Page 68 of June

“What? No. Why?” Enid asked.

“Two cups of coffee.” Caroline pointed.

“Oh. That’s for you. I even dumped out, like, half the coffee to make room for all that cream you like. I knew you had a class end about now. I was about to text you.”

“For me?”

“Yes.” Enid laughed a little. “I was trying to surprise you, but you didn’t look super happy about it when you walked up. I’m guessing, based on your question just now, that it’s because you thought I was meeting someone else?”

“Jill specifically,” Caroline admitted. “Sorry, I know it’s petty, but I was just thinking that this isourtable. I realize it’s not, really. It’s everyone’s table. I–”

“Care?”

Caroline smiled because that was the first time Enid had used her nickname, and it sounded really good on those lips that she was hoping she’d get to kiss one day.

“Yeah?”

“The coffee is foryou. Want to sit down and drink it with me, or do you have to go to lunch?”

“I’ll text them,” Caroline replied as she sat down next to Enid and pulled out her phone. She sent a quick message to both Viv and Jodie and added. “Also, you should probably know that I don’t like that much cream in my coffee. I was nervous the day we had it for the first time, so I added way too much.”

“Really?” Enid laughed. “Should I get you another one?”

Caroline shook her head and said, “No, I’ll drink this. Thank you, by the way.”

“Sure,” Enid said.

“Iamconfused, though. Aren’t we going out tonight?”

“Yeah.”

“So, you’re not canceling and trying to make it up to me with surprise coffee?”

“No, we’re still going out, if you want to.”

“Yes, I want to,” Caroline replied.

“I just wanted to see you,” Enid said. “I… missed you.”

She put her coffee to her lips, and Caroline could just make out the shy smile behind it as Enid tried to cover it up.

“You missed me?”

Enid nodded.

“I missed you, too.”

“Yeah?”

Caroline nodded this time and said, “I would’ve texted with you longer last night, but no matter how quiet I try to be, Viv can still hear me moving, and she’s a light sleeper.”

“It’s okay. I was pretty traumatized by what I saw in my little brother’s room, so I needed to take alongshower to try to get the image out of my mind. I will also be going to therapy for the rest of my life. Have they invented something that can wipe specific memories yet? I could really use that about now.”

Caroline laughed and leaned into her a little.

“I also wanted to talk to you,” Enid added. “But I didn’t want to do it over text, and I didn’t want to do it tonight on our date because I want that to just be ours.”

Caroline leaned back, trying not to get nervous because what Enid had just said was very confusing.

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