Page 96 of Exactly What I Needed
“Check your email, Princess.”
“I will,” I answered, and we said our goodbyes before the line went dead. As I stepped out of my car, purse slung over my shoulder, I tapped on the email icon and opened my most recent one.
And grinned.
Shutting the door, I read the message. Our tickets for the Void concert on FridayandSaturday had been upgraded to meet-and-greet tickets with backstage passes. Mmmm, dating the lead singer apparently did come with perks.
Which provided me with a very smooth way of making sure that I could control the conversation that I was walking into. A conversation with someone that I wasn’t excited to have. Those rose-colored glasses were no longer on my face, and all seven of those girls no longer held that appeal and power over me that they used to.
Pushing open the front door, I pulled my heels off as gossip quieted down. Heads spun toward me as I rounded the kitchen corner and found not just Sydney on the couch, but most of her usual friend group.
“Hey, guys.” I smiled, forcing myself to feel excited.
“Cosi!” Sydney jumped up. “Did you see the pictures yet?” she asked as I stared at the full sink of dishes and food scraps on the counters. Thetrash was overflowing, and the clothes strewn about the living space only made it look more cluttered.
“What pictures?” I feigned innocence once again. Easily. Without an ounce of guilt.
I saw Tera raise a suspicious eyebrow, but honestly, who cared? Not me.
“The ones of Asher and his slutbag girlfriend,” Sydney grumbled and turned around.
“Oh, I think a few of my students mentioned that. So, are you not excited for the concert?”
“Uh, obviously I am!”
“Okay, so why are you so upset he has a girlfriend? Isn’t that what you wanted to be?”
“Exactly why I am upset!”
“And you feel it’s justified to call this random girl you don’t know a slutbag simply because she’s not you?”
“Exactly!” Sydney collapsed against the couch.
“So, are you going to be upset that I happened to upgrade all of our tickets to meet and greet with backstage passes simply because he’s not single anymore?” I lifted a brow as all seven faces swung my way.
“YOU WHAT?” Sydney shrieked in excitement.
“I did.” I grinned and held up my phone with the “confirmation” email.
She shot off the couch and nearly tackled me in a massive bear hug. “Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” she repeated over and over and then froze.
Spinning on her heels, she faced her girls, who all squealed. “We need to go shopping tomorrow for outfits. Brand new ones. How does eleven sound?”
“Perfect!” They all parroted agreements.
I let the fake smile fall from my lips. “I still have work tomorrow.”
She waved a hand toward me, brushing me off. “Text us when you’re done, and we’ll let you know where we are.”
Sydney began gossiping with everyone in the circle on the couch, excluding me. Something I would’ve never been upset about or noticed if I hadn’t been looking for it.
And Tera’s smirk put the final nail in the coffin.
All this time.
Taking a deep breath, I shrugged my purse higher up my shoulders and padded quietly down the hallway.
Funny. Sydney hadn’t even mentioned my new dress or heels.
