holly.

I set my phone on the vanity and hurriedly wipe before my gaze stills on a splotch of red blooming across the toilet paper.

My stomach hits the floor.What the hell? My period finished ten days ago!

The crepe-thin paper shakes in my fingers as I bring it closer to my face.

I flush away the offending tissue like it’s diseased, then dig out an emergency pad from my bag in case there’s any further flow.

Once I’ve buttoned up my jeans with shaky fingers, I gape at my stunned reflection in the mirror. A series ofimages steamroll into my head: breaking it to everyone that I have cancer … being told it’s now spread throughout my body … my family weeping at my funeral. Actually, my parents are in tears while stoic Ingrid’s solemnly flicking through the funeral booklet.

The hollow chime of the downstairs doorbell shocks me back into my skin.

I quickly erase my smudged mascara with my fingers and suck back my tears.

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