Page 6 of The Odds of Happily Ever After
Kriz’s jaw dropped. “No way,” she breathed out. “What an ass.”
“Right? I mean, of course he was there because of Ate. I’m not stupid. But did he have to rub it in my face?”
“Nope. Definitely not. That’s like, common decency.”
“Exactly.” Her validation reassured me that I wasn’t crazy to feel the way I felt, which was all a girl needed sometimes. No advice, no psychoanalysis—just a safe space to vent.
Kriz gave me a sideways glance.
“What?”
“Was there any physical contact though?”
“Of course not!” The answer came reflexively, but right on its heels, I remembered the car stereo incident.
“Really? His fingers didn’t, like, brush against yours when he helped you with your bags?” Kriz paused. “Iassumehe helped you, right?”
“Well, yeah.”
“I knew it. So therewassome finger action?”
I wrinkled my nose. “If you consider a collisionaction. This is Gabe we’re talking about.”
“Okay, I know he’s a jerk and all, but I’ve gotta say—I love that you’re on first-name basis with Professor Hottie.”
I rolled my eyes. “Can you not call him that?”
“Why not? We need a code name for him anyway.”
“Kriz. Half the student population calls him that.”
There was a beat of silence, then she laughed. “Point taken.”
“Thank you.”
“Guess it’s a good thing you’re not in his class with me and Chlo. How awkward would that be?”
“Iknow. He might flunk me just because.” Right after I said it, I knew it couldn’t be true. As grouchy as he was, I couldn’t see him stooping to that level. Not when he was so concerned about doing things by the book. After all, this was the guy who outright ignored me when I said hello to him on my first day of college because he had a rule against “fraternizing with students.”
His words, not mine.
God, he was insufferable.
And yet you can’t stop thinking about him,my brain taunted.
It was Gabe’s fault. I thought I’d finally have the chance to get over this stupid crush after Ate left, but he just had to mess withmy head again. Not only was he distractingly hot, he treated me like I was nothing more than a girl obsessed with shopping and partying.
Like I wasn’t good enough.
This was my fresh start. My chance to prove I could make something of myself although I wasn’t as capable as Ate or as brilliant as my younger brother Lonzo. My chance to show my parents I could stand alone.
Could I really? I wasn’t sure. But I couldn’t let Gabe have me questioning myself even more.
I already did plenty of that on my own.
chapter three
gabe
