Page 28 of Better Than the Movies
“Because it’s basketball season and we’re in the playoffs…?”
I just gave him a shrug and kept labeling, which made him smile. “Anyway, me and Michael and some of the guys are going, and I thought it might be a casual way for you to hang without other girls stealing your thunder.”
I stopped tagging. “Did you seriously just imply that I’m invisible if other girls are in the equation?”
“No. God, you’re uptight. I—”
“No, I’m not.”
“You’re not?”
I set down the gun and put my hands on my hips. “No, I most definitely am not.”
One side of his mouth slid up. “You’re wearing a dress at a thrift store for books, your planner is scarily organized, and every one of your price tags is perfectly straight. Up. Tight.”
I squinted at him while closing my elaborately color-coded and stickered planner. “This is a skirt and sweater, not a dress.”
I freakingadoredmy plaid kilt, ruffled cardigan, and nearly new, never-been-vomited-on patent leather Mary Janes.
“Same difference. When everyone else is in jeans, you’re skirted up.”
I rolled my eyes. “Just because I like dresses and I’m organized doesn’t mean I’m uptight.”
“Sure it doesn’t.”
I picked up the gun and started labeling faster, irritated that he seemed to disdain everything that I was. “So finish telling me about basketball before I hurt you.”
“That’s pretty much it. If you ride with us, you’ll have time to show how cool you are on the way to the game.”
I stopped with the tags again and imagined Michael and me, lost in smiles and in-depth conversation in the back of an intimate car. “A little one-on-one sesh of Liz coolness, huh?”
“God help us all.”
I ran a finger over the top of the gun and asked him, “That wouldn’t be weird, you bringing me?”
He did a no-biggie shrug. “Nah. It’s super chill.”
“Then, um, yeah.” I straightened and set down the gun yet again, excited about this unexpected opportunity. “Totally. Count me in.”
“Here’s the thing, though, Liz.” He pulled a set of keys from his pocket and flipped them around his finger. “Don’t get all pissy with me for saying this, but I’d like to help you with your outfit.”
“Excuse me?” I tilted my head and couldn’t quite believehehad said that tome. “I think I’ve got it, but thank you.”
“Seriously, you need to listen to me.”
“If it’s about fashion, I seriously don’t. No offense.”
“Some taken, but this isn’t about that. This is about the fact that no one is going to buy into the idea of you just casually watching some hoops if you’re wearing a ruffly dress and shoes with flowers on them.”
I blew the bangs out of my eyes. “Bennett—I do own a pair of jeans, you know.”
“Color me surprised.” He put his palms on the desk and leaned on his arms. His face was closer, and I got distracted by the super-light freckles I’d never noticed and the way his eyelashes weren’tjust long, but also perfectly curled. “But I bet they aren’t even normal. Like… um, they’re probably those weird-waisted trendy jeans, right? Or jeans with creases ironed into them and cuffs on the bottom?”
“Nope.”
“Well,” he said, sighing like this was important, “I think if you’re serious about the whole Michael thing, you need to expand your closet.”
“Are you kidding me with this, kung fu hoodie?”
