Page 94 of Faking Forever 1
“What does that even mean, Beau? I haven’t thought about her that way in forever.” I give him a discerning look.
“Yeah, no doubt, when Paisley is around. You know she’ll be on the prowl, and you’re next on her roster.” he wiggles his eyebrows to tease me.
“Gross, man,” I squeeze my eyes shut as I shake my head, then open them again. So, what about you guys?” I watch him, his gaze beating down Sierra.
“Who?” he turns his head to me.
“You. Sierra. Together.” I cross my fingers.
“Yeah. It’s not going to happen.” he smiles, hiding pure pain.
He’s usually not very serious, but recently, his behaviors have become more earnest.
“Not happen? So you give up?”
“Pretty much.” he nods.
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“Are you okay?” I feel his head with my hand.
“Josh,” he chuckles, pushing my hand down, “I’m fine. I’ve accepted the fact that she doesn’t want me. I’m not mature enough for her liking. It doesn’t matter what I do—I’ll be watching from an outsider’s perspective.”
“Sheesh, depressing much?” I nervously smile.
“Nope. Just real.”
Maybe it washisharsh reality, but I feel like thereissomething between them. I think Sierra is too much of a coward to admit it. I love her just as much as any other friend, but by now, it was no secret that she didn’t want people to view her in a particular light. Even though she’s already guilty by association. Whether or not she likes to believe it, many people already know that they hooked up anyway.
We aren’t in high school anymore, so I can’t see how that’s still a factor. Beau has a decent job now, fixing up cars and whatnot while also going to school. He even managed to get a car and a place of his own this summer. His parents are vultures, butafter everything that happened with his addiction, he’s become a pretty well-rounded person. I’d kill to be a fly on the wall for a chance to understand why she puts him on the back burner. He seems a little more than butt-hurt about it.
“Are you guys paying together or separate tabs?” Sierra asks us, leaning against the seat beside Beau.
“Separate,” we say in unison.
Using my knuckles, I tap his hand on the table, nodding to her as she writes some things down.
“Ask her out.” I mouth.
“No—no way,” he whispers, a little louder than expected.
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“No, what? Are you ordering something else?” she looks down at him, pushing her curly fro out of her vision.
“Uh, no, nothing else, sorry.” he looks down.
This is like pulling a fucking splinter out of my palm.
“Hey Si.” I clear my throat.
“What’s up?” she gives me her attention.
“If a guy asked you on a date, say maybe a picnic on the beach, would you say no to that?” I smile.
