Page 82 of Shadowed Whispers

“You want me to be with him?” I ask. Color me confused.

“No.” She laughs. “Yes.” Shaking her head, she continues on. “It’s hard. Maybe when—” She cuts herself off again. “Trust your gut.”

I raise a brow at her, speechless.

We sit in silence for a moment, the only sounds the distant hum of conversation and the clink of glasses from the bar. Tori takes a deep breath, as if deciding to shed more of her guarded persona.

“You know, dealing with Chloe and Amanda... I let them go too far. I thought if I kept them close, I’d be safer socially, but it just made me someone I didn’t want to be.”

The frankness of her insight into her own behavior surprises me. It’s as if our forced collaboration is pushing us both to confront things we’d rather keep buried.

“It’s easy to get caught up in that,” I say, thinking about all the times I’ve seen similar dynamics play out around me. “Being on their good side means you’re not their target.”

“Exactly,” she agrees with a bitter laugh. “I hated that I became part of that... toxicity. It’s something I’m trying to change about myself.”

Hearing this, I feel a flicker of respect for her. Admitting you are a part of the problem is the first step toward making a real change. “It’s good you see that. It’s not easy to break away from those kinds of dynamics.”

“No, it’s not,” Tori agrees, then she looks at me with a new level of understanding. “But maybe this project, this forced partnership, is a chance for both of us to do better and be better.”

I smile, a real one this time. “I’d like to move forward, not just be stuck on past mistakes.”

“Agreed,” she says, raising her glass slightly toward me in a gesture of peace.

We clink our glasses, a small but significant acknowledgment of our shared path forward, and then turn back to our notebooks. There’s a project to complete, and perhaps a new beginning to explore, not as friends, not yet, but as two people understanding each other a little better.

Chapter 28

Frankie

Hours later, I’m behind the bar, and Tori sits across from me, our books long forgotten. They are packed away because I have to work, and Tori is waiting for her mom to get off. It’s slow for a Friday night, and Tori is tipsy, her demeanor slightly unfocused and relaxed.

She hiccups, her brows drawing low. “Girl code is weird.”

“How so?” I fling a towel over my shoulder and lean back against the bar. There is only one other person at this bar, an older regular who didn’t want to deal with how loud others were in the other room.

Not like I’d know, because I’ve never had a female friend. Well, at least not one hell-bent on using me.

She takes a long swig before setting the glass down, her expression earnest. “It’s like, there are all these rules meant to protect us, to keep friendships intact, but sometimes, I wonder if they complicate things more than they help.”

I wipe down the bar top. “I’m not sure I follow all the rules. What are they exactly?”

Tori leans forward, counting off on her fingers. “Rule one, don’t go after your friend’s ex or crush. It’s pretty straightforward. If your friend likes someone, that person should be off-limits to you.”

“That one makes sense.” I nod, thinking about the mess with Bishop.

She continues, “Rule two, keep secrets secret. Whatever you’re told in confidence should stay between you and your friend, unless it’s something harmful.”

“Got it,” I say, appreciating the simplicity but recognizing the potential for gray areas.

“Third, be honest, even if it hurts. If your friend asks for advice, you owe them the truth, gently. It should come from a place of love, not judgment.”

“That can be tough, but I see the value in it,” I admit.

Tori’s list goes on. “Not everything is a competition. Support your friend without making it about outdoing them. Celebrate their wins as if they were your own.”

I smile, liking the sound of that. “That’s a good one.”

“Absolutely,” she agrees, then adds, “And about photos, only post ones where everyone looks good. It’s about respect, not just chasing likes on social media.”

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