Page 78 of Told You So
“No,” Sam says. “Well, maybe a little,” she amends. “Look, I’m sorry okay? He’s like my brother. He’s been looking out for us since elementary school, and I feel like it’s my turn.”
“I’m not a harpy, Sam. I didn’t scheme my way into his life, like you seem to think. Neither of us asked to be project partners. It just happened.”
“I get that,” she says with a huff. “Will you please just stop for a second?” Sam tugs on my arm. “God, you people and your long legs...”
I stop and look at her, deciding it’s best to get everything out in the open now.
“You’re like his kryptonite,” she says, a wisp of her hair floating in the breeze. “You heard Mac. You screw with his head and make him crazy.”
“Well, I—”
“You don’t do it on purpose, I get it. I just—I don’t want him to get hurt.”
I shake my head. “Neither do I.”
She blinks and bites the inside of her cheek before she speaks again. “I don’t know if he’s always thinking clearly when it comes to you, and you guys are delusional if you think you’re only friends.” She shakes her head. “I guess what I’m trying to say is, this is probably going to end badly. I just hope you guys know what you’re doing.”
No, I have no idea what we’re doing, but I don’t have time to think about it. Nick comes jogging up the beach. “Hey.”
He and Sam exchange a look before she glances at me again, then heads back toward the blanket.
Nick lets out a raspy breath. “Is everything okay? That looked pretty intense.” He smacks on his gum, assessing my reaction.
“It’s fine,” I say and continue walking. “I just need some space.”
Thirty-Nine
Nick
“I’m just gonna grab my project stuff,” Bethany says as we step into my apartment. “I’ll finish the summary this week and start putting the binder together so we can focus on moving all the furniture in next Saturday.”
“I was going to do that with Reilly this week, but I’ll let you do all the frilly stuff.”
“‘kay.” She grabs her book bag off the floor. She hasn’t really looked at me since the beach. Whatever was said between her and Sam has caused her walls to go up again.
“What did she say to you?” I ask. “You’ve been...different. Was she rude? Sam can be a little pushy but I’m sure—”
“It’s fine,” she says. “That talk was bound to happen at some point. Sam’s just concerned.”
“What is she so concerned about, me and you?” I know Sam doesn’t love Bethany, but I thought she was coming around to the idea of her.
“Yeah, and honestly, I don’t blame her.” She scrambles for her papers on the table.
“What? Don’t listen to Sam. She doesn’t know what it’s like between us—she doesn’t get it.” For the first time in my life, I’m pissed at Sam. Bethany and I were doing so good, now she’s a million miles out of reach again.
“Why do this to ourselves?”
“Do what? Be friends?”
“Is that what we really are?” she asks, surprising me. “It feels more complicated than that.”
“Of course it’s complicated. It’s stupid-complicated, it always has been, and it’s annoying as hell. But I told you from the beginning that I would let you steer the way.”
“I don’t know, Nick—” she says with a groan.
“Know what? Why does any of it matter? Why can’t we just be whatever we are?”
“Because it’s dangerous,” she says.
