Page 27 of Rapunzel Is Losing It

But how?

Defne • 04:10pm

Wdym?

Cordelia • 04:11pm

I know more about propagating succulents than I know about romance… and propagating succulents really isn’t that hard.

Tabitha • 04:12pm

I don’t know romance but I know how to get laid

Defne • 04:13pm

I can be there in 20.

Tabitha • 04:13pm

perf

Del • 04:15pm

I’m bringing coffee ??

The group chat went quiet.I should have gotten up to figure out what snacks I could offer them to go with the coffee, or to tell Victor they were coming over, or to put on fresh clothes because I was fairly certain Amani had made me sweat through mine, or possibly all three. I tried to decide which would come first, and by the time I blinked, the clock on my phone showed that fifteen minutes had passed. I just managed to shut off my computer and get up when the security system at the door chimed.

Del shuffled through the door, looking like a pack mule with her oversized down coat, her heavy backpack hanging off hershoulders, and a paper tray of four huge frappuccinos balanced in front of her.

“Let me get that,” I said and grabbed the coffee from her.

“Thank you.” She smiled. Her cheeks and nose were bright red from the cold. “I’m so ready for spring.”

“Me too.” Not that I had much exposure to the cold, but spring meant planting flowers and watching my backyard come back alive, and soaking up sun in the winter garden.

“Where’s Victor?” Del asked while she hung up her jacket, bending her neck to search for him behind me.

“Basement.”

“Again?”

“It takes a lot of hard work to stay in shape.” I hadn’t told her about Victor’s uncle yet. Not only because I didn’t know how dangerous it might be, for her or for Victor, to share - but because I’d put her through more than enough drama for one lifetime.

“Or to work off sexual frustration.”

“Excuse me?”

Her smile dripped with false innocence. “Tab is probably better at explaining that one.”

“The walls of this house are not as sound-proof as you might think,” I replied, “it sounds like you know exactly what you’re talking about.” Beck didn’t stay over much, considering they had his teenage niece to look after, but when he did, they weren’t very good at being discreet.

She just laughed and grabbed the coffee from me, breezing towards the TV room.

Tabitha filed in a few minutes later, unceremoniously shoving a box of pink-glazed donuts at me to strip off around five layers of jackets until she was wearing nothing but leggings and a long-sleeve crop top. Most of her clothes had brand logos on them. Some of them were even personalized with her name orsocial media handle. I’d watched some of her videos online, but yoga just wasn’t for me. When I worked out, I had to keep my body busy enough not to get bored.

Defne arrived in a bright red teddy coat and matching beret. It should have made her look like a cartoon character, but her perfectly coiffed long black hair, spotless tan olive skin, and big brown eyes just made her look like she’d popped off the pages of a fashion magazine.

“I brought drinks, in case you need some liquid courage to talk this through,” she said, holding up a tote bag that rattled with the promise of glass bottles, “I’m obsessed with pomegranate lemon raki right now. It’s a bit bitter though. I also have plain bubbly, and some bright pink vodka thing that I only bought because I know you like pink.”

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