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She’s staring at me in the mirror, and for a moment I can’t understand why until I remember her plans to jump Theo last night. Good lord, the trouble Mr. Young’s loud mouth is putting me through right now.
“So, how’d you do it?”
Her eyes pierce through me in the same way Alice’s do, only she has the wrong idea. I’m not sure how I should answer her. Come up with a lie to keep up the assumption? Deflect? When I settle for a dumb look and a shrug, she rolls her eyes and says, “Forget it. I figured you wouldn’t tell me of all people.”
She raises the strap of her purse higher on her shoulder before exiting, the door swinging on its hinges behind her.
We left the party together, and Theo never returned to Ben and Alice’s place. There were so many eyes on us, anyone could’ve seen us leave together. Anyone could’ve misconstrued the truth…
Which might work in our favor.
When I leave the bathroom, I spot Theo waiting to use the men’s restroom. Except, when he spots me walking out of the women’s, he bounces off the wall he was leaning against and grabs my wrist. He pulls me into a hidden alcove, eyes wide as saucers.
“You’ve got to help me,” he says, the panic clear in his voice. “Ben keeps looking at me like he knows something’s up. We have to leave.”
“What, now?” I know why Ben keeps looking at him, and it has nothing to do with the truth. He sees us hooking up as a betrayal because of whatever feud he and Theo have going on. A lot of shit went down before I left for college. I regret not asking him to bore me with the details now. I’ve never gotten the full story out of Ben, only hard-won bits and pieces. The blow-out fight they got into before Theo left for college, the regret Ben had over not being able to make things right before he left, the silence on the other line every time he tried to reach out.
“We haven’t even done the champagne toast. We can’t just—”
“Right now, Marcela.” He rakes his hair back with a shaky hand. “This was a bad idea. I feel like I’m gonna be sick if we don’t get out of here soon.” His skin does have a greenish tinge to it. And if the way he’s been looking at Alice all afternoon has anything to do with this freak-out, I need to save him. Angela would do the same for me, and I don’t really want to stay for much longer anyway.
“Okay, okay, on it. Follow my lead.” I drag him away by the hand as patrons turn in their seats to shoot us odd looks. When we return to the table, I announce that unfortunately we have to duck out early. “I don’t think that eggs Benedict agreed with me.” I make a show of scrunching my face and put a hand to my stomach.
“Oh no! I’m sorry, sweetie,” Mrs. Young says, getting up from her seat and walking around the table. “Theo, honey, get her home safe.”
“I—I will,” Theo stumbles, giving a jerky nod.
“Congratulations, again,” I tell Ben and Alice, and though I can’t see it, I’m sure the pained expression on my face is realer than my feigned stomachache. Alice stands from her seat to hug me and Theo goodbye. Ben raises himself to do the same. His arms come around my shoulders, mine patting him on the back chastely. Before I can pull away, his hand gently grips my arm to keep me in place.
“Be careful,” he whispers in my ear. For a moment I’m startled, but when I look back at his face, his expression is neutral. I try to do the same, but I sense the mask slipping. My mouth turns up into a shaky smile, and then Theo’s arm wraps around my waist as he pulls me out of Ben’s reach, and out of the restaurant.
“Nice one,” he says once we’re back in the car. “I think they bought it. They didn’t suspect anything weird, did they?”
Just that we hooked up, but I don’t bother telling him as much. I don’t understand how he didn’t see it, but maybe it’s because he was too wrapped up in Alice to notice anyone else at the table.
“No, I think we’re in the clear,” I say as I start the car. “Do you want me to drop you off at Ben and Alice’s?”
“Yeah.” He heaves a long sigh.
I nod as I pull out of the parking space. The drive is mostly silent, giving me time to think. For the time being, it seems I’ve convinced Theo not to confess his feelings for Alice. But if that were really true, why is something not sitting right with me? I sneak a few covert glances at Theo, but there’s nothing I can read on his expression. His eyes stay trained out the windshield, lips pursed in thought. I dart my eyes away before he can catch me staring at him.
When we arrive outside Ben and Alice’s apartment building, Theo thanks me for everything. I wave away his apology and reply that it’s nothing.
“It’s far from nothing.” He meets my eyes seriously. “Believe me. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
Ruin your chances with the girl of your dreams and your already-screwy relationship with your brother. Instead of any of that, I say, “Anytime. I’ve got your back.”
He leaves the car, and I watch as he retreats into the corridor. I let out a breath of relief before starting my car. At least it doesn’t look like he has any more plans to break them up. But if he changes his mind, I’ll be able to say it’s not my fault. Theo Young is no longer my problem.
Except…
Be careful.
I shake my head to rid myself of thoughts of Ben. Tomorrow, I’ll clear up the misunderstanding and assure him nothing happened between me and his brother. But when I try to think of a logical reason for why he slept over at my place that isn’t the truth, I come up blank. The spark of an idea goes off in my brain just as I reach a red light. That has to be a sign, right? A universal sign to stop the incredibly bad ideas circling my head. Especially when the burning gaze of Ben’s eyes on us is my main source of motivation. The closest thing to jealousy I’ve ever gotten out of him.
Be careful.
It doesn’t matter what he thinks. Whatever anyone thinks happened last night, actually. Who am I to correct them when doing so could put Theo’s secret in danger of getting out? I made him a promise, and it’s one I intend to keep.
