Page 55 of The First Time
Shit. I'm daydreaming again. Maybe Rory can commiserate on the pain of midterms. "I hate tests."
"They're not so bad. Now the speech I had to give in my debate class." She shakes her head. "I was awful. I don't know how you ever get on stage. It's horrifying enough when I have notecards." She pulls her cell from her backpack and taps a reply. "Carter wants to meet at In-N-Out."
"He's coming?"
"You don't mind, do you?" Her eyes stay on her cell phone.
I've got two options here: sayof course notand deal with Rory and Carter making out all afternoon. Or sayof course I mind, we're friendsand get into another fight over how she's been stuck in boyfriend-land the last few months.
There is a third option. "I'm tired. I'm going to head home and take a nap." I wipe my frown off my face. Rory is still staring at her phone.
Does she even care that I'm here?
"Good idea." She taps something else into her phone. "Get some rest before the party."
"Party?"
"Yeah, at his place, tonight. I told you, didn't I?"
No. I'd remember.
"Piper?" Her eyes stay glued to her phone. "You're coming, right?"
"Where is it?"
"His place in Long Beach. Let me text you the address." She taps her phone screen. "Starts at eight but most people will be rolling in around nine or ten. It will be fun. Drinks. Weed. Cute guys."
Before Carter, she'd never sayweedlike it was a necessary part of a fun evening.
I try to shake it off. I hate feeling like the uptight one.
I'm not an idiot. I can see that she's ignoring me. That I mean nothing to her compared to her boyfriend. I'd understand if Carter was somehow cute, interesting, smart, something. But he's not. He doesn't have a job. He doesn't go to school.
He doesn't do anything but drink and smoke weed.
But she's my oldest friend...
Finally, she looks up from her phone. "You'll be there, right?"
"Maybe."
"Please, Pipes. We never hang out anymore."
I wonder why. "I have plans tonight." To text Kit until I can't keep my eyes open any longer. But that's still a plan.
"Oh yeah?" She slides her phone into her pocket. "Tell me it's a date."
"Kinda."
"Really?" Her brown eyes light up. "You'll tell me when you finally..."
"Yeah." Maybe. At this point, it feels like I'm going to die a virgin.
"Bring him."
"I don't think it's his scene." This conversation is making me queasy. Or maybe that's hunger. Or lack of coffee. Either way, I'm not enjoying talking to Rory. Has our friendship been this crappy all semester? All year? I'm not sure. I push myself up and take a few steps towards the parking lot. "I'll let you know."
She smiles, completely unaware of my frustration. "If not, let's hang tomorrow. Coffee?"
