Page 280 of Small Town Firsts

“Thanks for lunch,” I say self-consciously as I fumble to unlatch my seat belt.

“Thanks for joining me.” Sterling grins my way and before I can realize his intentions, he leans in and presses his lips to my cheek. “I’ll see you Thursday.”

I stumble from his car in a daze, wondering not for the first time what his end game is.

CHAPTER 21

EMMY

“You ready for today?”Stella asks, her hair wrapped in a towel and a mask on her face.

We both woke up earlier than usual—me to study a little more and her to primp.

“Nope.” I nod. “Yes.” I shake my head. “Maybe? My God, I’m a mess.”

“Talk to me.”

It’s hard to take her seriously with green goop all over her face, but she’s trying her hardest to be there for me. “I don’t know. Sterling really threw me a curveball. Between kissing me and then being nice… I just...” I huff out a sigh. “I don’t know.”

“Well, you already know I think he’s into you. Or at very least wants to get in to you.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Undoubtedly. Also, irrelevant. Wanna know what else I think?”

“Sure.”

“I think you should make the most of it. He wants to be nice and let you retake the quiz? Good. Ace it, and move on. Keep your guard up, but use this to your advantage, you know?”

“Yeah, it’s just. Ugh!” I flip my laptop closed and bury my face in my hands. “He’s making me crazy.” It’s true, too; Sterling Abbot is driving me to insanity. Or at the very least, sleep deprivation.

It seems like all I’ve done over the past day and a half is study and overanalyze every single moment between Sterling and me.

“Babe, don’t let him get to you like this. Walls up?”

“Walls up.”

“Good. Now, I’ve gotta rinse this mask. Go forth and kick ass.”

“I’ll try.”

“There is no try, only do.”

“Okay, Yoda.”

Stella points to the green mask covering her face and winks before flouncing off to the bathroom.

Left to my own devices, there’s nothing to do except obsess. At this point, I’m annoying myself. But all I can think about is what if this is just another cruel trick? What if he’s setting me up to fail again?

Unable to stand my own whining, I throw on a hoodie, pack up my messenger bag, and head out. If I hurry, I should have time to grab a coffee before class.

Holy Roasters is packed, per usual, but I still have twenty minutes to spare.

For the first time in a long time, it feels like things are finally going my way. If only I could shake off the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop.

At the counter, I decide to splurge and get a large iced coffee and a chocolate croissant.

I’m waiting on my order when the door opens and Melanie walks in with Abigail, one of the other RAs, and a girl I don’t know.

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