Page 61 of As You Walk On

Luca flinches as if he’s about to go in for the right nipple. I throw my hands up in defense. We crack up.

“Come on.” He hops off the counter. “Time to get out of our own heads.”

Something about the look in Luca’s eyes, the way his fingers brush against mine as we both move for the door, feels like he’s the one person left who won’t let me down tonight.

•••

Back in the bedroom, Makayla and River are organizing a small picnic over the Monopoly board. We should probably feel a tad guilty for claiming Maddie’s bedroom—and all the things in it—as our own personal party space. It’s mad disrespectful. I almost lean into that vibe... until I spot the latest MacBook and AirPods on her desk, a pair of designer sneakers under her bed. Yeah, she’ll get over us borrowing her fleece throw blanket to set our snacks on.

“So... about that video on Insta,” I start.

“What video?” River asks while making snack piles.

I blink. Aleah hums while cleaning up game pieces. Makayla sets up cups around the board. In the bathroom, Luca never mentioned the low-quality vid of my Christian debacle from that burner account. No one’s been on their phones. It’s as if they’ve blocked out the rest of the world. They’re living in this moment.

I clear my throat. “Uh, never mind.”

Makayla shoots me a curious look as I sit down. The group hasn’t commented onwhyLuca and I were in the bathroom. In my head, that sounds a lot sleazier than it is. It doesn’t help that Makayla whispers in Luca’s ear until his cheeks turn two shades darker.

I can’t fight the apprehension I have toward her now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful she bailed me out at the pool. But it’s her voluntary silence when Lexi was attacking Aleah that’s left me uneasy. All the pleading she did to win Lexi back.

Luca bites open a pack of sour candies. “I was thinking—”

“That’s never a good idea,” Aleah interjects. She pours vodkaand orange juice into a cup. After taste-testing, she adds more OJ.

“Like I was saying,” Luca continues, side-eyeing her. “We need to have some fun.”

“Are we going to learn quadratic equations?” asks River, pushing up their glasses. “I’m only sixteen. I’m not ready.”

“Roasted!” Aleah high-fives a beaming River.

I tip over on my side laughing. The socked foot digging into my stomach most definitely belongs to Luca, but I can’t stop. Once I’m upright again, I wipe tears from my lashes.

“Two words.” Luca holds up his index and middle finger. “Dance. Contest.”

“What’re we, ten?” Makayla asks.

Luca drops his index finger.

“Oh God,” says Makayla while mixing her own drink. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

Luca’s expression is adorably determined. Pouty bottom lip. A tight knot between his dark eyebrows. Cheeks puffed out from holding his breath. When his eyes lock on me like a puppy hoping you’ll drop some scraps while eating, I flush.

“What’re you looking at?” I say, head tilted.

“I saw you earlier.”

I shoot him an expression that says,That’s a rather ominous, almost threatening statement.

“I saw youdancingearlier,” he amends. “You were really good.”

“Thanks.”

“Not as good as me, though,” he adds,nearlypulling off a smug grin. I respect the effort.

“What you and Makayla were doing wasn’t dancing.”

“Excuse me,” gasps Makayla, elbowing me hard before sipping her drink.

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