Rumor Has It (Rumor Has It #1)(16)

“Are you guys gonna tell us what’s going on?” Lana exasperates.

“Emma’s got a boyfriend.”

“What?” Lana and Micah both shout, almost both in the same high pitch.

“I do not.”

“No?” She gives me an evil smirk. “Okay, I’m sorry. He’s not your boyfriend. You just talk to him about everything, always exchanging texts and you tell each other goodnight and good morning.”

“That sounds like boyfriend stuff to me.” Lana eyes me.

“No, he’s—” My words cut off.

I never thought about it the way Jen says it but is that what's happened? Has he become my boyfriend? How can a guy become your boyfriend if you don't even know his name? Or what he looks like? And if you haven't even kissed?

“No,” I say again, trying to find my confidence. “He’s not my boyfriend. We’re just friends.”

As if on cue, my phone chimes.

BigBaller27: Hey, no worries, though. OK? I was just thinking out loud. Or in this case, thru text ;P





Of course, he’d add that. I already freaked out on him once before. But even the small embarrassment of how I acted before, is soothed by warmth, as I read how he’s trying to be considerate. He really does seem like a great guy.

"Is that him?" Lana asks this time more intrigue in her voice.

“Yes.” I blush.

“Emma!” Micah smiles. “This is awesome. Who is he?”

“Yeah, Emma. Who is he?” Jen teases. Lana and Micah look at her strangely.

“Wait a second. Jen, you said it first. How do you not know who he is?”

Jen doesn’t say anything. She just shoots a look at me, waiting for me to spill the beans. Micah and Lana’s faces turn toward me, waiting for my response. I drop my head to the table in defeat.

“I don’t actually know him,” I mutter.

“Wait, what?” Micah says. “You don’t know him?”

"You said you've been texting every day," Lana says.

"We have," I answer, my face still on the table. "But … we don't know each other. I don't know his name, and he doesn't know mine."

“I don’t understand.” Micah drops his head onto his fist, staring at me.

“It’s a long story.” I finally look up at them, not wanting to go over it but everyone’s eyes, including Jen’s, are locked on me.

So, I explain what happened with the wrong number text message and how everything escalated from there. I go over the goodnight/good morning texts, and everything we’ve been texting about since. Well, not everything, but the highlights.

“Ooh.” Lana swoons, wrapping her arms around one of Micah’s. “This is so cute. It’s like writing love letters or something. It’s so romantic.”

I’m finally able to release a smile, happy that Lana isn’t freaking out about it. She genuinely seems excited for me. I’m not sure if it’s because they know now, or I’ve given myself a chance to calm down, but I thought of the perfect reply to his text message. It’ll have to wait though, so Lana can get our girl talk out of the way.

Before it starts, Micah turns and looks at Lana like she’s growing a second head. “This is so weird.”





Chapter 11





Carter





“Dude, that is so freaking weird,” Matt says, as we walk to history class after lunch.

We went the entire week without him bringing up the subject of why I was acting weird at practice, probably because I've been in a great mood all week. I'd taken the chance on the goodnight text, and it worked out. The next morning, I decided to swing for the fences and text her good morning.

Ever since then we’d been texting each other every day, multiple times throughout the day. I’d learned stuff she likes, like art. Her favorite foods and band, which was another plus because we both love Empire of The Sun. She told me about this great family vacation she went on with her parents. I told her how I love basketball, and I’ve been to over a hundred Clippers games since I was little. How none of my classes are my favorite, but if I had to choose, then science would be my favorite subject. I can’t deny that it’s insane, but it feels like the best possible way to be insane.

I've thought about what she looks like, but the more we've talked, I'm beginning not to care. This girl is real. She's genuine and sweet. Then I had to go and screw it up about possibly meeting her again.

I know I want to tread lightly. After I brought up the idea of possibly asking her out the first time, it seemed like she freaked out. Maybe she didn't know what to say, or she had to ask her friend. I don't know, but it didn't seem like a good sign. After this entire week, I thought maybe we were past that. Maybe, just maybe, I should take a chance on bringing it up again. But I didn't want to freak her out.

So, I mentioned the beach party that Matt has been hounding me about. I immediately followed it up with telling her it was no big deal. I try to make it sound light-hearted and add a winky-smiley face. But the entire lunch period goes by, and I don't receive a text back. Now I'm over analyzing the whole thing, and Matt arches an eyebrow at me.

When the bell rings to get to class, I figure it’s time to let the cat out of the bag. This way I’ll have a finite amount of time to tell him. By the time class starts, he can’t keep going on and on about how stupid it is. Because even if he is my best friend and a good guy, I know how crazy this thing sounds.