Page 101 of Clinically Awkward

I caught Fitz’s eye. He gave me the smallest smirk.

Then Fitz said, “So, Colton. How’s Vivian?”

The temperature at the table dropped ten degrees.

Gabriel’s eyes went wide.

Nathan choked on his beer.

Hayden muttered, “Oh no.”

Colton grinned. “She’s great, man. A little high-maintenance, but you know how women are.”

I gripped my beer so hard I thought the plastic might crack.

“High-maintenance?” Fitz repeated, his tone deceptively light.

“Yeah, you know. Always wanting to talk about feelings and stuff. I’m like, babe, can we just watch the game?”

Fitz leaned forward. “Interesting. Because Vivian strikes me as remarkably low-maintenance. Brilliant, actually. Funny. Witty. The kind of woman who doesn’t need constant validation because she’s secure in who she is.”

Colton blinked. “I mean... sure?”

“And beautiful,” Fitz continued, warming to his subject. “Objectively stunning. The kind of beautiful that makes you forget what you were saying mid-sentence. Have you noticed her eyes? They’re this incredible shade of—what would you call it, Quinton?”

“I’m not doing this,” I said.

“Hazel,” Fitz decided. “With flecks of gold when she’s laughing. And her laugh—God, her laugh is infectious. The kind that makes everyone around her start laughing too, even if they don’t know what’s funny. It’s rather like sunshine, if sunshine could be auditory and also make you feel like you’ve just been let in on the world’s best secret.”

“Fitz,” Gabriel warned.

“And she’s smart,” Fitz barreled on, completely ignoring him. “Not just book-smart—though she’s that too. But emotionally intelligent. Perceptive. She notices things. Remembers things. Like how you take your coffee, or what your favorite movie is, or that you hate olives but you’re too polite to say anything when they show up on your pizza. She probably knows your mum’s birthday better than you do. Does she know your mum’s birthday, Colton?”

“I... what?”

“Your mother’s birthday. Simple question.”

“Uh... June something?”

“Brilliant,” Fitz said flatly. “Very specific. I’m sure she’ll be touched by your precision.”

“How do you know all this?” Colton interrupted, looking confused.

“Because I pay attention,” Fitz said. “Because Vivian is the kind of woman who deserves someone who pays attention. Who notices when she’s had a bad day. Who asks follow-up questions. Who doesn’t just talk at her about his deadlift PR or his car’s custom rims or whatever protein powder is currently trending on Instagram.”

Colton’s face darkened. “Are you saying I don’t pay attention to my girlfriend?”

“I’m saying,” Fitz said slowly, “that if you did pay attention, you’d realize how lucky you are. Extraordinarily lucky. Winning-the-lottery-while-being-struck-by-lightning lucky.”

There was a beat of silence.

Then Colton said, “Whatever, man. She’s lucky to have me.”

I took another drink.

Fitz opened his mouth again.

“Don’t,” Hayden said.