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“He’s worried about you.” Declan took a step toward me, gently setting a hand on my side. “He’s not the only one.”
The moment the bathroom door opened, I moved away from Declan as fast as I could, praying that I was nonchalant about it. Kelsey let out a yawn, oblivious to us as she shuffled to her bag and pulled out her toothbrush.
“Do you guys mind if we get an early night tonight? I plan on rocking Hillcrest tomorrow, but I’m feeling jet-lagged from the trip.” Kelsey tossed us both a questioning glance, and I chuckled.
Declan, meanwhile, asked seriously, “How are you jet-lagged from a drive? Don’t you only get that from long plane rides?”
All Kelsey did was laugh and mock whisper to me, “So cute. Definitely a keeper.” She sauntered to the bathroom, saying, “And it’s obvious someone’s never spent a long time in a car before. It’s tiring, you know!”
I stuck my hands in the back pockets of my shorts, giving Declan an apologetic expression. This was going to be our whole weekend. Kelsey had no off switch.
After Kelsey was done in the bathroom, it was my turn. Declan opted to be the last one, actually wearing a shirt tonight, due to the new company. Kelsey and I were already under the covers in my bed, and as Declan flicked off the light in the kitchenette area, he felt the need to ask yet again if we were sure these would be our sleeping arrangements.
“You sure you two are going to be comfortable? One of you can take my bed, if you want.”
Kelsey was tucked in near the wall, and I sat on the outer part of the bed, so I was able to toss him a come on look. “We’re fine, Declan. Promise.”
“Yes, Mom. We’re fine.” Kelsey waved him off.
Declan’s brows furrowed at the Mom bit, but he said nothing as he meandered to his bed and crawled in.
Kelsey muttered, “I’ll give you five bucks if you go over there and cuddle with him all night.” She wasn’t quiet about it, and I rolled my eyes, biting back my laughter. I would not egg her on. Nope.
With a sigh, Declan spoke into the darkness of our room, “I can hear you.”
Kelsey shrugged beside me. “It’s okay. I blew my last twenty on that McDonald’s, so I don’t have a five to give you, anyway.” I felt her head turn, and I knew she was smiling at me in the darkness.
I pulled the covers over our heads and got out my phone. The screen lit up the area, lighting up both mine and Kelsey’s bodies under the blankets. Kelsey’s phone was in her hand as well, and I texted her: I really have missed you.
Her phone was on silent, and the moment the message popped up on her phone, her fingers worked quickly to type something back. I missed you too. Life isn’t the same without seeing your fugly face every day. A pause, then another message: oops. I meant pretty face.
I resisted my urge to smack her, instead typing out, you jerk. I invite you to my place of living, and this is how you treat me?!
To be fair, she wrote back, I invited myself. You were content to keep all the pretty rich boys away from me. You da jerk, not moi.
Hey, feel free to take whatever rich boy you want.
Kelsey waited a moment before responding. So does that mean you’d be okay if I took Declan? Her face turned to look at me, as if waiting for my reaction. JK. I can tell you like him. I’m not blind. I might not be as book smart as you, but I’m not stupid. You like Declan!!!
I do not. He’s just…idk. It’s a long story, okay?
Then tell me.
I thought you wanted to go to sleep after that long car ride? I held back a chuckle when I remembered her saying she was jet-lagged from it.
Yes, but you know I’m always down for gossip. I live on gossip. I breathe gossip. I eat it for all three meals and dessert.
It’s complicated.
We stayed up for a while, texting each other because we couldn’t talk. In a way, it reminded me of what we used to do growing up. Having sleepovers, my mom telling me it was lights out. We’d crawl under the sheets with a flashlight and go through the teen magazines we’d gotten from the school library. We read all the latest celebrity gossip, and we also chose which cute boys we’d date.
God, those were the days. I missed them, I really did. It was such a simpler time, before Hillcrest, before Ray. Before life had grabbed me by the throat and tried to kill me. Yeah…if only time machines were real, right?
But this was nice. This, I realized, just might help make me feel better. I missed Kelsey, I really did. Going to class wasn’t the same without her. This weekend might be exactly what I needed to stay sane in the mess that was currently my life.
This weekend might actually be a good one.
Chapter Twenty – Declan
