Page 61 of Sweetheart

"Hello?" Charlotte said when I didn't answer. "Don't even try to pretend you can't hear me. Iknow you're there, Scar. Ihear you breathing."

"I'm here," I said.

"Well?"

"How did you find out?"

I knew she openly despised social media, so it couldn't have been there.

"Our dear cousins sent me a photo of the two of you looking like a rom-com book cover," she said back. "And don't try to distract me. I'm the onewith questions."

Taking a deep breath, I decided to just get it over with.

"Yes, we're together now," I said.

"Since when?"

"Since Monday?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" she said.

Isighed. "We started talking after he picked me up that night my car broke down."

"In the blue poofy dress."

"Yes."

"And by together, you mean…?"

"We're dating, sort of," I said.

Charlotte stayed silent.

"We're trying it out, kind of like you and Bo did."

"Scarlett."

"What?"

"What aren't you saying?" she asked.

I swallowed.

"You know you can tell me anything."

"Yeah, but…it's complicated," I said finally.

Charlotte hummed. "Sounds like we should do this face-to-face."

My ears perked up at that. "Are you coming home?"

"Yeah, I'll be there this weekend.Need tobring more of my books to college.My dorm room's lifeless without them. I'm tryingto make it feel like home—but it's hard without you and Dad."

I blew out a breath, grateful for the reprieve.

"We'll talk then," she said and added, "Don't avoid me."

"I would never," I said.

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