Do I? I give Liv my best answer, “Sometimes.”
She crumples onto my bed. “What is going on with you? You meet this hot guy and all of a sudden you’re a different person.”
“I’m not,” I insist. “I’m the same person I’ve always been, I’m just…branching out a little. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop going to parties and stuff.”
“What about Zander?”
“What about him?”
Liv’s eyes cut to the door Leo just walked out of.
“I’m not going to cheat on Zander,” I assure her. “And if he’sworried about me being friends with Leo, well then, we’ll talk about it. Like civilized adults.”
She snorts. “Good luck with that.”
Yeah, who am I kidding? Civilized adults? Just because Zander hasn’t mentioned Leo since the day after Halloween, that doesn’t mean the line he drew isn’t still deep in the sand. Subconsciously, I know this. Otherwise, why all the paranoia and sneaking around?
“Come on.” I pat Liv on the knee. “Let’s get these applications done. How are you coming along on that essay?”
She heaves a sigh and glowers over her shoulder at her laptop. “I’m not.”
“Bring it over.”
We stretch out on my bed and spend the rest of the evening making her writing A-plus perfect. And if my eagerness to get those applications in isn’t enough to convince her I’m still the same me, my behavior on our double date Friday night should seal the deal.
For dinner, Zander and Braden take us to a speakeasy in Asheville. After two hours of mixed drinks, Liv and I are pink-cheeked and giggly. I suck the liquid off the apple-slice garnish in my Appletini and pretend I’m a flapper smoking one of those long cigarettes.
I lay a hand on Zander’s shoulder. “Hey there Daddy, could you give a gal a light?”
He grins and feeds me the rest of my apple slice instead.
“Darling, this cocktail is dee-vine,” Liv giggles, taking a drag off her straw.
I flip my ratty fleece scarf over my shoulder like I would a feather boa. “Have you been practicing the Charleston? It’s the cat’s pajamas.”
Even though he’s sober, Braden is laughing, probablyatus, notwithus. He snatches up his car keys and says to Zander, “I think it’s time to get them out of here and go somewhere dark.”
Zander leans close to me, running a hand up my thigh. “Come on, babe. Let’s go dancing.”
“Alright.” I grab his fingers. “But handsoff the gams.”
Once we get to the nightclub, Liv cuts loose, attaching herself to Braden like a koala to a eucalyptus tree. She’s always been an amorous drunk, but with Braden it’s Katy-bar-the-door. Zander and I catch her fever, grinding together to the throbbing techno beat and making out every time our mouths pass within a few inches of each other.
Braden rolls his eyes and tells us to get a room.
“Give me your keys,” I say, holding out a hand. “We’ll use your car.”
Zander squeezes me and his blue eyes flash hot. “Fuck yeah.”
“Fuck no,” Braden snorts, disappearing into the crowd with Liv hanging off his neck.
Needless to say, things get wild once Zander and I are alone in his room at O-Chi. Wild enough that I don’t worry about Liv or Leo or sororities.This works, I think as I’m perched on the edge of his dresser, my legs wrapped around his hips and my shoulders pressed to the wall.This is good, me and Zander. It’s the way it should be.
Finally worn out, we collapse onto his bed, me still in his arms.
“Great night,” he murmurs, already half asleep. “I should take you out more often.”
I manage a hum of agreement and fall asleep on his chest.
