Page 101 of Just Forever

I’m not exactly sure why now, at this exact moment, but I’m suddenly intensely aware what a dumb move it is to isolate myself from people like Paige—the ones who aren’t afraid to put themselves out there and who seem genuinely interested in getting to know me.

“Hi,” I say a bit belatedly, then I add an unnecessary, “Hey.” Because double greetings make up for previous dickish behavior. Obviously. I also put on a smile, which makes Paige give me a surprised look, so I tone that down after a little bit.

I clear my throat. “How are you?”

This is small talk, right? This is how people do that, right? I should take lessons. It’s New York. I bet somebody’s offering.

Paige’s smile widens. “Great. Busy, of course. Some days I feel like I’m slowly collapsing under the workload, but aren’t we all?”

A guy stops right behind Paige. “Aren’t we all what?” he asks.

“Oh!” Paige presses her palm to her heart. “Charlie. You startled me.”

Charlie lifts his hands apologetically and then nudges his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “I thought you heard me behind you.”

Paige’s smile widens, and she flips her hair over her shoulder. “We’ve got to get you some shoes with soles. Well, youdo have soles on your shoes. Louder soles, I mean. Like steel soles? Is that a thing?”

Her face gets all flushed, and she’s starting to get that mortified look about her that people get when they really wish they would’ve stopped speaking about three sentences ago.

“What kind of shoes are those?” Paige asks, peering down at Charlie’s feet, and as socially incompetent as I might be, even I realize this might be the moment to step in and interrupt.

“Hi,” I say. “I don’t think we’ve officially met. I’m Lake.”

“Charlie,” the guy says, and we shake hands before he pushes his glasses up his nose yet again.

“So, Charlie, what have you been up to today?” Paige asks now that she’s dropped the shoe investigation.

Charlie scratches the back of his head, and Paige flutters her lashes at him, which the guy doesn’t seem to notice at all.

Interesting.

“School,” Charlie says, while looking somewhat surprised by the question. “We’ve been in the same classes the whole day.”

“Sure, sure.” Paige is starting to look flustered by now. “Do you like cake?”

“I think most people aren’t opposed to cake,” Charlie says.

Paige nods. “That’s cool. What… kind of cake do you enjoy?”

Charlie tilts his head to the side and purses his lips for a moment. “I’m not sure I have a favorite, but if I had to choose, I guess chocolate?”

“I make the best chocolate cake,” Paige says immediately.

“That’s cool.” Charlie adjusts the strap of his backpack. They both fall silent, and I’m too busy watching them to talk.

“Well, I should get going,” Charlie finally says.

“Oh.” Paige sounds disappointed.

I wait.

She doesn’t say anything else.

“See you on Monday.” Charlie starts to walk out of the room.

I look at Paige, and when she meets my gaze, I raise my brows at her and tilt my head toward Charlie’s retreating back.

“What?” she mumbles, blushing again.

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