Page 53 of Dating After the End of the World
Molly tucks her chin in. Her eyes develop a sheen, but she takes a couple of quick deep breaths, making it instantly disappear. It’s not right what Greg’s doing to her, and I really can’t stand to watch her get hurt. She deserves to know, and the sooner the better.
“Greg doesn’t like you,” I say without thinking. The truth comes out like projectile vomit all at once, and I’m not sure whether I’m telling her this for her sake or for mine.
I wish someone would have told me the truth back when Blake was playing the same games with me. It would have saved me a lot of heartbreak and humiliation, so really, I’m doing what’s best for her in the long run.
Molly whips her head in my direction, eyes wide. “What?”
“Casey,” Tessa says through clenched teeth, almost like a warning, or in utter confusion as to why I’m telling Molly this.
“He doesn’t,” I say matter-of-factly. The truth is a Band-Aid that just needs to be ripped off. “You were supposed to be a one-night stand. That’s it. But the world ended, so here you are. If things were normal, Greg would have ghosted you, but he can’t because you’re both stuck living at my father’s compound.” I gesture with my hands, sweeping them in front of me. “He’s stringing you along because he can’t avoid you. Plus, you’re his only option, and if he had another, it wouldn’t be you.”
The moisture in Molly’s eyes resurfaces, but this time she’s not able to make it disappear. Tears spill over, streaming down her face.
“I know it’s hard to hear, but I can tell you from experience, it’s better to be alone than to be with the wrong person.” I fold my lips and nod, hoping she’ll understand where I’m coming from and will be grateful that I told her rather than angry at the messenger.
Molly starts to sob, and before I can try to console her, she’s on her feet, bolting toward the house.
“Casey, what the hell was that?” Tessa asks, staring at me with wild eyes.
“Molly deserves to know the truth, and the longer Greg strings her along for, the more she’ll get hurt in the end.” I pluck another dandelion from the grass and blow the pappi, sending them into the wind.
Tessa squints, studying my face. “Is there something going on with you?”
“No,” I say, tossing the stem aside.
“Come on.” She pats her hand against my leg. “It’s me. You can tell me anything.”
I sigh, debating whether I want to reveal what happened between Blake and me. I was hoping to just forget about it, but I can’t seem to.
“Blake kissed me last night.”
Her mouth parts with surprise and then clamps closed. “Well ... that explains the sour mood.”
“I guess.” I shrug, picking at the grass.
“How the hell did that even happen, and when?” Tessa tilts her head.
“Last night, while I was patrolling. He decided to sneak out and scare me in the middle of my shift and then he just ... kissed me.”
“Oh my God, that creep! And what did you do?”
I swallow hard, not wanting to tell her that I initially kissed him back and it got a little hot and heavy. I still don’t know why I did. Maybe it was the adrenaline from being on my first night watch, and then him jumping out of the woods and scaring me amplified it even more. That must have been it.
“I slapped him,” I lie. Technically, it’s not a whole lie. I did slap Blake, but that was after I’d straddled his body and made out with him.
“Good.” Tessa laughs. “So, that’s what his little gift was about?”
“Yeah, he’s trying to get back on my good side so he can suck me back in, make me like him again, and then pull the rug out from underneath me just like he did back in high school.” I shake my head.
“Maybe,” Tessa says.
My brows shove together. “What do you mean,maybe?”
“I mean ...” She pauses and glances around. “Maybe Blake is doing exactly what you’re saying, or maybe he’s changed.”
“Yeah, right,” I scoff. “Once an asshole, always an asshole.”
“But that happened, like, fourteen years ago, and you were both teenagers.”
