Page 33 of Facing the Line

“Sure.” I needed an excuse to stand and shake that off, anyway. While Thor swings his hammer and yells, I head to the kitchen, draining my White Claw as I go.

“What’s up, Hadley?” My brother opens the fridge for me. He holds my gaze steady, like he cares what I have to say. I take a deep breath—but I can’t tell him what’s on my mind. He’d freak.

“Not much.” I gesture towards the living room, a few feet away. “I’ve missed this.”

He tugs me close and ruffles my hair. “Missed you, too.”

I shove his shoulder playfully, careful of his booted foot. “Not you. Your friends. And your fridge full of booze.”

Hunter shakes his head. “I know what you really mean.”

The sad truth is, I’ll miss him next year. It’s been awesome to be on campus with him these eight months. I need to soak up the rest of our time together.

I clear my throat, aiming for casual. “Hey, speaking of missing someone. Where’s Jonas tonight?”

Please don’t say date, please don’t say date.

Hunter shrugs, oblivious to my mental pleading. “Dunno. He didn’t say.”

“Oh.” Grabbing a second can from the refrigerator, I tilt it towards his. “Cheers.” I give him a weak smile, refill Kendall’s popcorn, and sit.

I could text Jonas and ask where he is. That wouldn’t be weird. But if he’s on a date, I don’t want to interrupt. Or do I?

As I’m sliding my phone from my pocket, the front door opens. Like I’ve conjured him, Jonas walks in, sets his backpack in the entryway, and gives me a twinkling grin. My heart flips in my chest, and I tamp down the smile that was spreading across my face before I registered it.

And oh my gosh, he’s wearing glasses. Freaking glasses. He adjusts the black frames on his face and my stomach drops to my toes. How is it possible for him to be any cuter?

The crowd in the apartment choruses hello and he gives a quick wave to everyone before ducking into the kitchen for snacks. He settles next to me on the floor like it’s as natural as breathing.

“What’d I miss?” he whispers, and I hold my body still so I don’t lean in closer.

“In the movie?” I ask, my mind suddenly blank. I guess I should have been watching and not envisioning scenarios starring Jonas. “Where were you?”

“Study session.” He points to his book bag by the door. “Library.”

Oh. Duh. That makes sense. The weird pressure around my chest lessens.

“Um. How did it go?” I say, under my breath. Kendall’s eyes are on me, but I ignore her.

“Good. Fine.” He shrugs, then turns his megawatt smile on me again. “But I would have rather been here.”

My heart decides to take up aerobics and does jumping jacks in my chest.

“Hunter is here.” My words come out in a low hiss.

“Yeah, I know. He lives here.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

Hunter doesn’t exactly know Jonas and I have been texting. Obviously, there’s nothing going on, but he’s so protective. It’seasier if he thinks my only friends are girls and all we do is braid our hair and paint our nails.

“We’re friends.” Jonas lifts a shoulder. “No big deal.”

Why does my stomach sink when he says that?

“Yeah. Of course.” I clear my throat. “Since when do you wear glasses?”

His nose scrunches up, and it’s so adorable, my breath catches in my throat. “Since the fourth grade.”

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