Page 94 of Habits

“Then it’s a good thing we’renottogether. So no need to worry for your poor little town and its people.”

“Prove it.” Green eyes meet mine dead on.

“Brook …” Lia warns, but Brook ignores her.

“Prove it. Prove you’re not together. Prove you’re closed off in your room just because you’re PMSing or some other shit and come with us to the New Year’s party at Andrew’s house.”

I lift my chin in the air and look at her down my nose, my “Ice Queen” attitude in full effect.

“What do you get out of it?”

“I either get the satisfaction of knowing I was right and there is something more between you and Hill, or some company at the stupid party I promised Lia I’d go to even though I know she’ll spend most of her evening slow dancing and sucking face with her boyfriend, not having any actual time to spend with me. No matter how you look at it, it’s a win-win for me.”

Lia crosses her arms over her chest and purses her lips in annoyance. “We don’t suck face.”

Brook and I exchange a look before we both turn toward Lia and say at the same time, “Yes, you do.”

Together we burst into giggles, and the tightness around my chest loosens a little bit.

Sitting back straight after getting herself under control, Brook looks at me. “What do you say, Princess?”

I look at both girls. So different, yet still best friends sitting on my bed and waiting for my answer. Why do they even bother with me? Again and again I ask myself that question, because I have yet to find the answer.

We’re not friends. We’re not enemies. We’re just … us.

Frenemies.

“I say, game on.”

* * *

“You look like you’d rather be anywhere but here,” Brook comments casually. “Seriously, what did he do to piss you off royally?”

“This isn’t the time nor the place to talk about it.” I look pointedly at Max’s back. He’s not necessarily close, but close enough that if he paid attention, he could hear what we’re talking about. Or at least bits and pieces, which can be even worse than hearing the whole thing.

“Oops, my bad.”

I roll my eyes at her.

“You’ve been in an exceptionally good mood lately. What’s with that?”

“Nothing much. Just happy to be away from my shitty life for a few hours, drink some good booze and maybe find oblivion in the hands of a handsome stranger.”

I quirk my brow at her.

Most people would probably pity her. Not me. I guess that’s why she feels so at ease saying that in front of me. Acknowledging her shitty life. Knowing somebody won’t feel sorry for you gives you space to open up and just be yourself. You don’t have to worry about what to say or not to say to avoid awkward situations.

“What?” Brook shrugs, grinning. “A girl can hope, can’t she?”

I shake my head teasingly, my wavy hair brushing against my naked shoulders. When the girls got me out of bed, I went to my closet and found an old cross-back, covered in rose-gold glitter slip dress to wear to this party. It wouldn’t have been my first choice, but since I hadn’t planned on going, I didn’t go shopping, so I had to make do with what I’ve got.

“So what’s the plan?”

Brook is wearing a tight leather skirt and red sparkly top. I even let her borrow my knee-high black boots to match the outfit.

Like Brook predicted, Derek snatched Lia as soon as we got to the party and they were nowhere to be found. Better that than have them be obnoxiously in love in front of our eyes the whole night.

“First drinks, then dancing and then … I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

---