Page 102 of What I Like About You

Elle Carter

I don’t expect you to answer this, but what the hell is going on? I know you’ve been busy and I’m trying not to take it personal, but you also cut NASH out and now I’m even more confused.

1:37 PM

Amy Chen

we’ve come to the conclusion that you’re only our friend when nothing is going on with you IRL. and kels? that’s not friendship. it’s just not.

1:39 PM

Samira Lee

I’m mostly confused.

1:41 PM

Elle Carter

We’ve been talking and decided we’re starting a separate Group chat. So it’s gonna be quiet here now. Sorry, but you can’t just see our conversations and not participate in them

1:43 PM

Samira Lee

Yeah, that’s weird.

1:45 PM

Amy Chen

bye

1:48 PM

Nash

Tues, Dec 31, 11:01 AM

So. 3 weeks. Have I been officially ghosted? Elle says you’ve been weird for MONTHS. But … we haven’t been weird. I don’t think. I honestly don’t know anything right now. What the hell?

Thurs, Jan 2, 2:13 PM

I hope everything’s okay. I really wish you would’ve just talked to me if it wasn’t. It sounds so stupid now—but I thought we had something real. I guess we don’t.

Bye, Kels.

SEVENTEEN

Fireflies and Youfandom is the definition ofextra.

It’s ten-thirty p.m., and the line for the midnight premiere nearly wraps around the building. It’s mostly tweens and teens, all dressed in F&Y swag from the official Alanna LaForest Shoppe. Some even have brought the book with them and are rereading it in line. It’s a sea of book covers—both the original and movie tie-in editions—everyone counting down the moments until their favorite book comes to life.

All the tension on Book Twitter? In this moment, it doesn’t exist.

“I hate you,” Autumn says.

Okay. So much for no tension. Her voice is muffled because she has a thick purple scarf wrapped around her face. It’s January in Connecticut, meaning waiting for anything outside should be illegal. We’re all huddled together like a cluster of penguins, trying to steal each other’s body heat.

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