Page 25 of Rewrite the Rules

“Dumbass said he wasn’t attracted to her,” Quinn grumbles from the kitchen.

“I’m right here, guys. Wow, please let’s relive this pleasant memory together.” And just like that, my beer is empty. No matter, I pop open another.

“Shut up! Wait! Your boss said you weren’t attractive? He has eyes…and a dick, right?” Mani flies to the edge of the sofa seat.

“I’m positive about at least one of those things.”

“Shake it off,” Reese says, squeezing my shoulder. “It has nothing to do with you.” She kisses my cheek. “You’re prettier than all of us combined.”Booo.I hate when this compliment comes from Reese of all people. It feels like hot girl charity.

“It’s not a big deal. I was emotional because of my grandma’s death anniversary and I got caught up in a moment. That’s all.” I fill my mouth with popcorn so I can’t continue sounding so unbelievably unconvincing.

“So how is the office going anyways? How’s he acting?”

“Like my boss—”

“Gross!” Reese shrieks. She and Noa both duck and dodge as popcorn shrapnel flies out of my mouth.

“Sorry.” I raise my hand over my mouth as a popcorn spray defense shield.

“I actually feel bad for the poor sucker,” Quinn says as she joins us in the living room. To clarify it’s about five steps away from my kitchen. I don’t really have rooms. My kitchen is just a corner of the main floor with appliances lined neatly against the wall. Quinn sits on the sofa chair’s armrest next to Mani because we’ve run out of room in my teensy apartment. Why do we do girls’ nights here? I don’t understand.

“Excuse me? Where’s your loyalty?” I throw a handful of popcorn at Quinn’s face.

“You don’t do well with rejection. I can’t imagine how you’re punishing him. You’re scary good at icing people out.”

“Mmmk, ignoring that. But while we’re on the subject of he who shall not be named—”

“Seriously? Your boss is at Voldemort status?” Good ol’ Noa. She still catches myHarry Potterreferences.

“Anyways! Do you guys think that you have to get physical to fall in love? And I’m not talking about over-the-pants dry-humping action. Am I doing this in reverse? Do I have to have sex to know what love is and isn’t?”

They all gape at me like bass on land gasping for air. Reese opens her mouth to answer, but Quinn abruptly cuts in.

“Nobody say anything,” she hisses at the girls before softening her expression and turning her attention to me. “Addie, don’t take this the wrong way but you’re highly impressionable when it comes to this stuff. You can ask all four of us the same question and you’ll get four different answers. Reese and Mani will tell you one thing. Noa and I, another.”

“Hey!” Mani squeals. “Don’t lump me in with maneater over here.”

“The fuck?” Reese shrieks right back. “I’m not a maneater! The only reason I don’t—”

“Excuse me. Can we just do my love crisis today? We’ll get to your story later.” I bat at Reese’s curly blonde tendrils. “Anyways, I feel like I’m not able to date like a normal twenty-something because I have this giant awkward elephant that follows me wherever I go. I always thought I’d know when the right one came along…like I’d feel something different.”And I did. But then he shot me down.“But now I think it’s time to stop avoiding this. You know? Like a Band-Aid—just rip it off.”

Four sets of eyes blink silently at me.

“Am I allowed to say something now?” Reese asks Quinn who shakes her head solemnly in response.

“You guys suck right now, you know that?”

“How about we go out tonight?” Mani suggests. I wonder whether it’s more for my benefit or Noa’s. I’m not sure which one of us needs a bigger distraction at the moment.Who am I kidding? Definitely Noa.I saw the tabloid with her Hollywood-famous ex-boyfriend announcing the end of their relationship on my last CVS run for tampons. “Especially since it looks like you really struggled with the sangria over there, Quinny.”

“That’s the truth. I mean, it’s pretty much just a bottle of red and white mixed together in there.” Quinn nods to the pitcher on the table that looks like red Kool-Aid mixed with too much water.

“How about Rise? I love a good rooftop bar.” I turn toward Noa.

“Sure, why not? Jonah’s with his dad for three more days.”

Reese squeals in excitement and claps like a buffoon. I shoot her a look. “Oh, come on, it’s not that shocking.”

“Bear, a tsunami could flood the streets of downtown Denver tonight…atsunami. From an ocean over thousands of miles away—and you wanting to go out will still be the most surprising part of the evening.”

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