Page 22 of Try Hard
I laughed at her fake American accent, but I agreed. Fia had always been too cool for school, one of those people who belonged in the big, wide world and weren’t constrained by high school dynamics.
Soph propped herself up on one elbow. “Wait. So, that’s who you’re waiting for a message from? Fia Pendrick?”
My heart clenched. “Yeah. Yep.”
“For fuck’s sake,” she barked, flopping back down. “You always have the best luck.”
I stared down at her, confused about what was going on. “Sorry?”
“Can you give me her number? Give her my number?”
“Why would I—”
“Are you going to see her again soon? I’m coming with you!”
My head was spinning with the sudden change in energy. “Soph, what… is even happening right now?”
She laughed and sat back up. “FiafuckingPendrick.”
“I don’t think that’s her full name.” I fought a smile at her earlier comment about her middle name. She’d said it like I was going to find out what it was at some point. I couldn’t wait.
It definitely wasn’tfucking,though.
Soph pushed me with enough force it was clear she was trying to knock me backwards, but I’d had years of physical training and, while she had a high tolerance for needles decorating her skin, she was not about physical training. “Do you have any idea how many times I’ve masturbated over her? Fuck me.”
I blinked, my lips pressing into a thin line. “Say again?”
It wasn’t like Soph and I didn’t talk about sex. We’d grown up in a family where those things were openly discussed. Plus, we’d both come out as queer as teenagers, and we’d always been close. Still…
“Oh, come on,” she said forcefully. “Youhaveto have known how gorgeous she was. You weren’tthatbusy with sports. And you were the lucky one, getting classes with her and stuff.”
“You had a crush on your peer mentor,” I said slowly.
She rolled her eyes. “It’s not like it was that weird. And it’s not even like I was that secretive about it.”
“You never said.”
“Sure, not outright, but I talked about her all the time.”
That was true. I hadn’t wanted to see it, though, that my sister and I had a crush on the same girl. Sure, she’d talked about Fia a lot, but she hadn’t known much about Fia. Bits and pieces, but it was all about how Fia supported her, praised her, made her feel… Maybe Ishouldhave seen it. Being a queer teenager and having a pretty girl build you up…
I deflated. I really should have seen it.
“Is she still hot?” Soph asked demandingly. “Who am I kidding? Of course she is. I wonder how close my mental imageof her is to reality. Does she have tats? Does she want some? I’d do her for free.”
I fought the full body wince that quivered in every one of my cells.
My sister and I had a crush on the same girl. She still thought about her. Still… masturbated over her, maybe. I didn’t want to think about that.
Fuck me. I really was in trouble.
Chapter Seven
Fia
Iwas annoyingly cold by the time it was late enough to excuse myself and head to bed. It hadn’t beenthatcold out at Gatwick, but, for some reason, I hadn’t been able to warm up since we’d gotten home. Maybe I’d needed this break from work more than I realised, because one morning out with all of my dad’s friends had somehow wiped me out. One unexpected encounter with someone from my past surely wasn’t enough to explain all this?
I grabbed the TV remote and my phone, and clambered into bed, mentally thanking my mother for all of the extra blankets.
