“I’m busy,” he replied without an ounce of regret as he stole aglance at his phone.
“Oh, but you’realwaysbusy. You should come. Dev’s reallygood, and—”
Nate turned his head and with a heavy sigh said, “Kylie. Iunderstand that, inyourworld, people don’t have incredibly importantjobs. But Idohave an important job, and I can’t just drop everything,the second you want me to come over for dinner, or watch yourfriendplay his stupid guitar, okay?”
The scolding was demoralizing and without a moment to think, Idropped my fork to my plate and turned to him. “Wow, Nate. You know, you’vesaid somereally shittythings to me before, but that?That one takes the cake. I hope tonight, you and your iPhone will beveryhappy together.” I shoved my chair out from under the table, and stood, lookingfrom Britney’s blank stare to the anger flicking within Devin’s eyes, and said,“Sorry, guys.”
I stomped into my room, shut the door and flopped to my bed. Withthe paper-thin walls, I listened as a chair screeched against the floor and theheavy, steel-toed boots walked across the wooden floorboards, until the frontdoor opened. I smiled at the sound of Devin’s voice, demanding that Nate getthe hell out if he was too good for the rest of us, and moments later, the doorshut.
“Fuck him,” I heard Devin say to Britney, and I grinned into mypillow.
?
Half an hour later, a knock came at my door.
“It’s open,” I grumbled into my pillow, and Devin walked inwearing his pajama pants and a t-shirt.
“’Suddenly, I heard a tapping, as of someone gently rapping,rapping at my chamber door,’” he recited, fanning out a selection of horrormovies in his hands. He dropped down next to me on his stomach. “Okay, so wehaveThe Descent,The Conjuring, and, an oldie but a goodie,Scream.Which is itgonnabe?”
I lifted my head. “Oh, you’re not screwing Britney tonight?”
He shrugged, his cheeks pinking in the gentle glow of my room.“Nah, she went home.”
“Thank God,” I said breathing a sigh of relief. “I’m not in themood to listen to her little—what the fuck does she do? It sounds like a crossbetween a cat in heat and a horse and it’s fucking weird.”
Devin broke out in an embarrassed grin and something edging ongiggle territory as he flopped his face into my pillow. “OhGod, Iknow,” he groaned, shaking his head. “It’s horrible.”
“I’d wear ear plugs if I were you,” I laughed, shoving against hisarm. “I don’t know how you do it—”
“Oh, well,thatdoesn’t surprise me. If you ever dated arealman, you’dactually knowhow todo,it,”he said, lifting his head and nodding thoughtfully. “Nate looks like amissionary-only, lights-off type of guy. Go on, tell me I’m right.”
I groaned and rolled over to stare at the ceiling. “I’m notdiscussing my sex life with you.”
“Hey, you started it,” he said with a shrug. “I’m actuallyimpressed you even have one at all with a guy like that.”
“I know you hate him, Dev. You don’t need to remind me every timehe comes around.”
“Well, maybe if he came around more often, I’d get along with himbetter—”
“Or maybe you’d hate him even more,” I turned my head to glare athim.
“You don’t think very highly of me, do you?” He teased with hisown narrowedeyes, andnodded slowly. “Or,youdon’t think very highly ofhim…”
Truthfully, it wasn’t either. I just didn’t hold any relationshipon a pedestal, period. Not since meeting Devin and not since losing Dad. But Ididn’t need to tell him that.
“So, uh …” He chewed the inside of his cheek before saying, “Ifeel like we should talk—”
“Nope.”
“Come on, KJ. I know if I were Brooke you’d want to.”
“Devin ...” I groaned with a shake my head, sitting up andgrabbing the movies as I went. “Ireallydon’t want to talk about it.”
I climbed off the bed and walked out into the living room, where Ifound cups of iced tea and a bowl of popcorn on the table. I sunk my teeth intomy lower lip, just to keep from smiling at a time when I should have beenwallowing in sadness over my dickhead boyfriend.
“Can I just sayonething?” he asked, bounding after me.“Please?”
He was persistent. “Okay, fine,” I huffed. “One thing and thenyou’re cut off.”
