Page 59 of Bending Under Pressure

“Be back by eleven.”

“Okay.”

It’s not until I’m in the car, almost to Jess’s, that I realize Walter just parented me. He gave me a curfew that I guess Mom should have done. What’s even weirder is that I don’t mind. Is it because Mom would have said the same thing? Or because Walter isn’t so bad to start with?

I knock on Jess’s front door, but she doesn’t answer. After a moment of hesitating, I walk inside. “Jess,” I call out.

“In here.”

I follow the sound of her voice to her bedroom. She’s curled into a ball on her bed, tears streaming down her face. My heart breaks at seeing my best friend like this. I lie down on the bed next to her.

“What happened?” I whisper.

“He didn’t want to,” she cries, a fresh, steady stream of tears falling now. “He didn’t want me, Haley. He,” she hiccups, “said he couldn’t do it.”

“Why?”

“Because he wanted to know why I wanted to do it.” Jess pauses, clearly hesitating before continuing, “Why can’t loving him be enough of a reason?”

“Is there another reason?”

Jess doesn’t answer me. “I feel so bad because I got angry with him. I was mean to him and made him leave. He was devastated, Haley.”

“Then why haven’t you called him?”

“Because I am mad and upset and hurt. It might get worse.”

Before I can change my mind, I ask, “Do you think this means neither of you are ready for it? That maybe you shouldn’t have sex yet?”

“No,” she snaps. Jess sits up, folding her legs, and facing me as I do the same. “I’m ready. I want to. Everyone else is!”

“I’m not.”

Jess narrows her eyes. “Just leave, Haley. I’m obviously not in the mood for company anymore.”

Dang it, now I’ve made her mad. “Jess, I’m just saying that you seem to be holding something back, Cam too,” I add, so it doesn’t seem like I’m blaming it on her. “How can you two be ready if you aren’t being honest with each other?”

Jess groans, falling back onto the bed, tears falling again. “Go home. Please.” She closes her eyes, rolls over, and ignores me.

Feeling bad and as if I made things worse, I leave. Once I’m in my car, I call Keelan.

“Hey, Hales.”

“Can I come over?” I ask quietly.

“Yeah, Natalie and Keira just left.”

I love he didn’t ask questions, just automatically said yes. After saying goodbye, we hang up. I drive over to his house. Keelan meets me with a half smile. There’s a solemn mood in the house, such a drastic change from the warm welcome I usually feel.

“Can I see Cameron?” I don’t know why, but I feel like I should.

“I don’t know if he’ll let anyone in, but we can try.” He takes my hand and we start climbing the stairs. “Things didn’t go well with Jess?”

“No,” I reply with a shake of my head.

Keelan sighs. He knocks on Cameron’s door. “It’s me.”

“And me,” I add.

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