Page 67 of The Rebel's Guide to Pride

Those were the last two things on our list before the end of summer break. Then we’d have to press play and resume our lives. Start senior year and deal with the One Lifestyle ordinance if the mayor won—No.I cut my thought spiral off. That was the last thing I wanted to think about.

“So, uh,” I ventured, and took a sip of orange juice, “I think you should invite Kennedy to celebrate our traditions.”

“Yeah?” she asked. I nodded while shoving a bite of pancake into my mouth. “That’d be great, Z. I really…I really like her.”

“Consider my flabber fully gasted,” I teased with a wink. “It’s been a nonstop thirstfest with you two.”

She launched a sausage link at me, and it bounced off my forehead and onto the next table. We both froze as the concierge shot daggers at us. “Well, I’ll be gosh darned,” she said loudly in a drawl. “That there wiener just slipped right off my fork.”

“Sugar tits, you’re so clumsy,” I added as she grabbed it.

“All better now,” she offered with a flick of her wig. Then she lowered her voice. “The University of the South is her top college too, and if we both get in…If we’re still together next year, then maybe we could have a real shot.”

She shrugged, her focus clearly on the future. It had always been something I didn’t want to think about. She’d go off to study political science, and I’d be left alone to become a JACass lawyer. But now the future wasn’t so bad, not as bad as I thought it’d be.

“About college…” I trailed off, tapping at my phone screen for the time. It lit up beside my plate, and we still had an hour before I needed to get back. “I decided I want to do automotive technology”—she started to say something, but I held a hand up to stop her—“and I know it’s not law school, but it’s something I’m good at.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself,” she said bluntly. “If it makes you happy, that’s what matters. Fuck the notion of prestigious assholery.”

Makes you happyechoed inside me, ran around the baseball diamond in my mind. It was the first decision I’d made for myself. And it felt strange. But empowering.

“Thanks for having my back, Saw,” I said, my phone screen lighting up with new notifications.

“That’s what besties are for, Z.”

I shot her a smile before checking to see if Cohen had replied. There were two Instagram messages waiting for me, and I felt my smile stretch wider as I swiped to read them.

9:02AM

bedmas_22

You have nothing to be sorry for, Zeke.

bedmas_22

By the way…Hi, my name is Cohen, and I think it’s your turn to ask a question. If you want.

“Why are you grinning like that?” Sawyer asked.

“Just thinking about what makes me happy,” I said, catching her eye.

A slow grin spread on her face, matching mine. It was the same look we’d shared after watchingDoctor Whoand finding ourselves. It felt great to have her back on my side—but it was more than that. There were no secrets between us. Well, except for…

“And…I think I like Cohen,” I added.

“No shit,” she quipped.

“But I’m also kinda mad at him too.”

She pushed her sunglasses up in her wig and waited expectantly. I took a deep breath and launched into the whole case of mistaken Instagram identity. The real reason for the rivalry between Cohen and me. The way I’d ended things abruptly because of my father. The way I missed who I was with him.

“Z,” she started once I was done, “I never knew that was the reason why you two, like, hated each other.”

“If I had a TARDIS, I’d go back and tell you,” I said, twirling my fake mustache. “Maybe then you could’ve talked some sense into me.”

“But we’re here now…” She beamed at me sweetly, then she narrowed her eyes. “And I’ll beat some sense into you now if I have to. It’s not like he deliberately catfished you. Granted, he should’ve come clean immediately. But he was probably just as scared as you were. He did tell you things too.”

Oh.

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