Page 12 of When Love Gives You Lemons
Save money to be independent after graduation
Get a super-hot revenge bod!
That last one was Matty’s idea. After watching every romantic comedy on Netflix, he convinced me that weight training with him would help me to feel more confident in my body. Not to mention I’d feel stronger both physically and emotionally. He’s not wrong, though I did momentarily question how changing my body would make me more desirable to Ricky when Ricky himself used to worship me for being thick.
Work on being independent!
Graduate high school with decent grades
To show I’m more than online content! I’m (kind of) smart, too.
Casually run into Ricky again, show him what he’s missing, thus leading to us reconnecting
Grand romantic gesture to win him back!
Still workshopping that last one.
If I could be independent, self-sufficient, and not defined by being “Ricky DeLuca’s himbo boyfriend,” but instead by being Fielder Lemon, successful food critic with a high-profile TV internship on his résumé on top of a successful, monetized Clock channel, then Ricky would have to see me differently. Right?
Don’t answer that, reader.
I’ve barely seen his parents because even though they technically have residence next door, they bought a house in South Carolina in September and spent the winter there. Now that their family house next door is for sale, I was worried I might never see him again. But now, this?
Thisis inevitable.
I’m not ready. The plan isn’t fully realized. I’m not at my peak yet.
Clutching my phone, I slide off the edge of the mattress and to my knees until I’m digging beneath the bed frame using the flashlight on my phone to illuminate the dark, cobwebbed, cavernous hoard I don’t want found: the empty bottles of cheap vodka Ricky and I stole from his parents’ liquor cabinet that I never threw out, a near-empty box of condoms, an oversized Tupperware bin full of the Barbies andToy Storydolls I played with as a kid, and an overstuffed shoebox.
I yank it out, and the disturbance elicits a strong succession of sneezes. Just as I’m about to open it, there’s a loud knock at the door.
“Go away, Ma. I’ll call Topher back in a minute!” I shout, but I don’t mean to get angry at Ma. It’s not her fault I’m emotionally unwell.
“Field, it’s me.” Matty’s voice triggers a sense of calm.
“Justyou?” I ask.
Silence. “Thought so.”
Whispers. Matty is hissing. Three separate sets of feet shuffle down the hallway.
Then he answers. “Yeah. Just me now. Can I come in?”
Stretching, I reach up and unlock the door, and he slips inand quickly closes the door behind him. He knows the Coven well.
“Dude,” he says. “You okay?” I glare at him, which prompts him to tip his head and roll his eyes. ”Dumb question.”
“Did you know about Toph and Sienna?”
“I found out last night when he called me to ask if I wanted to be in the wedding. He asked me not to say anything to you because, well, you know. He wanted to tell you himself.”
“In front of the whole family?”
“In hindsight, not the best idea, but Toph loves you.” Matty rocks back and forth on his heels. “I bet he thought it’d be easier having everyone around.”
“Why didn’t he tell me sooner? Clearly, they’ve been together a while.”
Matty hops onto my bed and lies back. “I don’t know, man. Topher exists in Topherland. You know that. Maybe he thought you’d freak out.”
