Pepper never meant to lose her best friend. Lucas never meant to fall in love.
Yet the aftermath of broken hearts leads them to blur the lines of their friendship forever. When Pepper is dumped by her boyfriend and Lucas is led on by his crush, they...
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"WHY ARE YOU wearing a giant bow?" Lena's cat-like eyes follow me like I've officially lost my mind.
Strolling into the living room, I open my mouth to answer, but Elliot jumps in first. "Because it makes her look like Madonna from back in the eighties." He rolls his eyes in the most dramatic fashion as he's had to deal with my slight obsession with the generations before me for quite a few years now.
Martsia snorts and nods with vigor, loose bun flipping back and forth atop her head. "You actually do. If your hair was a little poofier."
Elliot merely folds his arms from his seat in front of the sofa and throws me a flat look. "Amber wants to live in the eighties so bad. She always thinks she looks like Madonna."
"I do!" I skip over to them and join them on the carpet next to him and in front of the girls. "If I could sing, I'd give her a run for her money."
"And why is this costume piece at Elliot's house and not yours?" Lena inquires.
I scoff. "Costume? This accessory is here because Elliot likes to steal from my wardrobe."
"To keep her from wearing it," he explains quickly.
"I don't know." I wiggle my brows and rub my shoulder into his. "I think Elliot secretly likes my style and wishes he could pull it off as well."
Martsia bursts into a fit of giggles and cocks her head to the side. Her rosy cheeks practically glow in amusement. "I think you'd look so cute in a bow!"
Elliot lifts a dark brow and scrunches his lips as if he's considering it. He snatches the black bow off of my head and places it atop of his. "What do you think?" he asks while posing his hands under his chin.
"Fabulous, darling." I wink before snatching it back.
"So, where's Dominic and Pepper?" Lena runs her hands together like a predator preparing to feast on its prey. "I'm ready to get these game started."
Elliot checks his phone while pursing his lips. "Dominic is going to be late. I texted Pepper but she hasn't gotten back to me yet."
Martsia's mouth curves under with a show of concern. "She said she was sick so she can't make it."
Disappointment settles into my bones. "That sucks. I hope she's okay. I was looking forward to making up for bailing on the first party."
I don't know the girls that well, but I was hoping to get closer to them. Elliot's really been my only friend since middle school. If Lucas and I are going to take things to a romantic level, it's only right to get to know his friends. Plus, I've always been curious about Martsia and Lena. Ever since I met them, their dynamic has felt a bit off to me. Even now I can tell that Lena watches her more keenly than most people do in relationships.
