Page 60 of Don't Love the Boy Next Door
She waves her hand. “Whatever.”
After I order the pizza, I sit back on the couch and watch the documentary, which is really interesting. Turtles are so cute.
“Ugh, this is boring.” She shuts the TV.
“Hey, that was interesting!”
“They’re turtles. It takes them a million years to move their butts. We get it.”
I give her a face. “Are you going to be a sour puss for the rest of your life?”
She folds her arms, raising her chin. “If I feel like it.”
I sigh and fold my arms, too.
We sit in silence for a long time, until she says, “How was rehearsal?”
The memory of the kiss conquers my mind. Without meaning to, a groan escapes my lips.
“What?” Phoenix asks.
“Nothing,” I quickly say.
The cloud vanishes from her face as her eyes rove over me. “Oh my gosh, I know that look! Somethingdidhappen.”
“Wow, it’s like the flick of a switch. Weren’t you the bitterest person in the world thirty seconds ago?”
“That’s because I have something else to focus on. Tell me, tell me, tell me,” she says as she bounces on the couch.
“I love that you’re back to your old self,” I tell her, “but why does it have to be at my expense?”
Her eyes widen. “That means something really juicy must have happened. Whatis it?”
I press my lips shut.
“I’m your best friend, Kates. I’ll get it out of you sooner or later. So just save yourself the trouble and tell me now. Then I can go back to being mad at The Jerk.”
“If that was supposed to convince me, you suck. Because if keeping you in suspense makes you this happy, I should stretch this for as long as possible.”
Her eyebrows dip low as she contemplates it. Then she playfully slaps my arm. “Just shut up and tell me.”
I bury my face in my hands, throwing myself on the couch. “I don’t want to talk about it,” I moan. Then I flip onto my back and stare up at the ceiling. “I don’t know if it’s worse than when I tumbled down the stairs.”
She moves so she’s over me, staring at me from upside-down with a hanging jaw. “Another kiss scene?”
I groan and slap my hands over my face again.
“Maybe it’s not as bad as you think.”
“Ugh!” I lower my hands and stare up at the ceiling again. “I didn’t freak out or fall down the stairs.”
“Progress.”
“But…oh my gosh, it’s so embarrassing.” My chest puffs up as I take a deep breath and let it out. “Eric was pretty hesitant the last time. I was, too. But this time, he was so confident. So comfortable in the role. I think it’s because he knows all his lines and has a better sense of the character.”
“Uh hu…”
“He swept me off the floor and into his arms so…”
