Page 77 of The Fangirl Project
I risk saying out loud, “It was a really good kiss, though.”
Anissa giggles. “I’ll say! We only caught the tail end but you two lookedverysteamy.”
“And his hair’s really soft.”
“Mm-hmm.” She makes the sound through closed lips, like she’s trying not to laugh. I throw a spare pillow down, smacking her square in the face, and a giggle bursts out of her.
And because she’s proving to be a good listener—a good friend—I say, “For a minute when I saw you and Jake together, I thought…”
Anissa snorts. “Asif.”
“Oh. Well…okay.”Good.Bad? I don’t know anymore. “Thanks for, um, coming with me tonight. And for coming home early with me. I know you were having a good time…”
“Of course!” she says. “I did have fun. It’s sad we didn’t get to hang out more, though. You totally vanished after we got there. I thought…” She gives a small laugh. “Well, after I saw you and Max all over each other, I thought maybe that was why you’d invited me. So you could both ditch Jake without it being weird. Fourth-wheel me. It’s okay if you were,” she adds in a rush. “I just—”
“No, Anissa, I—”Rumbled,but not quite. I feel truly, properly heinous for having used her at all—even if it backfired wildly, andeven if I do genuinely like spending time with her. More sincerely, I tell her, “I’m sad we didn’t get to hang out more, too. Honestly, I thought you and Max would get on really well. I’m sorry.”
“Maybe…,” she starts, and then falls quiet, never finishing her sentence.
I try to finish it for her. I don’t know her like I do Jake, but I think I’m starting to. I know I’d like to. “Maybe we could hang out again soon? Outside of school or the Discord chat, I mean, and without boys getting in the way.”
“Yeah.” I can hear the grin in her voice. “I’d like that.”
GIRLIE POPS!
Nikita
@Ceryswe are on TENTERHOOKS girl, how did the party go????
Chloe
DID YOU GUYS KISS?
Me
The party was okay, no kiss with Jake though. Nothing to report sorry gang
Evie
Oh boooo! That sucks babe
Nikita
But it was so promising! Did he get too drunk?
Chloe
Maybe he didn’t know how to get a moment alone with you to make a move, and it was just too intimidating with everyone else there?
Evie
That’s gotta be it!
Nikita
I see you reading these messages@Daphne, any thoughts/sorrows/prayers for poor Cerys over here?
Me
