Don't Go There (Awkward Love 5)

“Beautiful,” I murmur.

“Stop pointing that thing at me.” Her eyes narrow as she smiles at the camera.

“Oh, shut up. You know you love it.”

I roar with laughter. Darcy Westin is someone I haven’t thought about since she kicked me in the balls back in junior year—no doubt after I said something offensive to her. She was good stock back then. Always ready with a witty retort and fiercely loyal to her friends, particularly Katie.

Katie eyes widen. She grabs Darcy’s arm, who frowns at her, but then her eyes spark with realization and she starts laughing.

“What’s wrong?” That’s Lily

Katie flushes. “This song …” She shakes her head. “It’s nothing.”

“What?” Lily asks, giggling. “Since when do you freak out over Maroon 5?”

“Oh God, this?” Darcy groans. “Kat played this song all the damn time when she was in love with Adam Jenkins. Hey, remember how you were saving your virginity for him?” She hunches forward, laughing her ass off. “I guess it’s not too late, huh?”

“Shut up,” Katie cries, laughing. “God, that was so tragic, huh? I really loved him.”

“You were head over heels.” Darcy giggles. “You worked him into every fucking conversation possible. I could be telling you about my dying grandma or my explosive diarrhea and you’d work Adam in there somehow.”

“We are talking about the same Adam Jenkins, right?” Lily asks in disbelief. “The one who tortured you?”

“Well, this was obviously way before that.” Katie replies as she rolls her eyes. “There’s no faster cure for a crush than the guy turning out to be an absolute asshole.”

“How come I never knew any of this?” Lily asks.

Katie and Darcy exchange a look.

“It wasn’t just you,” Katie assures her. “I didn’t want anyone knowing. Darcy only knew because she read my diary,” Katie adds, narrowing her eyes at her friend.

“Oh yeah. Your diary was a riot.” She snorts. “Love letters, poems, it was like a shrine to everything Adam.” Darcy starts laughing. “Oh God. Remember that song you wrote for him? I’ve never cringed more than when you sang that for me. I wanted to die for you.”

Katie buries her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking as she laughs.

“Yes,” she moans. “How embarrassing. Thank Christ it was you that I subjected it to and not him. Can you imagine how horrifying it would’ve been if I had the nerve to sing it to him?” She shudders.

She wrote me a song?

My lips twitch. That’s kind of adorable, in a stalkerish, is she going to murder me in my sleep, kind of way. I had no idea she even liked me like that.

Lily giggles. “Do you remember how it goes?”

“The song? It’s forever imprinted on my mind, but there’s no way in hell I’m singing it for you,” Katie declares. “Ever.”

“Because you’re too much of a pussy?” Darcy taunts, her eyes flashing.

“Katie’s scared of a lot of things,” Lily confirms. “She used to get her mom to check her bed every night for caterpillars.”

“Lily,” Katie hisses.

“Why the fuck would there be caterpillars in your bed?” Darcy snorts. “Though it does kind of explain your irrational fear of butterflies. I mean, what kind of seven-year-old goes around squashing butterflies?”

“One who’s been traumatized after her mother arranges a surprise birthday party in the butterfly enclosure, after her best friend insisted they were her favorite,” Katie growls.

“Oh God, that was perfect, wasn’t it?” Darcy giggles, shaking her head. “The way you screamed and jumped around, it was like you’d been put in a tank full of spiders.”

“I’d have preferred that.”

“Three of my friends needed counseling after watching you go all serial killer on those poor little butterflies.” Lily giggles.

Darcy roars with laughter. “Kat, you’re a childhood horror urban legend. Forget about the bogeyman. I present you with…Catterkiller!”

Catterkiller, Catterkiller,” Lily chants.

“Just don’t say it in front of the mirror,” Darcy warns her.

“I think I preferred you two hating each other.” Katie frowns. She rolls her eyes. “If it will shut you both up, I’ll sing the damn song.”

Darcy and Lily cheer as Katie stalks up onto the stage, then faces the crowd.

“This one’s for you, Adam Jenkins.”

“You could’ve had it all, I would’ve given it to you raw,

You’re all I thought about, I wanted you without a doubt,

You were where I wanted to be, you were where I most felt me,

I wanted you to love me, I wanted you above me,

I was so glad I found you, I wanted to surround you,

And feel you slide deep inside, there was no need for me to hide

Then my world turned upside down, and my smile became a frown

Because you broke my heart, you hurt me so muuuuuch …”

I sit forward, laughing so hard that I nearly drop the phone.

Holy shit.

The noble thing would’ve been to stop watching when the singing started, but I’m not known for my nobility. I shake my head, because I think I’m in shock. I feel awful about laughing, but what other reaction is there? And God, those lyrics … I close my eyes, cringing just thinking about them. God, she would die if she knew I’d seen this.