The Way to Game the Walk of Shame(56)

Before I faded off, Taylor took hold of my hand. Although I was too tired to open my eyes, my lips curved into a smile.

I don’t know how long I would have stayed asleep if it weren’t for the damn sunlight shining straight in my face. I sure as hell wasn’t ready to wake up yet. I couldn’t even open my eyes, much less get up. Taylor tossed and turned beside me, and I knew she had the same problem.

“It’s sunny,” I muttered.

She moaned and turned her head back and forth. “Gee, Sherlock, I hadn’t even noticed.”

I threw up an arm to cover my face, but it didn’t help. “Can’t you do something about it?”

Taylor sighed and snuggled even deeper into my side, hiding her face. “Sure, let me turn back time so it can be night again.”

“Your sarcasm is not appreciated so early in the morning.” Suddenly, a shadow fell across my face as I yawned. I let out a sigh of relief. “That’s better. Thanks.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

We both sprang upward at the exact time and nearly toppled out of the hammock. Probably would have, if Mr. Simmons hadn’t reached out to steady the rope.

Shit.





19

{Taylor}


Grounded. That was my life sentence. Or at least until Dad was old enough to have memory loss. Could have been worse, though. Dad looked like he was ready to kill Evan, and probably would have if Mom hadn’t stopped him. He just sent Evan home and lectured me every minute since then. During dinner, to school, from school. He even lectured me on the way to the bathroom. And refused to let anyone say Evan’s name in front of his face.

Mom was a lot easier. She gave me the safe-sex talk (after which I wanted to die), but after that, she was fine.

Thank god I was still allowed to have visitors, as long as they weren’t Evan.

“Okay, what’s up with you guys?” Carly dropped her bag on the floor and jumped on my bed. I bounced with her a few times until she settled down next to me.

“Hi to you, too.” I grabbed a blue throw pillow to play with. “Are you going on the Art Club field trip next Friday?”

“Let’s see, I get to skip trig and visit the Bechtler Museum for a discount. You can bet your pretty little ass I’m going,” she said with a wide grin and linked her arm through mine. “You’re going, right?”

“I haven’t decided. I might have to do something with the newspaper. If I don’t, can you take some pictures for me? I want to write a report on the Joan Miró collection for extra credit.”

“Of course. We wouldn’t want your average to slide below an A+ now, would we?” Carly yawned so wide, I could practically see her tonsils. Not a pretty sight. “You know, sometimes it really sucks being friends with you.”

I grinned and laid a hand on my chest. “Thanks. I really feel the love.”

She bumped her shoulder against mine. “Whatever, loser. Now, back to my first question. What’s up with you guys? Did you finally have sex?”

My eyes burned from the instant blush that shot up my face. “Carly!”

“Come on, you had to be doing something to get grounded. Your parents never ground you. Am I supposed to believe that you two actually just talked all night?”

But we did. And it was one of the best nights I’d ever had. “We talked and slept. And only slept, so get your mind out of the gutter,” I said, tapping her forehead with my index finger a bit harder than necessary, to get the point across.

“Ouch! Fine, if you say so.” She yanked the pillow from my lap and tossed it into the air. “But it sucks that you guys can’t see each other much anymore. I mean, even I think your parents driving you to and from school is overdoing it a little.”

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t exactly in the position to argue.”

“Okay, I’ll concede on the sex thing, but I still think something is up with you two. You’re different.”

I shot her a curious look. “Good different or bad different?”

“Good. More relaxed. Like you’re a real couple now.” She shook her head and lay back against my pillows. Her fingers toyed with the fringe on the end of my lace pillow. “I mean, even though I know the truth about you two, sometimes I can’t help forgetting. You’re both so cute. And you fit together.”

“Are you kidding me? We’re nothing alike.”

Carly rolled her eyes. “You don’t need to be alike to be perfect for each other. Look at Monica and Chandler. Ross and Rachel. Beauty and the Beast. Jack and Rose.”

My eyebrows rose. “Beauty and the Beast?”

“You know what I mean. Stop pretending to date and just go for the real thing.”

I tugged on my comforter, smoothing it on my bed. I had joked with Evan before that he would never make my list of requirements for a boyfriend, but it was sadly true. In more ways than one. He had way too much experience for me. And I hated that. Heck, just the thought of him being with Lauren made me sick to my stomach, and she was only one girl. I didn’t want to keep meeting new people and wondering if Evan had ever been with them.

Not to mention, he’d never had a long-term girlfriend before. (Our fake relationship was probably his longest.) I’d never had a boyfriend, either, but I knew I wanted a steady, stable relationship like my parents had. I didn’t even know what Evan wanted. He didn’t seem to care much for his future. Or about anything.