Motion(Laws of Physics #1)(53)

“He’s not an object! Even if he’s been with the entire female half of Chicago, he’s still not an object!” I whispered harshly, straightening from the desk, causing her to rock back on her heels. “People are so much more than what they look like, what is wrong with you? He’s not disposable. He’s not here to use and amuse. He is more than ‘like, super hot.’ He is a person, with thoughts and feelings and a family who loves him, who he also loves. He is funny and sweet, and irritating and witty, and doesn’t like to show his smile. He writes music and sleeps at crazy hours, he eats pizza cold—who does that? So gross—and knows too much about whales, and steals donuts, and should really invest in a new razor . . .”

I stopped there because Gabby was giving me a sideways look, the rest of her face frozen, the fire of suspicion behind her eyes.

“What?” I asked sharply. “What is it?”

“I don’t get it. You’ve slept with like, seven guys, right? And never wanted a relationship with any of them.”

“We didn’t sleep together, we had sex as a means to determine specific aims. And that doesn’t mean I’ve treated them like objects.” I hadn’t. I really hadn’t. It had been a mutually beneficial arrangement, where we’d both used each other’s bodies to answer—You know what? Never mind.

“You . . .” Her eyes narrowed. “You’re into Abram,” she said and nodded, slowly at first, but then faster after a second. “Like, way, way, waaaaay into him.”

I pinched my nose with my thumb and forefinger again, closing my eyes. “Just because I recognize that Abram isn’t an object, doesn’t mean I’m into him.”

But, for the record, she was totally right. I was into him. Way, way, waaaaay into him. And now I had a headache.

“Oh girl, you know what? I take back my suggestion. Avoid him. You don’t want this goodtime guy as your first crush. He’s the caviar of goodtime guys. Avoid him at all costs.”

Peeking at her, I frowned, because she was contradicting herself and her expression looked so entirely earnest. “You make no sense. A minute ago, you’re telling me to use him for his body. But now that you think I like him, you’re telling me to run the other way?”

“Yes.” She nodded, her eyes large and sympathetic. “Lisa will be back in a few days, and Abram can never ever know that you impersonated her this week. He will totally flip out and tell the world about it. His sister is a journalist, you know? It’ll be everywhere.”

I studied her, her words, her expression. Clearly, she believed what she said, but I couldn’t help offering a counterpoint. “Really? I don’t know. What about Leo? Wouldn’t that make things awkward between them? And when I apologized on behalf of Lisa for what happened last year, he accepted the apology, no problem.”

“You have to trust me on this. He has mad respect for Leo, but this guy is ridiculous about lies. I know him much, much, much better than you do. Remember? I hang with him and your brother and their group when Leo is in town, so I know Abram. When I say he’s uptight, I mean it.”

“But—”

“He hates lies. Hates them.”

It was a struggle not to roll my eyes. “Everyone hates lies.”

“He has ended friendships, both long-term and with powerful people who could help him in his music career—like, a lot—because they told a stupid lie and he found out about it. Ask Leo, you don’t lie to Abram. And knowing Leo, how laid back he is, he probably wouldn’t be surprised if Abram ratted you both out to the press. Now, I’m not saying Leo would forgive him for it, but he wouldn’t be surprised.”

“Hmm.” She looked so serious, I decided to stop pushing the issue. For now.

“So, yeah. If you like him—like, if you like him, as a person—if you’re crushing on him at all, pretend he doesn’t exist and push him from your mind. Avoid him like the plague or whatever. Even if you weren’t already lying to him, I’d say the same thing. He is definitely not someone you want to have feelings for.”

Giving me one more nod, she stepped back, glanced around the room, and sauntered to the door. “I’ll be back tomorrow to check on you.”

“Gabby,” I called to her as her hand touched the doorknob. “You confuse me.”

“I know.” She shrugged, a flat smile on her lips. “But honestly, babe, I’m just looking out for your heart. Learn from your sister’s mistakes: don’t go chasing musicians or windmills.”

I stared at her, unable to believe my ears.

Windmills? Had Gabby just made a Don Quixote reference? Did that just happen?

Before I could ask or clarify, she opened the door and strolled out of it.





*



I’d wanted to ask Gabby about the drugs and whether Lisa had been selling them to teenagers. I’d wanted to uncover why my sister had been arrested and what the deal was with Tyler. But I hadn’t. I’d been too distracted by Abram, and talking about Abram, and thinking about Abram.

What is happening to me?

Taking a pain reliever for the headache, I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling for approximately twenty minutes, and gave myself a pep talk.

FACT: He can never know you are Mona. Ever.