Page 8 of Walkoff Wedding

ArtGirl was here tonight, and I had no fucking clue.

She was fucking here.

“Dude, the fuck?” Davis grunts loudly from beside me, my gaze landing on him. I’m so shocked I can hardly even think right now. “I’ve been calling your name for like three minutes. What is it? Is it a diary? I want all the juicy details, man. Apparently, this is the only juicy shit that’s happening to me tonight.” When he leans over to peer inside the sketchbook, I snap it shut before reaching up and dragging my hand through my hair roughly.

How was she here and I had no clue?

All I can think about is now that I have this sketchbook and it’s hers… how can I find her? How can I finally figure out who she is?

“Rude.” He scoffs. “Why are you acting so weird right now?”

“I’m not acting weird.”

“You’re definitely being weird, dude.”

I sigh raggedly, dragging my gaze back to him, contemplating keeping this to myself like I have since the first day I met her on the forum. No one knows what happened or anything about her at all. I kept it private because… it felt like she was only mine, and I didn’t want to share her with anyone else. Not even my closest friends.

Shit, am I really thinking about telling the Rookie about her? About this entire thing? All of it?

I look down at the book in my hand, brushing my thumb over the cover, realizing that I’m holding the same book in my hands that she did. Sounds fucking weird, but it’s the closest we’ve ever been.

Under the same sky but never together.

“Alright, start talking.” He quickly snatches the sketchbook out of my hands before I can stop him and puts it behind his back. “Or I’m shoving it down my pants, and then you’re diving in there to get it. Ass sweat and all.”

My lips tighten into a scowl as my gaze narrows. “Don’t fuck with me, Davis.”

“See, you’re being weird about some random notebook—that I found, might I add—on a fucking porch at a party. So, spill.”

Fuck it. As aggravating as he can be… maybe he can help me figure out what I should do. Desperate times, right?

“I know who that notebook belongs to, and before I tell you this shit, if you say one negative thing, I’m going to punch you in the dick. And if you tell anyone, I’m going to…”

He cuts me off with an eye roll. “Punch me in the dick, I got it. Don’t worry, I’m pretty fond of Gustavo, so no jeopardizing him.”

Gustavo? The fuck… Did this dude… name his dick?

You know what, I don’t even care.

“First of all, give it back, then I’ll tell you.”

Eyeing me warily, he pauses, then produces the sketchbook from behind his back and hands it to me.

“Fine. Start talking.”

I take it from him, blowing out a resigned exhale. “Over a year ago, I met someone… on the OU student forum. A girl. At first, we were just talking shit to each other on a post, but then we just kept talking. For a year, we DMed on the forum almost every day, about life, personal stuff, and I don’t know… everything. I tried to meet her in person, but she was adamant that we keep things anonymous. We never exchanged names or numbers or anything too identifying. I hated it, but I didn’t want to stop talking to her.” I pause and drag my hand down my face. “I kinda… fell for her, and then she ghosted me. I asked her to meet me at the masquerade gala last year, and she didn’t show. She stopped responding completely, and I haven’t heard from her since.”

Davis blows out an exasperated sigh. “Damn, dude, I’m fucking sorry.”

I expected him to talk shit, make fun of me for having feelings for a girl I’ve never even met, but he seems oddly genuine. There’s no hint of teasing in his voice.

“Thanks, man. It honestly kinda fucked with me. I mean, I just fucking want to know who she is? I had no way to figure it out when she ghosted. I tried to figure out who she was after that, but I never could. I never had enough to go on. But this?” I hold up the sketchbook, shrugging. “Maybe this is the answer. I have to return it to her somehow.”

For a moment, he’s quiet, possibly for the first time in his life, and then his eyes widen. “Oh shit. I’ve got it. You know, this is very Cinderella vibes.”

“Shut up.”

“No, I’m serious. Like… Girl loses her sketchbook, and you find it, and now you’re searching for her?”

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