Page 5 of Hunted by the Fallen
My jaw falls open. For a moment, I can only gape at my friend. “H-how did you know I had a date with Preston?” I never told her my childhood crush had asked me out. At first, I’d wanted to keep the exciting news private. I knew telling Annie would cause a stir, and I wanted the chance to cherish the fact my dream seemed to finally come true. But after my parents’ abduction and the demon attack, I didn’t see a point in telling Annie anything. The date had been cancelled and telling her about it would only have led to questions I am not free toanswer.
“I know because Preston told Freddy, and Freddy told me.” She continues to glare at me, shooting disapproval out of her chocolate-browneyes.
“Why would Freddy tellyou?”
“Because he wanted to know why mybest friendbailed on his best friend.” Annie crosses her arms. “Imagine how shocked he was when I told him I had no idea what he was talking about. I even accused him of lying, but he showed me the texts fromPreston.”
I cringe. I’d handled the conversation with Preston poorly yesterday, and I’m pretty sure I can guess what he messaged his friend. “I’m planning to reschedule,” I offer, but even I know I don’t soundbelievable.
“Really? That’s not what Preston thinks,” Anniesnaps.
And just like that, my temper spikes. “How about you be real with me, Annie? You don’t care that I cancelled a date with Preston. You’re mad I didn’t tell you aboutit.”
“Of course, I’m mad,” she replies. “I’m your best friend, and you didn’t even tell me that the guy you’ve obsessed over since you were twelve asked you on a realdate!”
“I didn’t obsess,” Imutter.
“You know what I mean,” Annie’s shoulders slump. Her angry tone is replaced with hurt. “We tell each other everything, Ronnie. We should be able to celebrate the fact Preston has finally taken off his blinders and realized you’re amazing and worth going after. Why wouldn’t you tellme?”
I release a long breath and try to think of the best thing to say. I decide to be as honest as I can be. “It was difficult to believe,” I tell her. “Part of me thought Preston would change hismind.”
Annie’s expression softens. “Is that why you cancelled on him? So you wouldn’t be the one who was bailedon?”
“No. You know I was sick last weekend.” For the second time in as many weeks, I’d skipped church on Sunday, and so did my parents. Worried, Annie had texted me, and I lied about all three of us coming down with a bout of food poisoning. She hadn’t questioned the excuse, knowing as well as I did that my family rarely, if ever, skipped church just for the sake of skippingchurch.
Annie frowns. “Then why didn’t you arrange another day for the date? After reading the texts Preston sent Freddy, he seems convinced you aren’t interested in him atall.”
“I know.” I lean against the creaky chair and stare at the floor beneath my friend’s feet. The whole situation is a mess, but I don’t know how to make itbetter.
“Well…” Annie shuffles her shoes. “Are you interested in Preston atall?”
“Of course, I am,” I am quick to reply. “Everything is just… complicated,” I sigh. That might be the understatement of thecentury.
“What’s complicated about it, Ronnie? You like Preston. Just go on a date withhim.”
If only Annieknew…
“I cancelled the date, and now Preston thinks I don’t like him. I might as well let the whole thing go. You and I already talked about how I shouldn’t start a relationship before college. It’s supposed to be a fresh start, right?” The logic had worked before when Annie urged me to pursue Zeke or Adrian, after they visited me at her family’srestaurant.
Recently, Annie had criticized my lack of experience interacting with anyone besides her and Joey, our other best friend. Annie has plans to pull me out of my shell once we move away to college, and I’m sure bringing a high school relationship with me will ruin her grand plans. Fingers crossed Annie will let the subject drop like she had the last time we had thisconversation.
Unfortunately, I’m not sofortunate.
“Ronnie, this is Preston we’re talking about. All I want is for you to go on a date with the guy you’ve been pining over for years. Maybe you two will end up dating long term, or maybe it will be a one-time thing. Either way, I will supportyou.”
“Will you support me if I decide I don’t want to go on a date with Preston atall?”
Annie doesn’t hesitate, “Only if you can give me a good reasonwhy.”
“What’s a good reason toyou?”
“Ugh, Ronnie!” Annie throws her hands in the air. “Just… tell me the truth. Why don’t you want to go on a date with a guy you’ve already admitted youlike?”
Without thought, the likeness of four very imposing angels comes tomind.
“I won’t know what to do on a date.” Again, I opt for partialtruth.
“It’s not like you don’t have to sleep with Preston oranything.”
