Page 63 of Before We're More Than Friends
Alex hadn’t replied to me since last Saturday. He’d said hewas sick to his stomach, so I assumed he had food poisoning or the stomach flu. But he hadn’t said a word or responded to any of the messages I’d left about my family. It wasn’t like him at all.
And it was beginning to stress me out.
I shot him a message, hoping to finally get a response.
Chloe
Hey, where have you been?
Are you still sick?
I can get a bucket for you
Okay, seriously, I’m getting worried. My whole life has changed, and you’ve fallen off the face of the earth. I don’t want to be selfish, but this isn’t like you at all. You haven’t even sent a single puke emoji.
Send me anything so I know that you’re okay
I looked at the gray dot next to his dog profile picture, hoping it would turn green. That he would remember to check his phone and tell me he was alive.
After a few minutes, I gave up hope and sent one more message before closing the app.
Chloe
I don’t want to lose you.
CHAPTER 17
Dallas
The knots in my stomach hadn’t loosened since my conversation with Raina at the skating rink. For a few minutes, we were vulnerable, the way we were in our letters and messages. She was the Chloe I’d admired. Raw, beautiful, hilarious. She gave up her stubbornness and let me in.
And as much as I shouldn’t want more of that, I did. I wanted more vulnerable conversations with her without a screen in between us.
These butterflies had to go.
I wasn’t supposed to volunteer at the shelter on Valentine’s Day, but I didn’t want to sit on my bed listening to a bunch of complicated love songs. I needed a distraction, and if scooping poop was my only option, I’d take it.
“Happy Dallastine’s Day,” Hayden sang as he strolled into the break room, where I washed my hands after cleaning the cat cages.
“What?” I snorted. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”
“I thought the reason you celebrate your birthday a day earlier is because your real one is on Valentine’s Day.” He sat in the chair across from me. “Being born on the Fourth of Julymyself, I understand your pain, though you did get the worse holiday.”
“You’re a holiday baby too?” I turned off the sink. “At least it’s not Christmas.”
“Please, the people who are born on Christmas deserve better. Then again, they should’ve waited another day to come out.”
“I don’t think birth works that way. If it did, I would’ve never left my mom.” I dried my hands with a paper towel. “I was not ready for this world.”
“None of us were.” He sighed. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about the party. I should’ve respected that you didn’t want to celebrate your birthday. It’s just that . . .” He put his hands in his pockets. “I know we haven’t known each other for long, but I wanted to do something special for you because you’re a great friend. You like me for who I am.”
“Of course I do.” A smile broke out on my face. “You’re caring, funny, and have great hair.”
“Now, that last one is the best compliment someone could ever give me.” He tossed his braids. “But seriously, you’re already one of us.”
“Thank you.” I sat at the nearest table. “When I first moved here, I didn’t think I’d make friends who make me feel at . . .”Home. The word was at the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t want to say it. I didn’t want to let go of my old life so quickly, but I also couldn’t hold onto the past. “At a better place,” I said instead.
Hayden nodded as he sat across from me. “Is there something I can do to make up for yesterday? Something the two of us could do?”
