Page 134 of Friends with Benefits

Misses Theo so much.

Evie composes herself, then opens the bathroom door and Caro is justthere, like a jump scare.

“Shit, Caro.”

“Sorry, I just—”

Evie pushes past Caro and exits the studio. Caro follows her, two beats behind, then slides into the passenger seat of Phoebe.

“Question.”

No. Evie doesn’t have the energy to deal with CarolineShapiro-Huang. Every time she looks at Caro, she’s transported back to Theo’s dorm and feels like an idiot because whatever confusing feelings brought her there… weren’t reciprocated. Obviously. Embarrassment still courses through her veins and touches every text, insisting that if she just adds one more!at the end of a sentence, everything will be fine.

Everything is not fine.

Evie rests her forehead against the top of the steering wheel.

“I’m going to ask this as gently as possible.” Caro lets out her ponytail just to bunch it all into a messy topknot. “What is your problem with me?”

“I don’t… Caro, I don’t have a problem with you.”

Caro snorts, then flips the vanity mirror and applies vanilla lip balm. “Your energy this week is super hostile.”

“It’s—” She cuts herself off before she saysnot, swallows the defensiveness that’s so Naomi. Besides, hostile is generous. She’s been a bitch. “I’m sorry. It’s not…” Evie’s voice trails off as she gestures at her ankle, at her poor excuse.

“It’s never been serious or, like, romantic.”

Evie blinks. “What?”

“Theo.”

“Okay.”

“He’s too obsessed with you.”

“Caro.”

She laughs. “It’s good!Seriously. I never wanted something serious and he never wanted serious with me.” She gets out of the car. “My sex life is none of your business, but I just wanted you to know that… Theo is no longer the person I call when I need a platonic fuck buddy. He hasn’t been that person, well, since spring break.”

“Caro.”

“I just… I get how it looked.”

“It’s not like that.”

Caro’s expression hardens with Evie’s double down. “Well. You should probably tell him that.”

“Tell him what? It’s not like that for either of us.”

“Evie.” Caro shakes her head and it’s so infuriating, the thought that Caro knows Theo better than she does. The reality that she might. “Theo will waste his entire life waiting for you if you let him.”

“It’s not like that,” Evie repeats, but her voice is softer now, less sure.

“He adds mushrooms to his eggs now.”

“What?”

“Topher’s allergic.”

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