Dear Love, I Hate You (Easton High)

Zac: Damn, I hadn’t even thought of that.

Zac: Thanks for the tip. Will do.

It’s official. I’m a self-sabotaging idiot.

Love: ZAC!

Zac: Relax, I’m kidding. I won’t ask around about you… if you tell me what you look like.

Love: You wish.

Zac: Come onnn. I’m not asking for a picture here. I just want a vague idea of who I’m talking to.

Love: Well, I’m a girl. And I’m eighteen.

Zac: Boring. I knew that already. Give me something new.

Love: Sucks to be you then, because that’s all you’re going to get. Anonymity pact remember?

Zac: BOO!

I’m about to text back when my phone pings with a message from Dia.

Dia: Party at Theo’s tonight. You’re coming.

Aveena: Isn’t Finn going to be there?

Dia: Don’t know, don’t care. I’m not going to hide from his cheating ass for the rest of senior year.

Dia: Oh, and Lacey invited us over to her place for the pre-drink. What time should I pick you up?

Aveena: I don’t know if I’m in the mood.

Dia: What? But you HAVE to come. I need you for moral support. That’s like the number one rule of the best friend code.

I wrestle with playing supportive friend for the night or letting her down easy. She did just get her heart broken. And I did say I wasn’t going to miss out on anything anymore.

Fuck it, why not?

Aveena: Pick me up at 9.

Xavier

“You told Lacey to do what?” Finn shouts over the deafening music, glowering at Theo as though he’s debating on letting him keep his balls. Being an unpleasant asshole is Finn’s MO these days, courtesy of his broken heart, but drunk Finn?

Theo is in for a treat.

“Look, man, I fucked up.” Theo holds his hands up. “I shouldn’t have told Lacey to invite whoever she wanted, but how was I supposed to know she’d invite Dia?”

“Gee, that’s a tough one. Maybe try using your fucking brain?” Finn leaps to his feet, crowding every inch of Theo’s space. “You know they’re friends. What the hell were you thinking?”

Theo’s fists contract, and he inhales noisily to keep his rage in line. “I said I was fucking sorry. What else do you want me to do, Richards? Uninvite them?”

Axel and I swap “should we intervene” glances from across the packed living room. Finn and Theo are equal in strength, our half drunk arm-wrestling tournaments last month can attest to that. I’d rather not see them in a fight. That shit would last for hours.

“Damn it, Cox, I don’t need my old plaything lurking around while I’m recruiting new pussy!” Finn snarls.

I almost laugh.