Things We Said Today

Chapter Twenty

I tugged at the bottom of my skirt and debated changing into one of the crumbled pairs of jeans on my bedroom floor. It was relatively warm out for mid-January, so it wasn't the weather that was making me debate my outfit choice. I just thought maybe I looked like I was trying too hard. That concern mostly revolved around the comments I was worried about getting from Nora and Evie more than anything I thought about myself. The process of changing again was too grueling of a notion, though... so I shrugged on a jacket and walked out into the hallway.

"Should we take an Uber or just hop on the N?" Nora asked when I walked into the living room. She was occupied by something on her phone screen, but her eyes widened slightly when she glanced up at me. "Wow... you look nice."

"I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not." I scoffed, swiping up my bag from the floor near the couch and putting it over my shoulder.

"Ben will be at the bar." Evie said as she walked into the living room, her heels announcing her entrance with loud clicks against the hardwood.

"I didn't pick my outfit with Ben in mind." I sneered, though the truth wasn't that far off. It just wasn't Ben I had been thinking about when I donned the skirt.

"You know, he was a little upset that you never called him last weekend." Evie raised her eyebrows as she glanced over at me.

"Okay?" I shook my head, "I'm not responsible for his emotions."

"Harsh." Nora spat out.

"I think you should give him another chance. We all really like him." Evie stated flatly.

"Doesn't really matter if you guys like him... you all aren't being pressed to date him." I shot back.

"Alright." Evie stuck up her hands in a display of innocence. "All I'm saying is don't count him out just yet. You only got to speak to him for a few minutes last weekend."

"Don't get your hopes up." I muttered under my breath as Nora and Evie began walking down the hallway toward the front door.

I imagined briefly, the scenario that would transpire if they knew what was going on between Jude and I. Certainly, they would stop pushing Ben on me... which would be a relief. But the judgment and ceaseless questions that would arise would most definitely be worse. I shook off the thought as I shoved my feet into my boots and met them outside.

"I hate when they don't pull up in front of the house." Nora grumbled as she began leading us a bit down the street, where our Uber had his flashers on, the driver absently looking at his phone in the front seat.

We piled into the back seat of the car, with me in the middle, of course. We were heading to some bar in the Inner Sunset. Apparently, they had live music on Tuesdays, so Eli wanted to try to get his foot in the door by beginning to frequent the place.

I didn't think his nagging presence would guarantee him a spot in the lineup, but I wasn't going to say that to him or Nora. Better for him to find out for himself.

"Are Jason and Ben meeting us there?" Nora asked Evie as she leaned over me.

Evie nodded vacantly as she typed something on her phone, "They're already there with Jude and Eli. They got us a big booth in the back."

My heart stammered at the mention of Jude's name, and I fiddled with the hem of my skirt to try to appear nonchalant.

"Perfect! Sophia just got there as well." Nora said as she locked her phone and threw it in her purse.