More Than Friends (Friends, #2)(12)

Livvy jumps into my car the next morning, fully decked out in a PINK sweatshirt with matching leggings, her makeup perfect and her long, dark red hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She looks great.

“I thought it was pajama day,” I say once she shuts the door and drops her backpack at her feet. Every day has a theme for homecoming week and I decided to have some spirit. Who wants to turn down the chance to wear pajamas all day?

“It is.” She grins. “I wear this to sleep all the time.”

“You do not.” Her outfit looks expensive and brand new. I’m lucky to snag a PINK shirt at a thrift shop, though there was that one time last Christmas when my grandma scored me one of those special holiday only Tshirts Victoria’s Secret puts out that’s more on the cheap side.

“I do! Well, maybe not this exact outfit.” Her grin fades as she takes me in. “You look…”

“Comfortable?” I offer hopefully. I’m wearing my favorite plaid flannel pajama bottoms I bought at our local Rite Aid because they’re in our school’s colors and a dark gray hoodie that’s covering an old T-shirt my brother gave me after he cleaned out his closet before he left for college. It’s soft and cozy, just like the hoodie, and I wear them all the time.

“Definitely comfortable.” Livvy flashes me a bright smile. “You look cute. I like the braids.”

I put my hair in two French braids because it was still wet from my shower and I didn’t feel like blow-drying it. “Thanks.” I chew on my lip, yesterday’s moment with Em still weighing heavy on my mind.

“How was work?” Livvy asks as I pull my car onto the street and head for school.

Taking a deep breath, I tell her everything. How awkward Blake and I were working together, how Em came into the store and I said awful things to her. When I finish, Livvy looks…

Impressed?

“I can’t believe you said that to her!” Liv shakes her head, but she’s smiling. “She sort of deserved it.”

“I’ve never heard that rumor, though,” I stress. “I made it up. Just to hurt her.”

Liv shrugs. “It might be true. You never know.”

I’m sort of incredulous. This is her former best friend—and it wasn’t that long ago that they were actual best friends. Sort of like me and Tara, though our falling out happened even before Em’s and Livvy’s. I haven’t talked to Tara in what feels like forever, and sometimes I still miss her. And that’s part of the reason I’m dealing with all this guilt over what I said to Em yesterday.

“I should’ve never said such awful things to her, Liv. I don’t care what she’s done or how she’s hurt you or even me. And I said it in front of Blake. I don’t really know him, and I definitely don’t trust him. What if he tells a friend what happened, and then the friend tells someone else, and then it spreads like wildfire all over campus?” My worst nightmare, knowing I was the instigator of a horrible, untrue rumor.

“That won’t happen.” Livvy waves a hand, dismissing my concern. “There are so many rumors swirling around Em right now anyway, it’s just another one to add to the list.”

I pull the car over on the side of the road, put it in park and turn to stare at my new friend. We might’ve known each other for years, but these last few weeks are the first time we’ve spent any amount of time together. I’m unsure if I can trust her either. “I don’t know if you’ve always been like this, but no wonder you and Em aren’t friends anymore. It’s like you don’t even care about her.”

Livvy’s expression turns hard and her eyes narrow. “I did. I do care about her. There’s just…so much that’s happened between us. I don’t know if I can ever forgive her.”

“She probably feels the same way.”

Liv’s jaw drops. “What do you mean? She’s the one who had sex with Dustin.”

“And you’re the one who keeps fooling around with Dustin on the side,” I point out. “Even a few nights ago you did, Liv. Since when is it okay to toy with his heart?”

“Toy with his heart? Are you serious right now? I think you’ve read too many romance novels.”

I blink at her words. That was sort of rude. “Don’t forget Ryan in all of this. You’ve been dishonest with him too.”

“I overreacted to that stupid picture Em posted, you know this!” The words explode out of Livvy like she’s been holding them in for years. “I know it was wrong, what I did with Dustin. What do you want me to do? Tell Ryan?” She stares off into the distance, crossing her arms, and she’s blinking rapidly. Like she’s trying to fight off tears.

“Maybe you should be honest with him,” I start, but she turns to glare at me, her eyes shiny and her lips tight.

“You don’t get it. You don’t know what it’s like, dealing with toxic relationships,” she practically snarls.

“Ha! Are you kidding me right now? I caught my best friend with my boyfriend and they were actually having sex. Naked, penis-in-vagina sex. I saw it with my own two eyes, Olivia! I know exactly what it’s like! I’m way too familiar with it,” I say bitterly.

“My situation is different,” she says, but I shake my head and she goes silent.