“Cooper said you two used to be friends,” she says.
“Yeah.” I glance at him. “Used to be.”
“I’m glad my old dress came in handy,” she says, her eyes trailing over me. “Looks way better on you than it did on me.”
“Thanks,” I force out. I try not to compare myself to other girls, but the idea of a who-wore-it-best moment between me and Chloe threatens even my sense of self-confidence.
She turns back to Cooper, whose eyes are on me. “Speaking of dresses,” she says, and he gives her his attention. “My mom and I went shopping this morning, and I got my homecoming dress. I’ll send you a picture so you can match the color.”
Oh.
Cooper and Chloe are a thing.
I don’t know why that never occurred to me. I’ve seen them together a thousand times over the last two weeks.
I also don’t know why I hate the idea so much.
Get a grip, Ellis.
“Sounds good,” Cooper says to her.
Chloe smiles. “Okay, well”—her eyes bounce between me and Cooper—“I’ll leave you two to your private party. Nice to meet you, Ellis. See you later, Coop.”
I stare ahead, out at the couples and families sitting at thetables drinking their apple cider and having a good time.
“The dress does look good on you,” he says quietly to my left.
I close my eyes and press my lips together. I know he’s trying to be nice and make me feel better, knowing I’m probably comparing myself to his gorgeous girlfriend since she wore it last year, butdo we have to talk about the dress?
“Thanks.” I turn to him. “So, you and Chloe, huh?”
“What about us?” he asks, even though we both know what I’m asking.
“She seems nice. You two are cute together.”
“Oh yeah?” He chews the inside of his cheek and says nothing else as an announcement is made, reminding people about the raffle. People swarm the table, and Cooper and I are busy for the next twenty minutes, falling into an easy flow, working seamlessly together.
Once the rush clears, Cooper says, “Chloe and I aren’t together.”
“Really? Are you sure?” I ask.
“I think I’d know,” he says.
“Does Chloe?”
He draws his eyebrows together, in either confusion or annoyance—hard to say. “Yes, she’s aware. Why are you asking?”
I shrug. “Was thinking I might become one of the Gossip Girls.”
But my joke doesn’t land. Cooper only continues staring at me, waiting for a real answer.
“You’re going to homecoming together, and she definitely seems into you. I was just curious,” I say. “I’m only here a coupleof months, but I’d still like to know what’s going on around me. That’s all.”
“Right,” he says. But he’s looking at me like I just admitted to being into him. Like I just asked him out. A combination of panic and embarrassment sends me into fight-or-flight mode.
“What about Jake?” I blurt, as if I care in the slightest whether Jake is single. And I think it’s safe to assume I’d know by now if he weren’t.
Cooper looks away. “Jake’s single.” He taps his thumb on the table a few times before adding, “And so is Slug, in case you were wondering.”
