“Why can’t it be, like, a week later so that I’m already twenty-one and can actually order a drink?” Caroline asked.
“Itcanbe,” Enid replied. “I can text Jill and tell her we decided to stay in or just have a date tonight.”
“Viv is in my room, studying. We can go there, but we just need to be quiet. What about your place?”
“My parents have a couple of people over for dinner, but they’ll be gone by nine, and my parents will be in their room by ten and asleep by eleven.”
“So, you can sneak me in after that?” Caroline teased. “Will I have to use a ladder and go in through the window?”
Enid shook her head and laughed.
“I know. I know. I need to move out.”
“Enid, I’m just joking. I really don’t mind having breakfast with your parents. Your mom’s pancakes are great. Plus, they tell me embarrassing stories about you.”
“Let’s just stay at your place tonight,” Enid replied. “We can just sleep. Will that bother Viv?”
“I don’t know that she’ll trust that we’re only sleeping up there.”
“Because of last time? She walked in on us.”
“Not just that, but because of the Jodie thing.”
“I promise, I’ll be on my best behavior. It’syouwho I worry about. You would’ve gotten me off with her right underneath us,” Enid said.
Caroline laughed and replied, “Yes, I would have. I felt you, Enid. You were…” She leaned in as they walked and added, “Hard.”
“Oh, I remember.”
“Viv likes Jodie.”
“What?” Enid asked, turning to look at Caroline.
“I know. I’m pretty sure, though. It’s getting really interesting around my room. Viv is moving out, too. When the fall semester starts, she’s getting a single.”
“What willyoudo, then?”
“Probably an apartment. I’ll need to get on that soon. They go really fast. I don’t want to end up fighting you for the same place.”
“Right,” Enid said, sounding a little off.
“Are you not going to ask your parents for a loan, after all?” Caroline asked.
“I am. I just haven’t started looking for anything yet. I will probably try to get a one-bedroom place somewhere. I assumed you’d go for a two-bedroom with Jodie. I knowI’dprefer it if you two didn’t share a room or a bed.”
“It was one time,” Caroline replied. “And honestly, I think it kind of had to happen.”
“Sorry. What?”
“You know how you told me about Rory and how she liked you, but you turned her down?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I wasn’t sure with Jodie. We’ve been friends for a while, and I liked hanging out with her. That night, we were just sleeping at first, and it felt like something stupid after, but in themoment, it felt like I wanted it to happen just to know.” Caroline stopped walking as she considered. “Huh.”
“What?”
“Was that how it was for you with Jill?”