Page 14 of The Disasters of Dating
“Well, I’d better get back to work. Thanks again,” she smiles.
I lift my hand and give her a little wave. Lame, I know. “Have a good night.”
“You, too,” she says as she turns away and starts talking to Kendra? I think that was her name. Not that it matters. Kendra isn’t the one I want to ask out. But Poppy doesn’t seem like an option anymore.
CHAPTER 5
POPPY
Yesterday may have felt like swimming upstream in a storm, but today your current shifts. Clarity replaces confusion, and small moments will glimmer with meaning. Trust that the universe is realigning in your favor. You’re not starting over—you’re surfacing.
I rollover and stare at the clock on my bedside table. 5:43. My alarm is set to go off in seventeen minutes. I pinch my eyes tightly, willing myself back to sleep for the short time remaining. But it’s no use. I stare up at the ceiling. Last night was a disaster. I grab my phone off the charger and pull up my favorite horoscope app. I cross my fingers it’ll be better than yesterday’s. I mean, it can’t be worse, right?
I smile as I read through it. Yes! My life should be back on track. Which is a good thing considering today is my final exam of the semester. Can you imagine if it had been yesterday? I guess there is one bright side to that craptastic day.
I close the app and instead open theCheaper Than Therapycousin chat. I pull up the picture I’d snapped in the airport bathroom mirror before I changed my clothes and attach it to the text thread.
Worst. Dinner. Ever. I didn’t stick around for dessert.
I rest my phone on my chest while I wait for the responses I’m sure will come. Although maybe not until it’s a more reasonable hour. I grimace. I hadn’t considered the time before pressing send.
But a few seconds later, my phone vibrates.
Chloe-Bear
I’m actually lost for words. What on earth???
Avery is quick on her heels.
Avery
WHAT?!?!? Okay, tell me who needs to die.
I chuckle. I may be the youngest of my cousins, and they may not completely understand me, but I know they always have my back. If a guy ever did what Keaton did on purpose, he would suffer. HARD. But Keaton hadn’t done any of it on purpose, so I decide to keep his name out of it.
Shadie
WHAT. THE. HECK. HAPPENED? Did he do that to you?
Okay. Maybe I need to do some damage control. I don’t want anyone going vigilante on him.
It was a matter of if it could go wrong, it did. You know, we both bent over to pick up his napkin…and thus the goose egg. Then an accidental elbow to the eye when reaching for the breadbasket. The soup down the front was actually him trying to get ice for my eye. Then when I bent over to get my purse, my hair got caught on his shirt button. Ten long, sweaty minutes later, I was finally freed. But I’m pretty sure I now have a bald spot.
I purposely leave out the accidental kiss. And not just because I know Lucy, Dani, and likely Sadie will go all ‘it’s fate’ on me. I mean, that is the first reason. But also, I’m not sure how I feel about the whole thing. If it was an accident, Keaton may not think anything of it. So, do I want to be the one pining over a random accidental kiss? Besides, the universe practically shouted its disapproval of us, so why should I get all goopy over a kiss that wasn’t supposed to happen?
I rub my fingers lightly over my lips. Man, if an accidental kiss could be that good, what would his purposeful kisses be like? I shake my head. Don’t go there, Pops!
Chloe-Bear
I mean, if itcould go wrong, it did!
Dani
That’s awful, Poppy. Please promise me you’ll never go on a date somewhere that puts real candles on the table!
I laugh. I hadn’t thought about it, but I guess things could have been worse.
Avery
