Page 35 of Advanced Chemistry

“I’ll add it to the list.” Savannah had recommended oodles of films to see over the years. I never watched one. I wasn’t a movie person. My attention would go to my to-do list or ways I could be more productive.

“The point is, you’re not a Cool Girl, Seb. I mean,areyou cool with everything?”

I shrugged again, with less confidence this time. “I want to be.”

I wished I could be as impulsive as Anton, wished I could be comfortable flying by the seat of my pants and believing things would work out. I wasn’t built that way. Anton might’ve loathed his parents’ boring relationship, but he didn’t realize how much stability and security that kind of upbringing gave him. Some of us didn’t have that luxury.

Damn it, Savannah was right. I wasn’t a Cool Girl. I was seriously uncool.

“I have an idea,” Savannah said. “You should go out with Anton, just the two of you, and try to create that spark.”

My stomach twisted at the proposition. Red flags immediately sprouted.

“Yeah, it’s fucking scary,” she said, reading my face. “But what if this threesome made Anton see you as more than a friend? It’s like a portal opened up.” She spoke as if her brain was still catching up with her mouth. “What if your threesome was a portal to a relationship with Anton? The portal won’t stay open forever. It’s closing as we speak.”

The farther I got away from Saturday, the more it would be a distant memory. And the more Anton would go back to seeing me as just a friend.

“You’re right,” I said, gobsmacked.

“Of course I’m right. I’m a doctor.” Savannah tipped her head back and poured the final drops of her energy drink into her waiting mouth. “You’re going to text Anton and invite him out for a drink tonight. Tonight, right? Tonight hasn’t happened yet? Is it still afternoon? I’m so tired.”

“It’s still afternoon.” I pointed out the window at the shining, sunny day.

“I trained myself not to look out the window. Too distracting and depressing. Anyway, invite him out for a drink. And when you’re there, flirt with him, see if he responds, and then when you get back to your place…pounce.”

She held up her hand like a tiger claw for emphasis.

“That will never work,” I said. As if things would be that easy.

“If the portal is still open, it will.”

I took out my phone. Savannah came around to my side of the table and watched over my shoulder as I texted Anton.

Sebastian:Hey, let’s grab a drink tonight. I could use one.

I got her thumbs up before hitting send.

My phone buzzed with a response thirty seconds later.

Anton:Hell yes! Meet me at Remix at eight?

Sebastian:Sounds good.

“Ow! Did you just bite my shoulder?” I asked Savannah.

“Sorry. Heat of the moment.”

I loved my friends, but they were weird.

“You are hooking up with Anton tonight. It’s happening,” she said with unearned confidence. “You better not be prudish. I expect your tongue to go wherever he wants.”

“Gross.”

“Prude.” She stuck out her tongue, then wiggled it side-to-side. Mathias was either a very lucky man or a man in a lot of pain.

“We’re just meeting for a drink, like we’ve done lots of times before.” I wanted to brush off her idea, but I couldn’t help thinking that she might be right about the portal. This could be my last chance before I was relegated to the permanent friendzone.

“Sebastian, one of us will be feeling the touch of another human being tonight, and sadly, it won’t be me.”

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