Page 198 of Call the Shots
Sully opened his door, and Elijah yelled at him about the planetarium. He sniffed his pits. “Uh…I need a shower first.”
“Hurry up!” Elijah barked. “We’re leaving in ten!”
“The fuck you are!” I glared. “None of you are going!”
Fridge and Nick came out with Tallulah, asking about the mass message Elijah sent before more doors opened. My teammates lumbered out with their phones and wallets, ready to hit up the museum too. It spiraled out of control, especially with Elijah telling everyone in graphic detailwhyI was taking June.
“Bear, here’s how your date will go.” Elijah crossed his arms. “You’ll get red—like you always do with her—stutter with some bullshit, it should be your slam dunk, instead you’ll break an ankle. That’s why we’re coming. We’ll make sure you do it.”
I was furious. I didn’t need twenty sweaty dipshits to make sure I told June I had feelings for her. “You’re supposed to be my fucking friends!” I thundered. “You can’t do this to me!”
The room quieted.
Pickles cocked his head. “Are we friends?”
I realized I’d never made that public acknowledgment before. I gazed around the room.Holy shit.They were my best friends.
“Yeah, we’re friends, asshole,” I said gruffly.
“More of a reason for us to go!” Elijah shouted and the room cheered—fucking pricks. He clapped me on the back when the elevator opened again. “We’ll make sure you tell June!”
“Tell June what?” a soft voice asked.
I whirled around.
June.
My teammates went nuts, everyone hung on me like a pack of hyenas. I wasn’t prepared—no—Iwasprepared, Montoya had my speech, and I—I?—
What if Elijah’s right?
June gazed at me with those soft green eyes, prized pieces of sea glass. What if I looked into those eyes, held her hand, and saidnothing?What if I begged Dr. Schulman for a chance, just to fuck this up?
“I’m in love with you,” burst out of me.
Her eyes shot wide.
The guys stayed silent for a couple of seconds before they grabbed each other’s shoulders and mine, shaking me, shouting out stupid shit like ‘that’s right, Bear’and ‘go ahead and tell her, big dog!’
I couldn’t get to my speech, so I adlibbed. “I’m in love with you,” I repeated, stumbling through the words. “It’s that once-in-a-lifetime love that makes you feel like you’re starting your life because I want my real life to start with you.”
Fridge threw a thumbs-up sign behind June. I ignored him.
“I don’t care that you dated my stepbrother! And I don’t care about Paisley! The nudes leakhadto happen for me to get here, because you and I were supposed to meet—it’s destiny.” I pointed between the two of us. “We’re written in the stars. I know it. I can feel it. We’re supposed to be together—I’m in love with you, June.”
June stepped backwards like a cornered animal, stricken. “Bear, no?—”
The room fell silent. The smiles on my teammates’ faces melted off and I stared at her, definitely mirroring her expression.
June said no.
My insides crumbled to dust, and I was distantly aware that I was nodding. “Oh.”
“Everyone, out of the hallway!” Denali barked.
Fridge ushered the rest of them away and June stammered an apology before she grabbed my arm, pulling me to our room.
CHAPTER 73
