Page 58 of Searching for Nova

“It wasn’t a big deal,” I say, going around her to get my backpack.

She comes up behind me. “If he kissed you, it means he doesn’t just see you as a friend.”

I turn to face her. “Mateo only sees me as a friend and we do a lot more than kiss.”

“Which is wrong.” She puts her hands on her hips. “You know he’s just using you, right?”

“I’m using him too,” I say, slinging my backpack over my shoulder.

“If you’re using Mateo for sex, you could do a lot better.” She motions to the diner. “That guy in there is a thousand times hotter than Mateo and I bet the sex would be better.”

Based on the kiss Easton gave me, I think she’s right. The sex would probably be amazing He wouldn’t even have to do much to be amazing. The sex I’ve had with Mateo and the other losers I’ve been with is so bad, it wouldn’t take much to impress me.

“I’m not having sex with Easton,” I say.

“Why? You just said he was single. And you and Mateo aren’t exclusive. Didn’t you say he had a date last night?”

“It was Saturday, and I don’t know if it was a date.”

“You know. You just don’t want to think about him being with another girl.”

I really don’t care if he’s with someone else. I would have a few months ago, when I thought we might actually date, but when I realized he didn’t want that, I put up a wall between Mateo and my heart, not letting myself get emotionally attached. So now it’s just sex between friends.

“Don’t you want more than that?” Mara asks, sounding like a concerned mom. She’s not a mom, but she’s raising her younger sister. Their mom died in a hit-and-run when Mara was 19. She had to drop out of community college and get two jobs to support them.

“Why would I want more? I’m 17. I’m not looking for a husband.”

“Yeah, but don’t you want to at least be with a guy who cares about you?”

“Those guys don’t exist, at least not at my age. Guys my age are just looking to get laid.”

“Not all guys are like that.”

“I have to go,” I say, heading to the door.

She walks through the kitchen with me, out to the dining area.

Easton’s sitting in one of the booths, and damn, he looks hot. Why couldn’t he be skinny and awkward like he was as a kid? It’d be a lot easier to be around him. My pulse sped up the moment I saw him. My body can’t seem to get on board with the idea that he’s just a friend.

“You can leave,” I tell Mara. “I don’t need a chaperone.”

“With a guy that hot?” she says, eyeing Easton. “I think you might. How can you be around him without something happening? I’d be all over him.”

Easton looks up from his phone. He smiles when he sees me, making my pulse go even faster. Maybe it’s nerves. He kind of makes me nervous, but I don’t know why.

He gets up from the booth and walks over to me. “Ready to go?”

“It’s nice of you to pick her up,” Mara says before I can answer. “So where are you taking her for dinner?”

I shoot Mara a look to go away, but she ignores me.

“I was thinking of Mexican tonight,” Easton says, glancing at Mara before looking back at me. “You used to love tacos. Remember how you’d beg Liz to make them?”

“Who’s Liz?” Mara asks.

“Just someone we used to know,” I tell her. “Let’s go,” I say to Easton, walking past him to the door.

“See you later,” I hear Easton say to Mara.

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