Page 28 of My Rose

“Okay, let’s say I can live with that even though I really can’t. But I’m dying to know—what happened between you and Mr. Broody-Two-Shoes out there?” She wrapped her small fingers around my arms and peered into my eyes like she’d be able to see straight into my memories.

I sighed. “We kissed a few nights ago.”

“That’s it? Just a kiss? Are we talking like a peck on the cheek or, like, full-blown steamy make-out type of…oh my god. You are blushing so hard right now. Tell me!”

“Would you keep your voice down?” I bent over, verifying the three stalls were all empty. “It was more like the second one.” I bit down on my lip as I righted myself. “I could feel his, um…yeah.”

Without hesitating, she asked, “Was it big?”

I blushed harder, partially because I had nothing to compare it to but also because I was pretty sure what I felt wasn’t the least bit average.

“I’ll take that as a yes. You are such a virgin, you know that, right? It’s adorable.” My shoulders bent inward as I let out a faint laugh. “You need to tap that. Like, yesterday.”

“I don’t think he wants me like that. I kind of had to beg him to kiss me, and he was the one who stopped it.”

“Trust me, Rose. He wants to bang the fuck out of you. Do you want me to go out there and ask him?” She started to turn the lock, and I swatted her hand away.

“Don’t you dare!” I whisper-shouted at her.

She laughed and then folded her arms and got more serious. “August has always been your kryptonite. But did you ever stop to think that was unhealthy? Superman dies with kryptonite, Rose. Maybe it’s time you start looking for your Lois Lane.”

I rolled my eyes. “And you think that’s Briggs?”

“Well, I know it isn’t August. He’s an asshole. Cute in a grungy, Kurt Cobain way but an asshole. And his personality is…dull.” I was beginning to think there was a secret club aimed at getting me far away from August. I couldn’t say it wasn’t starting to wear on me in the ways they all hoped it would. I was beginning to see the shining pile of shit seeping through the cracks in my vision, and I didn’t like it.

“He has been rather distant lately.”

Jasmine’s eyes narrowed on me. “He’salwaysbeen distant, Rose. Do I need to ask if Briggs has been distant, too?”

I fell silent again, thinking about all the times Briggs had been there for me—strangely enough. I hadn’t once asked for it from him, either, and there I was, practicallybeggingfor a man, who was supposed to be my best friend, just to hang out with me. To notice me.

“Go out there and get him. If you don’t, I’ll tell Dean—who is his dad’s business partner, by the way—to tell Briggs that you want to suck his—”

“Wait, did you say Dean is Briggs’ dad’s business partner?” The red hair, the age… “Oh, shit,” I said aloud, then looked her dead in the eye. “Dean is Clarissa’s dad?”

Jasmine’s lips went thin as if she wasn’t sure if I was insulting her choices or not. “Yeah. You met her?”

“Yeah, I did.” We were silent for a moment until I finally continued, “I didn’t mean it like that, by the way. It just…came out kind of wrong. I don’t care whose dad he is or what your age difference is. I just didn’t know.” Jasmine always liked older men. I used to believe that was why she did so well in physics before we became friends, and I realized she’d earned her grade. Though she did admit to having a crush on our teacher.

“It’s okay. I get looks sometimes when we go out, but it doesn’t bother me so much anymore. So, back to you.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you going to tell Briggs that you want to continue things with him, or do I need to get Dean involved to make Briggs pull the trigger on it?”

I exhaled deeply through my nose. “If he wanted that, he would’ve texted or called me, sent a lifeline out via telegram, or whatever it is rich people do to get people’s attention.”

Jasmine laughed, like bent over her knees, and turned a bright red kind of laugh. “Oh my god, they are too rich, aren’t they? You know I got back to town via private jet? It’s nuts. But I’d love him if he were dirt poor, girl. I’m in deep.”

“I can see that. It’s kind of super cute.” The only thing I cared about was if she was being treated right. And I could see, without a shadow of a doubt, she was being treated very well.

“I know, right?” She fixed her hair in the mirror, pulling the topknot up higher and fluffing the front. The way she made a messy bun look so flawless was astounding. “Let’s go out there,then.”

“What if he left? We’ve been in here for ten minutes. He isn’t exactly patient.” I thought back to the way he checked his watch repeatedly that first night at the movie theater. But then I remembered all the times that watch turned into an accessory afterward that was hardly ever checked again.

“Oh, Rose. He’s there. Guarantee it.”

Chapter 12

Briggs

“If you surrender kisses, I’ll make it clear I’m your lover.” ? Ovid

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