Now I See You | ✓

Twenty-Nine

"Keep bouncing your leg like that and I'm going to smack you in the face," Josie threatens in a rather intimidating growl, eyes flashing. "I don't understand what the hell you're so nervous for. The man's obsessed with you."

Her words do nothing other than make me even more apprehensive than before. It's late Monday afternoon now and Josie's getting ready for her shift at Smith's tonight, while I'm sitting on the edge of her bed, whining about how I have no idea what to wear for my date tonight with Aubin.

He's actually not kept it a secret that we're going on a picnic tonight, because he teased me that it was only fair to tell me what we were doing so that I could choose what to wear.

Yet even then, I still don't know what to wear.

I mean, wear something warm, sure, because it's only early spring at the minute and it's the evening, but I have no idea other than that. Although, Josie's been joking that I shouldn't even wear a sweater, so that he's forced to give me his and we can have a cute moment.

I just roll my eyes at that one.

Honestly, I think I'm just psyching myself out over this. We've been friends with benefits for literally months and been teetering over the edge of more than that for a while now, too. It's not like he's going to turn around after this evening and decide that he doesn't want to do this anymore. Surely, if that was the case, he'd have made that choice a while ago, I think.

Still. I can't help the nerves. This is a real, official date, rather than just spending time together, or having sex.

Just the thought of it makes my palms sweat a little.

"I can't help it," I grumble quietly. "We've never done this before."

Pausing from swiping on her mascara, she glances at me through the mirror and her expression softens. "I know, but I think you're going to have a great time. It sounds like he's planned something great for you."

In fairness, that calms me down a little. I know that Josie – who's always seen him a bit more than Manal has because of parties at the football house – has been talking to Aubin a little here and there, but that makes it sound like she's been planning this with him, or at least helping him.

If he's trying to enlist the help of my friends – who, I think, are slowly becoming his friends, too – then that's only a good sign.

I blow out a breath, flopping backwards on the bed, because I'm a drama queen. "Right. Well, back to my first question. What am I supposed to wear tonight, then? Serious answers only."

"Wear those jeans that make your ass look great, and I dunno, a woollen jumper or something, so that you're making an effort and still staying warm. I'm sure Aubin'll do his best to keep you warm, though," she replies, turning back to the mirror, a smile playing around her lips.

Blushing, I prop myself up on my elbows so I can glare at her. "Whatever. Moving on, how are you finding work at the minute?"

Josie's eyes connect with mine through the mirror. "It's okay," she replies cautiously, as though she can sense where my head's at with this. "Josh doesn't work on Mondays like me, because he's got soccer practice. He works Tuesdays, I think, and then we often both work Fridays and Saturdays. It's been okay, we're all just looking out for each other."

I nod, sorrow filling my chest. Honestly, I don't really know why I've brought this up now, but we haven't talked about it in a while. The thought of them having to take extra precautions because of what Mason did makes me want to hurl.

"We're okay, though," Josie murmurs, putting her mascara away and turning to face me. "I swear. It's just, like, two of us take out the bins and stuff like that, you know?"