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“What time is it?” I rub my eyes, sitting up against the headboard.
“Almost noon.” She bounces on the bed.
“Noon?”
I’m way less excited. Actually, I’m horrified.
My mouth gapes and I snatch my phone off the nightstand. I had an alarm on for eight and I snoozed it.
Fuck.
A month from now, I would lose my job for sleeping in. Worse still, it’s the weekend. Marcus is home. He knows Ry and I will start a new job soon. That I should start waking up at a decent hour. He’ll think I’m this lazy, irresponsible person.
A kid.
My shoulders slump, lips pinching. “I wish I wouldn’t have overslept.”
“Why? It’s not like I was alone. Dad and I watched true crime shows downstairs.” Rylan rolls her eyes, giggling. “You didn’t miss out on anything other than Dad repeating his speech of ‘See, Rylan, there’s no such thing as the perfect crime. They always get caught.’ He’s sweet, but sometimes, he can be so boring. I mean, why does he keep repeating it?”
“No idea.” I fling the covers off my body and twist to get out of bed.
To start the day. At fucking noon.
Rylan shoves her hips in front of me, grabs my wrist, and blocks my movement.
Confusion clouds over me. “Ry?”
“You’ll go brush your teeth and whatever soon enough.” Her grip on my wrist tightens by an increment. Or I might just be imagining things. Her smile remains fixed in place, her voice sweet and loving. “We need to talk.”
Oh, no. Panic clutches at my chest. There’s not a drop of blood left in my face.
My paranoia isn’t paranoia, after all.
Our friendship will end, and it’s my fault.
Years of skipping rope and pajama parties. Of doing homework side by side and standing up to each other’s bullies. Of going to parties in college and cramming for exams. Of taking turns in making yet another cup of coffee.
They’ll be wiped out because I’m a horny, infatuated asshole.
She knows, yet here she is, my adorable friend, trying to calm me down. Even hurt, she plans on kissing our friendship goodbye in the nicest way possible.
What have I done?
“Uh… Is everything okay?” I can’t bring myself to apologize, although I should.
Sorry for watching your dad jacking off. For coming when he talked to some invisible girl. One I’m painfully jealous of, if I’m being honest.
I should apologize, but I’m frozen.
“Of course, everything’s fine. Except…” Her voice trails off, her smile faltering.
“Ry…”
Anything I say won’t fix this, so I don’t even try.
A hug might help, so that’s what I do. I push against her, rise to my knees, and give her an awkward one-arm hug.
“He’s going to ask you out.” A tiny groan escapes her at the end of the sentence. “I’ve been so stupid not to see what was right fucking there.”
