Page 23 of Practice Makes Perfect
Lea lets out an exasperated sigh and puts a hand on my shoulder. “You know what I think?” she says.
“That Professor Simmons is hoping some rich lister’s kid hits on her? Because IswearI saw her bend over right in front of Duncan Ives in averyshort skirt…”
She continues, ignoring my brilliant deflection. “Your exhaustion strategy is working as well as your ‘date nerds’ strategy. You’re still thinking about him.”
I drop the pretense. “It’s been two weeks, Lea. Why is he still in my head? I literally ran away from his apartment like it was on fire.”
“Maybe because you like him?”
“Nope.” I shake my head. “I like the idea of a nice, safe, boring guy who doesn’t have an entire campus fan club dedicated to his bedroom skills.”
My phone pings again with a text from Grandma:
Are you watching yet? You could learn something!
I groan and show Lea the text. “See, even my grandmother is judging my love life.”
“Your grandmother is my hero,” Lea says with a grin. “We’ll keep at it, Em, but promise me you’ll stop grinding yourself into dust?”
I suddenly find my couch cushion endlessly fascinating. The worn blue fabric has a tiny mustard stain from move-in day in the first semester that I’ve never been able to remove, despite the nine different cleaning solutions I’ve tried. It’s really quite intriguing if you?—
“Em.” Lea snaps her fingers in front of my face, knowing me well enough to know that I’m avoiding the topic. “Promise me.”
“What are you doing now, anyway?” I ask, executing a conversational pirouette worthy of the New York City Ballet. “You could watchLove Match…”
Lea narrows her eyes, clearly recognizing my deft subject change, but mercifully lets it slide. “Love to, but I’m going to the hockey game with Declan.”
My thoughts shoot to Linc again, and my stomach does a weird flutter thing. “Oh, cool,” is all I can manage to say.
“Mike’s having a rough time,” she continues. “He actually admitted it, which is basically apocalyptic in Mike-world.”
“Sounds familiar,” I say, scoring a point back on her, given she’sexactlythe same. “The Altman family crest is a stoic face with a single tear, right?”
She laughs. “Pretty much. Anyway, he asked if I’d come to the game. I’m meeting Declan there, and we’re going to hang after. You should come.”
I nod, trying to look supportive while simultaneously wondering if Linc will be at this hang. Of course he will. Hockey players travel in packs, like wolves or sorority girls heading to the bathroom. And half the team saw me making out with Linc before I fled from him an hour later.
Which means I donotwant to see himorthem.
“Thanks, but…” I spread my arms dramatically across the couch. “I have become one with this furniture. We have merged into a single organism. Scientists would have to classify me as a new species:Homo sapiens couchius. I will not move for approximately six hours.”
“Right.” Lea raises an eyebrow. “And this has nothing to do with a certain hockey player who might be there?”
“Who? I know no hockey players. Hockey? Is that the one with the stick and the little black circle thing?”
“You’re ridiculous.” She grabs her keys from the hook by the door. “Text me if you change your mind. Game starts at seven.”
“Have fun watching men chase frozen rubber!” I call as she heads out the door, and I can almost see the eye roll through the back of her head as she closes it.
The moment she’s gone, I dive for my phone and pull up my food delivery app. It’s Friday night, I’m alone, and I’ve spent two weeks working my ass off—in class, at the restaurant, and at dance school—trying not to think about Linc Garcia. This calls for comfort food of the most excessive variety.
I vacillate between Chinese food and sushi, then unmute the TV. Brett and Tiffany are now on a beach, making out with entirely too much tongue. My grandmother is right—I could learn something from this show, mainly what not to do if I ever want to maintain my dignity.
I pull up my text thread with Grandma and respond to her last message:
Watching now. Brett and Tiffany are gross. He’s definitely cheating with Jessica.
Her response is immediate:
