Brazen Tricks - Ali Dean Page 0,18

out, you know? And Brie Charles? All of you are going for the older ones.”

“Well connected too, can’t forget that,” Daisy adds, but I’m only half listening. I feel like an idiot.

“I’ve got to go,” I mumble. Am I supposed to thank them for this chat? For offering to help me? I mean they made it pretty darn clear it’s not out of goodwill, it’s to keep from getting shunned by their own sorority. Fortunately, I’ve got my board under my arm, and it allows me a quick getaway. I’m skating away before I can overthink whether I said too much or too little, the right thing or the wrong thing. I don’t know how to talk to girls like that, who’ve clearly got some sort of strategy in mind. Hell, Syd probably purposefully dropped that bomb about Zora to fluster me or make me doubt my friendships. Well, it certainly worked.

As I skate up to our condo complex, I watch Taylor’s car pull up. Lucy and Ellie hop out a moment later with takeout bags in hand. “Hey girl! Eat with us by the pool before you head to Jay Beach? We got enough to share,” Ellie calls.

I stop in front of them, unable to ignore the sinking sensation in my chest. “Did you guys know Zora’s in a relationship?” I ask.

Lucy snaps her head back like I slapped her and Ellie chuckles, waving her free hand. “Zora’s never had a boyfriend in her life. Why do you think she does now?”

My eyes move to Lucy’s. They aren’t hiding this from me, are they? Why would they?

“I mean, now that I think about it, she’s been gone a lot more than usual. Did she tell you she’s with someone? Who’s the guy?”

Relief fills me like oxygen and I can breathe normally again. “Maybe she hasn’t been here as much, but she’s been at Jay Beach a lot. And Sydney just informed me why.”

“Sydney? Where’d you see her?” Ellie is instantly suspicious, and side-tracked.

“Don’t believe anything that girl says,” Lucy tells me. “She’s on Team Fliss now.”

“I don’t know, maybe she was messing with me, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.”

“What’d she tell you?”

“That Zora is with Brie.”

Both girls stare at me, processing this, probably trying to decide if Sydney’s up to something.

I hear a cough and remember Taylor was driving. He’s standing by the hood. “Uh, how would Sydney know that?”

Ellie spins and points an accusing finger at him. “Wait, did you know this? Brie’s your roommate.”

Taylor’s eyes dart to the side as he adjusts his ball cap. “Uh, yeah, I knew. Zora asked us not to say anything yet since it’s still new.”

And that sinking sensation is right back, moving relief to the side. I’m now remembering Beck making some comment last weekend about all his roommates except Griff being in relationships.

I’m upset but I don’t know who I’m upset with. Maybe myself. Maybe we’ve all been so caught up with our boyfriends it’s our own fault Zora hasn’t confided in us. Because this isn’t only her first relationship. Judging by the mixture of confusion and hurt on Lucy’s and Ellie’s faces, she hasn’t come out to them either.

Lucy echoes my own thoughts when she breaks the silence. “I can’t decide if I’m angrier at myself for spending so much time with Coby that I wasn’t around to talk to or didn’t notice, or if I’m more angry with Zora for keeping this from us.”

“Especially when Taylor already knows!” Ellie exclaims, clearly leaning toward anger at Zora.

“Beck knows too, pretty sure,” I add. I mean, I get it put him in a tough spot if Zora asked him not to tell, but still, it sucks. Sucks knowing he had a secret from me.

Lucy sighs and rubs the space between her brows. “Well, she’ll be here in a few minutes. I just texted we’ve got food and to meet us at the pool. Was about to text you when we saw you,” she tells me. “Coby is coming too.”

So much for getting right to my homework so I can head to Jay Beach. I was planning on catching a ride with Taylor, but he’s got a bottle of some dark liquid in one hand and a six pack in the other, so looks like he’s planning to crash here.

Beck is meeting with his agent tonight after work, and I don’t want to ask him to drive here afterward. I’ll figure it out. Without