Page 79 of Phoenix

She gets dressed but won’t even look me in the eye. She doesn’t even believe the words leaving her lips.

“Look at me and tell me you don’t want to stay with me tonight.”

“You know I can’t say that, because I do want to, but neither of us needs this to be harder than it will already be. We have Cadence’s birthday party tomorrow. We’ll see each other then. We can talk afterward, okay?”

Cadence’s birthday. I fucking forgot. A pool party. My actual fucking nightmare. Even the thought of being that close to a pool sends chills over my body and causes a panic attack to boil under my skin. I take a breath and push the thoughts aside.

“Okay. At least let me drive you home.” I move to sit up when she holds up her phone.

“Ride already requested.”

“Why do you have to be so independent?” I ask, teasing.

“Because that’s what you love about me.” She bends down and kisses my lips, not even realizing what she has said. The magnitude of the word she used without even thinking.

“Text me when you get home?” I say, holding her hand.

“I will. See you tomorrow. Bring your swimming trunks.”

With those parting words, she whisks out of my bedroom—out of my house—leaving me in a whirlwind of fear, anxiety, and confusion.

Love.

Is that what this is?

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