Page 82 of Wish You Were Mine
“So…” Nora leaned over and bumped her shoulder into mine. “Where were you last night?”
I paused. Not sure if I actually dared tell her.
When I’d gotten home this morning, there had been no time to talk. I had to quickly shower, switch out my backpack for my Wednesday classes, give my phone a quick charge, and then rush out the door with Nora, practically running the whole way and promising that I’d explain everything once we were here.
But…could I actually trust her?
I mean, not that anything bad or super forbidden had happened. I’d simply fallen asleep at my professor’s house on accident.
But…most students didn’t know where their professors lived. Or had casual text sessions with them on the weekends.
“You said you’d tell me when we got here,” Nora said, prodding me. “Come on, Lucy. The only times you ever haven’t come home were when you stayed with Josh. So, were you with another guy?”
I bit my lip and drew in a deep breath before saying, “Yeah… I mean…not in the way that you’re probably thinking. But I did stay at someone’s house last night.”
“Who is it?” Nora asked, her eyes wide with intrigue. “Anyone I know? Brody, perhaps?”
“No, definitely not Brody,” I hurried to say. “We’re only friends.”
Though…technically, Owen and I were only friends, too…If that was the right word for it.
Acquaintances, maybe?
We certainly weren’t dating or anything like that.
“So?” Nora prodded.
“Okay,” I exhaled, knowing she wasn’t going to back off until I gave her something. “But you have to promise you won’t tell anyone.”
“Ooh, so it’s one ofthosesecrets?” Nora sat up straighter, instantly intrigued. “Then I won’t tell a soul. Cross my heart.” She held up her hand like she was swearing an oath, then made an exaggerated zipping motion across her lips.
I hesitated again. Because once I said it, there was no taking it back. Once someone else knew about it, it would be more real.
But knowing it was too much of a secret to keep all to myself, I folded forward, staring down at my toes so I wouldn’t have to look at her as I whispered, “I was at Owen’s apartment last night.”
“Owen…” Nora froze, repeating his name slowly. “As in…New Year’s Eve Owen?”
I nodded, still not looking at her.
And then, in a stage whisper laced with shock and glee, she said, “As in, yousleptat your professor’s house?”
“Shhhhh!” I hissed, jerking my head upright and scanning the gym to make sure no one—especially Coach Chambers—was in earshot.
A few of the other girls were stretching across the floor, but no one seemed to be paying attention.
Still, I scooted a little closer to Nora and lowered my voice. “You’re making it sound like I sleptwithhim. I didn’t. I just…crashed on his couch. Nothing happened.”
“Nothing happened?” she asked, a hint of disappointment in her tone. “Not even a little kiss?”
“No!” I said, probably a little too quickly. “Of course not!”
She gave me a look. “Well, that’s too bad.”
I opened my mouth to say something, then closed it again.
Because…was it?
I mean, of course it was better that nothing had happened.
