Oh shit. Maybe Monique?
It would be just like her to do something shitty like this.
“Well?” Sasha says snottily. “Is that it? Are you going to run off and get with Addison next?”
“You know she’s just a friend—”
“Ha! Please. That’s what you all say. ‘Oh, she’s my friend, that’s it.’” Sasha leaps to her feet and points at me. “Did you fuck her?”
“What? No, of course not. I’m with you.”
“Not anymore. You just broke up with me.” Sasha crosses her arms once more. “Her family lives two streets over. You going over to her house after you leave here?”
Damn, Sasha seems downright jealous of Addison, which is crazy. She’s leaving for college in a month. She could have any guy she wants. Why is she acting like this?
“No, I’m not going over to her house. It’s not like that between Addie and me. Like I said, we really are just friends.”
Sasha rolls her eyes. “Whatever. I hear she’s talking with Liam Thatcher anyway, so good luck with that.”
Word travels fast around here. Sasha doesn’t really hang out with my crowd. She’s already graduated for the love of God, yet she knows all the gossip. About me and Addie. Addie and Liam.
“Who are you talking to?” I ask her.
“None of your business.” She tilts her head up, her nose in the air. “You’ll regret this.”
“Regret what? Breaking up with you?” I ask incredulously.
I doubt that.
“Don’t sound so pleased with yourself. I was the most popular girl at school. All the boys would’ve killed to get with me, yet you reject me every chance you get. Something’s wrong with you, Beck. Like you’re some sort of weird prude—are you studying for the priesthood maybe?”
She laughs at her own joke and I stand, looming over her.
“I used to really like you,” I say, my voice low. Her laughter dies as she stares up at me. “As a friend. As my girlfriend. I thought we could remain in contact after this, but maybe not. You’re just bitter now. And mean. Have fun at Davis, Sasha.”
“You’re a dick, Callahan!” she yells after me, as I practically run down the porch steps and sprint toward my car. I can still hear her yelling as I climb into my 4Runner and slam the door, muffling the sound of her screaming as she appears on the steps, her mouth moving, but I can’t hear the words.
Thank God.
I start the engine and press my foot on the gas, revving the engine. That annoys the crap out of her and she starts down the stairs, marching across the lawn and headed straight toward me.
I shift into drive and get the hell out of there, glancing in my rearview mirror at the last second to see her standing on the sidewalk, shaking her fist into the sky.
Well damn.
That was fun.
Not.
SEVEN
ADDIE
It’s late. Past eleven and I can’t sleep. As if I’m a little kid excited about going back to school tomorrow. Though I wouldn’t call myself excited over starting my senior year.
More like anxious. Nervous.
Things are going to be different. It’s my last first day of school as a kid. Jonah and I are no longer together. Liam is interested in me, and while I like texting with him, I don’t necessarily think he’s my type.
Emma is being weird, which I don’t get. Yet Tori is more supportive than ever.
There’s a shift in the air. I can feel it. Is it a good shift or a bad one?
I’m not sure yet.
After scrolling through TikTok for the last hour, I switch to Instagram, going into my search and looking up Beck’s profile. I scroll through the photos like a pathetic stalker, frowning when I realize it’s mostly football shots. There is a photo of him with his dad and brother. Then more football.
There’s a photo of him holding his niece Kenzie—Ava’s daughter.
Not one photo of Sasha is anywhere on his feed.
I sit up, the comforter falling to my lap as I go back and search Sasha’s name, pulling up her profile. Her profile pic was a photo of her and Beck. Now it’s a photo of her looking extra cute on a boat in the middle of a lake, sunglasses on and a big smile on her face.
I get out of IG and open up my text messages, ready to text Emma first, but realizing she’ll probably turn the conversation toward herself. I text Tori instead.
Me: Did you hear anything about Sasha and Beck breaking up?
She answers immediately.
Tori: Nooo. Have they?
Me: Go check out their IG.
I impatiently wait while she looks over their profiles. Eventually she responds.
Tori: DUDE I THINK THEY BROKE UP.
Me: Right??? She’s off his profile and he’s not on hers.
Tori: And did you see her story? What a thirst trap.
I immediately go check it out. It’s a boomerang video of her in a tank top that’s scooped so low her tits are practically falling out as she leans into the camera, her eyes closed while she’s sticking her tongue out. I watch it a few times, noting how her makeup is perfect and her hair looks amazing as usual. She posted it only an hour ago and it’s captioned, “So bored.”
Me: Total thirst trap.
Tori: She wouldn’t post like that if she and Beck were still together. They’re through! OMG!
She sends me a string of bug-eyed emojis.
I shouldn’t be excited. A breakup is tough. I wonder who broke up with who? I hope Beck isn’t suffering.
Tori: You can console Beck through his tough time.
She basically stole the thought right out of my head.
Me: We’re friends.
Tori: With the potential for more.
Me: I’m kind of talking to Liam.
Tori: Please. If it’s Liam vs Beck, I’d tell you to go for BECK. That boy is fire.
Now she sends me a string of fire emojis.
And she’s not wrong. He’s fire. Sweet yet hot. Great on the football field. Stacked with muscles. Flat abs and thick thighs and pretty blue eyes. Oh, and that mouth…
Me: Fine. He’s fire.
Tori: You’ve already got the in with him too. You should go for it!
Me: What if he’s traumatized by the breakup?
Tori: He didn’t seem so traumatized over Sasha when he was hanging out with you Saturday night.
That meant nothing. Yes, he grabbed my hand, but come on. It was a friendly grab. He was still with Sasha then too.
Me: That’s different. They were still together Saturday night.
Tori: Yeah, but she was in Tahoe acting the ho while Beck was with you in your car.
Me: You make it sound so scandalous. And you shouldn’t call Sasha a ho.
Tori: Um…I heard a rumor…
Me: What did you hear???????
My phone rings, indicating a FaceTime call from Tori. I answer it to find she’s sitting in bed in the dark, the phone illuminating her face and making her look a little freaky.
“Too much to type out. Thought I’d just call you,” Tori says.
“What rumor did you hear? And from who?”
“My sister! She’s so well-connected.” Paisley is going to be a sophomore, and she’s more popular than her big sister. She was homecoming princess of the freshman class. She’s on the cheer team. Everyone knows Paisley. “One of her best friend’s is Jayden Mansfield’s little sister, Callie. Her brother has been home for the summer, working with their dad and she overheard him talking to his friends, telling them he was going to Tahoe to hook up with Sasha over the weekend.”