Page 105 of Secret Puck
I’m grinning ear to ear when she finally looks up at me. “I think you should go for it. He and Taryn are done for good. She’s transferring at the end of the semester. Now’s your shot.”
“I don’t know. Now that you and I are so close, wouldn’t it be weird?”
I consider it for a few moments. “No, I don’t think so. Not unless we make it weird.”
“It’s probably not even worth worrying about. Honestly, he hasn’t noticed me in the three years we’ve known each other. I don’t think he sees me like that.”
“Only one way to find out.”
“Listen to you, dishing out advice while you’re hiding from your boyfriend.”
“I’m not hiding… I’m giving us some time to breathe.”
“And?”
“I prefer breathing his air.”
I turnmy phone on silent, stuff it in a desk drawer, and bury myself in schoolwork all afternoon. I don’t allow myself to think about anything else. That is until a pounding on my door breaks my concentration. My heart is in my throat waiting for Heath’s voice on the other side, but it’s Adam that calls, “Ginny, open up.”
I scramble off my bed and fling the door open. “Hey, what are you doing here?”
“I’ve been calling you all day.”
“Oh, uh, I turned my phone on silent while I caught up on schoolwork. What’s up?”
“I heard about last night.”
“Oh, that.”
“Yeah, oh that.” He moves my books out of the way and sits on my bed. “I’m sure it’s payback for meddling in your relationship with Heath, but I still can’t believe you went to so much trouble to get Taryn and me back together.”
Oooooh, right.That.
I sit and pull my pillow into my lap. “I know I overstepped. I thought you were having a reaction to Mom and Dad and I wanted to help. You’ve always looked out for me and I wanted to do the same for once.”
“Taryn said as much.”
“Are you mad?”
“No, I get it.”
“I’m sorry about you and Taryn.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“On the plus side, I know lots of girls who will be thrilled you’re single again.” One in particular, but that’s not my secret to tell.
His chest lifts and falls with a quiet chuckle. “I think I’m going to try being single for a change. With everything going on, I think the universe might be sending me a sign.”
“Single, huh? I can’t picture it.”
“Me neither.” He leans so his back rests against the concrete wall.
“I don’t think I’m doing as well with Mom and Dad as I thought either. I came back and threw myself into making plans with our friends because I wanted so badly to pretend everything was normal. But it’s not. I think it’s going to be weird for a while no matter what. Plus, uh, Heath and I are… I don’t even know.”
“Yeah, that’s actually why I’m here, but I figured that wouldn’t get me in the door.”
“You know?”
