Kip grips my hands tighter, pulling my attention back to him. “Come with me,” he says, tugging me toward the side of the building. I follow, still shaking slightly. I need to pull my shit together. What the hell is happening? I have the best poker face in the game. Period.
So why is it failing me now?
Kip leads us to a small garden illuminated by small white lights strung from the trees. We find a bench and sit.
“Where’s my feisty poker girl?”
I sigh. “I’m sorry, I’m not feeling well. I’m not sure what’s wrong. I’ll be fine, I think I just needed to sit down for a second.” I smile, hoping like hell he doesn’t see right through me.
Judging by the scrutiny on his face, I’m like fucking glass I’m so transparent.
He smiles, dropping my hands to reach inside his jacket. “I got you something,” he says, pulling out a long black box. It’s velvet, large. A necklace. Definitely a necklace.
“I didn’t get you anything,” I whine.
“Trust me.” He eyes me, his gaze leaving my eyes long enough to give me a once over. “You in that dress is present enough. And once I get you out of it, it’ll be the best fucking gift ever.”
I laugh and shove him playfully. “Who said you were getting me out of it, Romeo?”
“Ah! There she is! I thought I lost you.”
I punch him softly and he shakes his head, still smiling. Slowly, he holds the box in front of me and opens the lid. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Inside is a pair of sunglasses. Not just any pair, but a pair of red Ray Ban aviators with silver reflective lenses.
“Oh my God,” I say breathlessly, fingering the glasses.
Kip laughs, pulling them out and sliding them on my face. “I knew I could count on you to be the kind of girl who would get excited over new poker shades.” He pulls back, eying me. “They look good.”
Quickly, he grabs his phone and pulls up the camera, turning the lens to face me so I can see my reflection. They do look good, and they match my dress, which really makes me want to wear them all night. Maybe they will give me superpowers.
And with these glasses, you will possess the power to break all hearts except your own.
With great power comes great responsibility, right?
God, I’m a nerd.
“I love them,” I say, slowly taking them off so I can see Kip’s eyes better. “I really fucking love them.” I throw my arms around his neck and pull him close, burying my nose in his neck. I inhale him, committing his scent to memory. Body wash and wheat. And something else that I can’t quite place, like a new ink pen on freshly printed paper, if that is even a scent.
I’m going to miss this.
I’m going to miss him.
Kip pulls back, kissing my lips. “Good, I was hoping you would. Now,” he says, standing and holding his hand out to me. “Let’s go inside. As much as I want to take you and find an empty broom closet, we can’t waste that dress.”
“Would a dark enclosed space really be a waste?”
He contemplates, his eyes rolling up to the sky. “Touché, my friend. But alas, I demand at least one dance before we move to the closet.”
I laugh, placing my hand in his.
“Deal.”
“So do you see what I’m saying? He’s more difficult to read than my fucking biology books!” My Little huffs, shoving her lip gloss back in her clutch. I shake my head, fixing my mascara in the mirror.
“Take control, Little,” I say, rolling the brush over my lashes. “Kade is young. Hot, but young. If you want him, make a move.”
“Ugh.” she sighs. “I’m not you, Big. I can’t just make a move. I’m confident, but I’m also traditional. I want him to ask me.” I shrug and she watches me apply my mascara, sucking her lip between her teeth.
“Ask me whatever it is you want to ask me before you chew off your bottom lip,” I say, giving her a sideways grin.
“Are you and Adam still a thing? Like, when this thing is over with Kip… are you going to date him again?”
I tuck my mascara bottle into the small silver sequin purse I brought and turn to face her, confused. “What? No, not even close. Adam was fun last year and we’re still good friends, but he’s president and he doesn’t have time for a girlfriend. And even if he did, it wouldn’t be me.”
“Why?” She follows quickly.
I shrug. “I don’t know, I’m just not into him like that anymore.” My Little has never asked me about Adam, not even when I was dating him. Why the sudden interest? “Why do you ask?”
She shrugs, turning back to the mirror. “I don’t know, I was just curious. Just wondering if you’d have someone to fall back on, I guess.” She says the words, but I know Cassie well enough to tell when she’s hiding something, and she definitely is. Does Adam still have a thing for me? Has he talked to her about me?
Oh good God, that is one meatball of drama I do not need on my plate of tangled noodles right now.
Jess, Ashlei and Erin burst into the bathroom, laughing as they push through the crowd of girls standing between us and them.
“J-Love is D-Runk,” Ashlei says, still giggling.
“I am not!” Jess counters through laughter, but she slurs her words a little. “I’m just having fun. You should try it.”
“No Violet Vulva tonight, J-Love?” I ask, quirking a brow.
She holds up her index finger and waves it side to side. “Nope. Let’s just say there’s a little garden that’s not so innocent anymore.”
“Ew!” We all scream, but then burst into laughter. Even Erin is laughing and seems relaxed, which makes me feel comfortable enough to goof off. We’ve been dancing all night and she’s acting cool, even when she sees me and Kip together. Maybe I was imagining things this morning.
“Kip gave me a gift in that garden, you skank. You ruined my Valentine’s Day.”
Jess waves her hand. “Oh hush, I didn’t fuck on your precious glasses, you prude. Just on the bench where he gave them to you.”
I shove her playfully. “Bitch.”
“You love me.” She sticks out her tongue before her face falls completely serious. “I have to pee.” And with that, she’s stumbling to a stall.
“Speaking of Kip, how’s it going?” Ashlei asks, leaning against the wall to take pressure off her heels. I rub my palms against my dress and try to act cool.
“It’s fine. We’re having fun, everything is going according to plan.”
Liar.
Erin’s face has fallen, her lips narrowing into a thin line. “The dance is almost over. I think you should do it soon. Use Adam.”
“What?!” Cassie and I both say at the same time. I turn to look at her, but her mouth is open, jaw to the floor staring at her Grand Big.
“Why would I need to use Adam?” I ask, my eyes still on my Little as I speak sideways to Erin.
“It’s believable. It’s obvious Adam still has a thing for you, so tell Kip you have feelings for him, too. Tell him you were using him to make Adam jealous and it worked.”
I swallow hard, the sickening feeling returning to my stomach. After the garden, I felt amazing – Kip and I danced all night, snuck drinks from his flask and bought drinks when it was tapped out, fed each other chocolate dipped strawberries and practiced poker faces with my glasses. We were goofing off all night, people-watching and being us. And I liked us. I wanted there to be an us for just a little while longer.
But time is up. Ding! Dinner is served in the way of my heart on a silver platter.
Erin eyes me hard, not budging.
“Um, I need some fresh air. Good luck, Big. I love you.” Cassie bolts out of the bathroom before I have the chance to stop her.
What the fuck? Way to leave me hanging, Little!
“Who died?” Jess asks, drying her hands on a paper towel as she rejoins us, her eyes scanning our faces. Ashlei gives me a sad smile, shrugging her shoulders a little before answering.