Page 91 of Wild Stars

“Oh my God, Dare!”He yelps as he jumps up.

“Oh, like you’ve never hooked up in a hotel room before,” I bite.

Richie purses his lips.“Who was it?”he asks.

“Richie...”I back away from him.

“Who was it...Was it someone we know?”

I don’t know why I tell him.Maybe because if I truly have fucked everything up, at least I’ll have an ally.

Someone to help put me back together.

“It’s Matty.”

Richie’s eyes widen.“Mateo?You’re banging Hailee’sbrother?”

“No!”I defend hurriedly.“Well, not yet, anyway.I mean, like, it’s a little more complicated than that.”

God, now I sound like Matty.

Richie busts out laughing.“Shit, is there something in the fucking water?”

He slumps down on the floor and I bring the pizza with me, plopping it between us.

“Eat some pizza, man, it’ll make you feel better.”

He doesn’t argue, only grabs a slice.

“So, I guess Hailee didn’t say it back?”

Riche sighs.“No, she did.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

At least she said it back!

“I just...I’m not good at this sort of thing, you know.”

“What sort of thing?”I ask, pulling some melted cheese off my slice.

“The whole relationship thing.Like, I know I’m twenty-six and I’m not, like, young, by any means, but...”

“Maybe you should make a contract,” I say.

“What?”Richie looks at me in horror.

“Never mind,” I reply, shoving my face with some more pizza to hide my embarrassment.

“What about you?”he asks.“You said it was genetic.You tell Mateo you love him too or something?”

“Maybe.”I don’t look at him because I can’t.

“And I guess he didn’t say it back?”

I shake my head.“I mean, I kinda dropped it like a bombshell in the middle of?—”

“Oh my God!”Richie smacks me.“Did you mean it?”

---