Page 98 of The Odds of Happily Ever After
Kriz gave me a wry smile. “Youhavebeen kinda out of it the past few minutes.”
“Few minutes? Try the entire dinner.” Chloe scoffed. “So what is it? Please don’t tell me you’re this worked up over school.”
“No, it’s . . .” I racked my brain for an excuse and ended up sighing. Again, apparently. “There’s this guy.”
Chloe’s eyes widened. “Finally.” Planting her elbows on her glass-topped dining table, she leaned toward me. “Did Kai grow a pair and make a move?”
“No. I already told you, there’s nothing between us.”
“Then you should tell him that cause I promise you that guy does not share the sentiment,” Chloe declared while Kriz nodded along beside her, chomping on a potato chip.
I frowned at them. “He’s never said anything about liking me.” Had he? I tried to figure out if he’d given me any hints but came up blank. Did him insisting on paying for dinner count?
“Maybe because you friend-zoned him right away. Ugh, Iknewthere was someone else.” Shaking her head, Chloe whacked the back of her hand on Kriz’s arm. “Didn’t I tell you?”
“You did.” Kriz bobbed her eyebrows at me, and I could almost hear her asking if I was talking about Gabe.
I dipped my chin slightly as I took a drink, torn between obsessing over Gabe and worrying that I’d unintentionally led Kai on. I’d always thought we were on the same page, but if both Chloe and Kriz were convinced otherwise, I must have missed something.
“So who is this guy and how long have you been dating him?” Chloe asked, staring at me without blinking.
I fidgeted in my chair. “I’m not dating anyone. I like him, but he doesn’t see me that way.” Talk about an understatement. Gabe was the only guy I could think of, and he couldn’t even acknowledge me as a real friend. Now he had the nerve to ask for another chance to talk, as if I hadn’t given him plenty of chances already.
“You’re giving crazy eyes right now, Lulu,” Kriz told me.
“Just spit it out, Luna. Do we know this guy or not?” Chloe demanded.
I opened my mouth and hesitated, my gaze darting to Kriz. She started to say something, but I blurted out before she could, “I can’t tell you.”
I expected Chloe to bug me about it, but she simply narrowed her eyes before rolling them. “Whatever. So the issue is that he went and gave you the Kai treatment?”
“Not exactly . . .”
“You’ve got the hots for him and you’re not sure if he feels the same way. Am I right?”
“Something like that, yeah.”
“Did you ever ask him point blank?” Before I could answer, she said, “Of course not. Cause if you did, you wouldn’t be all messed up like you are now. The solution? Get real with him.”
“It’s not that easy.”
“Isn’t it? The way I see it, I’d rather take a bullet now and know for sure than stress over what some guymightthink of me.” Chloe shrugged. “It’s a waste of time and a damn good way to get premature wrinkles.”
“She has a point,” Kriz told me. “It’s better to clear things up so you can move on—with or without him.” Her eyes seemed to add,You’ve already wasted more than enough time with all these unanswered questions about Gabe.
And honestly? That was so true. If Chloe knew this had been going on for years, she’d freak.
“I’ll think about it,” I said to them. “Thanks for the advice.”
Chloe flicked a chip at me. “Less thinking, more doing. Also, if you and mystery man end up fucking, I’m taking the credit. You’re welcome.”
Muffled laughter poured out of Kriz. As much as I wanted to play the innocent and claim I wasn’t after the physical stuff, I’dbe lying. I longed for the emotional connection most of all, but I’d also pictured being with Gabe more times than I could count, and in ways I’d only experienced in my imagination.
As anxiety-inducing as Chloe’s suggestion sounded, it also made perfect sense. Either way, things between me and Gabe had already changed after last night. If this was how we ended, it might as well go out with a bang.
So I texted Gabe:
Luna
