Noah's texts are basically just asking me if I got home safe, and asking me to talk. I text him in the morning to tell him I'm okay before I turn my phone off. Max shows up for breakfast, quickly able to tell that something's wrong. "What happened last night?" He whispers as Will dishes out portions of scrambled eggs, both of us waiting until he heads to the bathroom to talk safely. I spill everything that happened last night. "Oh, Ronnie." He hugs me and I gladly accept. Max gives out the best hugs. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine, it's just a guy." But that's a lie because for as long as I can remember, Noah Thurman's never been "just a guy". He was there when our parents died, he was there when I got my first boyfriend and my first heartbreak, and when I auditioned for cheer team and the school play and- everything. And maybe if he had stayed, he would have been more.
"So how was the party last night?" Will asks, smiling as he sits down to a plate of eggs.
"Loud," I laugh, and I can see Max frown a bit. I don't like lying to Will either. "But fun. How was your date last night?"
"How'd you know I had a date?" He raises an eyebrow in shock, and it makes me laugh.
"Your phone was going off with texts this morning. So who's Teresa?"
He turns red and mutters something that sounds like "shut up", and we all laugh. It feels normal. The doorbell rings and Will goes to get it.
"You sure you're okay?" Max asks, straightening out his messy curls, and I smile, nodding.
"Getting there."
"Ronnie, there's someone for you!" Wrapping a fluffy white cardigan over the oversized tee I'm wearing, I plod to the front door, where Will winks at me before leaving. Leo's standing there, dark sunglasses hiding his eyes from the heavy sunshine.
"Leo, hi."
"Hey Ronnie."
"What are you doing here?" I lean against the doorframe, hoping things don't get too awkward.
"Can we talk?" I nod and he sits on the doorstep, patting the space next to him. He winces when he looks at the sun.
"Headache?" He nods, rubbing his eyes.
"Yeah, hangover induced. Listen, about last night, I'm sorry if I crossed anything by kissing you, I was drunk out of my mind, and Vanessa and I had just broken up- and I'm not the type of guy to rebound, you have to believe me-"
"Leo," I laugh and put my hand on his to calm him down. "Everything's fine. It was a drunk kiss, no harm no foul." He exhales and smiles. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, why?"
"You said some things last night that worried me a bit, and I just want to know you're all good."
"Yeah, all good Ronnie, just some good old fashioned heartbreak." He smiles sadly, but wipes it away, patting my knee. "But I'll be fine, I'll get over it soon enough, it's just- you know when you think you're going to be together forever, but they prove you wrong?" I don't know what to say to make him feel better, so I just rub his back as his breath stabilizes. "I'm sorry, we're barely friends and I'm dumping my life story on you, I just- what are you doing?" I stand up and hold my hand out to him.
"Then let's be friends. You don't know me that well and I don't know you, so let's fix that. Friends?" Leo opens his mouth, then closes it, before smiling and shaking my hand. "Good," I pull him up. "Come on, let's get some breakfast into you, and I think we've got some painkillers for that headache."
YOU ARE READING
things we did when no one was looking
Genç Kurgu"What are you doing to me, V?" He asked, and I was surprised I could hear his voice over the thumping of my heart as he leaned in. - Veronica Ryder is a normal girl living in LA. She goes to college, watches crime shows with her best friend Max, and...
