Page 19 of Return Policy

Sophia’s eyes go wide, her cheeks turning tomato red, and she gives her friend the sharpest death glare I’ve ever seen. If looks could kill, that girl would be six feet under.

“What?” the girl says, throwing up her hands. Sophia’s eyes return to mine, and I’m unable to wipe the satisfied grin off my face as she rolls her eyes and looks away. “Did you at least get his name this time?” she asks, directing her question at Sophia.

“Yeah.” Sophia smirks at me. “It’s Cocky Jock.”

I glare at her, my eyes narrowing in on her pretty, smartass mouth. “Actually… Myfriendscall me Elijah.”

“Yeah, orElijah,” she responds to her friend.

“Well, hello,Elijah, I’m Sage.” She extends her hand, and I shake it in response.

“Nice to meet you, Sage. I appreciate your lack of filter.”

A teasing smile spreads across her face. “It’s my best quality.”

“Have you found Charlie?” Sophia asks.Who the fuck is Charlie?

“Yeah, and sh—”

“Hey, guys,” another girl says, rushing toward us. I recognize her from the cheer team. She eyes me curiously but says nothing.Looks like Sage is the blunt one.

“Where the hell have you been, Char?” Sophia snaps at her.Charlie’s a girl. Noted, you jealous idiot.“We were worried.”

“I’m sorry,” Charlie says, stifling a yawn. “I’m so exhausted I basically fell asleep at the bar. Sage ordered us an Uber back to your place. Are you ready?”

“Yeah, sure… See ya, Elijah.”

“See ya, Sunflower.”

She turns to walk away, but I swear I see a tinge of pink hit her cheeks before she does. I bite my lip, watching her until she’s hidden in the familiar-looking Uber.

7

SOPHIA

“Holy shit balls, Soph,” Sage squeals as the three of us buckle in. The twenty-something driver glances curiously into the rearview mirror but says nothing. “That guy is hot. Like, fuck-me-in-an-alleyhot.”

“Sage,” I gasp, risking another glance at the driver, who’s fighting a smile.

“What? I’m just being honest. I see why you couldn’t shut up about him.”

“Yeah,thanksfor that by the way. Now Elijah’s going to think I’m obsessed and have been pining after him since the day we met.”

“But… haven't you been?” Charlie counters, nudging me.

“You mention a few small things about someone you met, and suddenly you’re obsessed,” I say, slamming the back of my head against the seat. “Besides, we agreed, justfriends. I have no interest in another relationship. This is a relationship-free zone.” I use my pointer fingers to draw a hula hoop sized circle around my body.

“If you mean friends who fuck,” Sage says, putting up two hands and enacting a double thrust, “I’m all on board.”

“Sage!” I hit her against the leg. “There will be no fucking. Just friends-ing.”

“No one isjustfriends with a guy who looks like that… And if he’s not getting it from you, he can definitely get it from someone else.”

A fire burns in my stomach, my lungs constricting as all the oxygen is sucked out of the tiny Uber.“I have no right to care about who he sleeps with,” I say ignoring the physical reaction my body had to her words. “Like I said, we’re friends. Besides, we barely know each other… And he’s just a cocky jock who’s trying to fuck and duck.” I wrinkle my nose in disgust as the driver snorts, holding in a laugh, and I glare at him. He shifts in the seat, bringing his inked arm up to scratch at the sexy neck tat peeking out from his collar.

“You can’t just mark off every guy who knows how to handle some balls,” Sage says, pulling my attention back to her, and now I’m the one struggling not to laugh. “Come on, aren’t you ready to get over Seth?” My partial amusement vanishes faster than a french fry thrown at a seagull.

I shoot dagger eyes at her. “We agreed never to speak his name again.” Flashbacks flicker in front of my eyes that I’d rather pretend are nightmares.

---