Page 202 of Tell Me I'm Enough

I take a long drag and then fake a smile as I blow it out. “No thanks.”

He just shakes his head, grinning, then turns to the girls. “Lani, wanna ride with me—”

“Fuck no,” she says with such strong disgust in her voice that makes me laugh. “Didyoudrink tonight? Or bump your head, maybe?”

Erik chuckles, moving closer to her. “No, just thought we could, you know, catch up maybe.”

She looks up at him, and as much as the venom in her voice says,Stay away from me,her body language so obviously says,Come closer.

“I’d rather walk back across this campus naked during a hail storm.”

Erik smirks at her.

“Don’tpicture that,” she scolds.

His hands shoot up. “I would never objectify you like that.”

She rolls her eyes. “Lyd, why did you have to go and fall for someone with the scum of the earth as his best friend?”

“Damn,” I murmur, and Erik shoots me a look. “My bad,” I say, trying not to laugh.

When I look at Bash, I see him biting back a smile, too.

“I’m so ready for you to be gone next year,” Lani sneers at him.

I really do feel bad for the guy, even though he seems like he loves riling her up.

Erik is one of the nicest guys I know, and it makes mereallywant to know what he did to piss off little Ms. Poison.

He just smiles down at her. “Well, that sucks, seeing as I’ll still be here.”

“You failed your senior year?” she laughs out. “Hmm, Mr. Perfect ain’t so perfect after all, I see.”

“No,” he says mockingly. “It’s called grad school, angel.”

Her face switches from delight to downright pissed as she closes the space between them, shoving her finger into his chest. “Donotcall me that.”

“There she is,” Erik says, biting back his smile.

That boy is a masochist when it comes to her.

Lani turns around to the girls, obviously heated. “Can we get out of here now? Please.”

They all say their goodbyes and go to walk off.

I keep my head down, mumbling my goodbyes so I don’t have to see the one face I’m avoiding. When I finally look up to watch Simone walk away, I see she didn’t move. She’s still standing there, looking atme.

“Are you not gonna talk to me?” she asks quietly, almost reserved.

I hate the way her face drops and looks hurt. It makes me want to pull her into me, makes me want to kiss that sadness off her face. But I can’t. I won’t keep making myself look stupid with her.

After Jackie, I told myself I wouldn’t do this shit again. Yet here I am. I’m so over it. People might treat me like the dumb frat party guy around campus who doesn’t have feelings and hooks up with anyone willing, but I’m not that, and I’m not stupid. If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s when to shut it all off and protect myself.

I let out a bitter little laugh and look away. “Goodnight, Simone.”

I hear her huff and turn towards the girls. “I’m gonna have one of the Gamma girls drive me,” she calls out. “I—forgot I needed to talk to someone back inside.”

“You sure?” Lydia calls back.