Page 21 of Glad You Exist

“I’ll be right down. Stay and hang out with Summer. I’ll take mom home.”

He raises an eyebrow at me, and I know he’s shocked that I noticed the way he walked in with Summer earlier. I did. I’m happy for him. If there is something going on there, I hope that is enough reason for him to want to stay here. Something other than his helpless sister.

I shake my myself out of my stupor. I match his raised eyebrow and he scans the room one more time, his gaze lingering at Brad's hand on mine before he heads out.

I square my shoulders and get up.

Brad drops his hand, his eyes following my movements as I walk around him to face them.

Kim looks like she wants to say something but doesn't know where to start. She’s staring at Brad with a curious look in her eyes like she’s also trying to figure out what’s gotten him in such a knot. I catch Kyle’s eye as he looks away from the door. And it’s just now that I realize that he might be wondering what's going on with our siblings too.

"My sister and your brother?"

I have to smile at that, "Yeah. I think they hung out last night. He mentioned hanging out with a friend. I'm guessing it was Summer since they came together."

Kyle laughs. "Sweeeeeet. Dan's always been cool. Maybe my sister will learn to have fun more if she dates your brother instead of the losers she usually hangs out with.”

Kim sniffs and smacks him on the arm. "Can we focus?"

Kyle puts his hands up and leans back, making acarry-onmotion with hands.

"Look, I-"

Brad cuts me off with a hand under my elbow, "Can you please stay and talk with us?"

I sigh, not in the mood to argue or explain the many reasons why that isn’t a good idea, so I go with what will make the most sense to him.

"Brad. I think we've said more than enough today, don't you think? I know there's still more to unpack and talk about, but we can't all of a sudden just forget like we haven’t spent the last three years as strangers. It's going to take more than just one conversation to change that...”

I look over at the others. Give them what I hope comes off as a sincere smile in spite of the anxiety I feel building up inside me. “If we even decide to do that."

I clench my fists to my side to ease my nerves as I address Kim and Kyle,

"I'm really happy for you guys. I am so sorry I was blind to it before, but I see it clear as day now, you guys are great together."

"I know, right?" Kyle grins as he attempts to wrap an arm around Kim who ribs him. A blush creeps up her cheeks as she turns to us, wiping her eyes on the sleeves of her denim jacket.

"Liz is right."

Kyle waggles his eyebrows and whoops. Kim rolls her eyes and gets up to stand as well.

"What I mean iswe've shared quite a bit today. I don't think we should push each other to do more than that."

She waves a dismissive hand around when Brad looks like he’s about to argue with her.

“Besides, like it or not, were stuck with each other for the rest of the year. Thanks to Santos. Let's not force this all at once."

She gives me her signature half smile and before I realize it, I get swept up in a quick hug. She steps back and raises an eyebrow at Brad.

"I think Liz and I need to figure out our own shit too." She gestures towards me. "Whenwerebothready to."

I don't even know how to react to this complete one-eighty from her. I don't know if it's because I finally admitted to having mental illness or the fact that I complimented her relationship with Kyle—which I have to admit I am incredibly curious about—but she got over our tiff pretty quickly by the looks of it. If I had known this was all it would take for her to acknowledge me and possibly be my friend again, I would have done it a long time ago.

No, no I wouldn’t have. Because I’m a coward.

Which is why I need to get the hell out of here.

"Right, Liz?"

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