given. Hearing that sound was worse than any prank or name or insult I’ve endured. I can’t go to Florida with him now, can’t trust him again after that kind of betrayal. I blink back a fresh wave of tears. At least I can thank him for putting me on the right path, helping me chase down my phobias. Pushing me to follow my passion for cooking. But our traveling together, our relationship, it ends here.
I swallow another sob.
“Man, you think loud.” Leigh squints at me, her angled brows pulled together. “You need to get that shit under control. I’d recommend drugs.”
“Leigh,” I whisper-yell, glancing at the two other girls getting dressed. They glance our way before getting on with their routine. “Don’t go shouting words like drugs. And how come everyone knows when I’m thinking? Is there a sign on my forehead that says ‘deep in thought’?”
“First, DRUGS,” she says full volume, a huge smirk on her face. I try to kick her but she blocks my feet with her hand. “Second.” She drops her voice. “You drag your teeth over your lip and move your eyes a bunch. You know, like when dogs are dreaming and their eyes roll around? It kind of looks like that.”
“Seriously? I twitch like a sleeping dog?” No wonder Sam laughed at my expense. “That explains a lot,” I mumble.
“Actually, it explains nothing. What does need explaining is your meltdown just now. I already have two texts from Man-candy asking what’s up.”
I look over at my phone, hating the thickness building in my throat. It’s buzzing, but I don’t check the messages. “Just tell him I had some bad news from home, a sick dog or something. I can’t deal with him right now. And aren’t you supposed to be with Paige? I thought you guys were going to the botanic gardens. And…shoot. I didn’t even ask if things are okay after, you know, Reese and the Facebook thing.”
“That’s a lot to toss at a girl first thing in the morning, but I’ll do my best.” She winks at me. “Reese took off. Good riddance. I’m getting a mix of cool and not cool replies to the post, but being halfway across the world makes it sting less. Paige is doing laundry. I just texted her that my girl needs me. So like it or not, I’m spending the day with you. And sick dog? Should I tell him it ate your homework, too?” When I give her my angry-old-lady face, she leans back, her hands raised in front of her eyes. “God, Nina. You’re pretty hot, but I don’t suggest doing that around Sam. It is not a good look for you.” I throw a lame punch at her arm. “Sick dog it is,” she says.
I take a couple of Advil while she lies to Sam on my behalf, then she stares me down. “With that out of the way, the least you can do is entertain me. Begin the Nina-Sam saga.” She fans her hand through the air like a conductor.
I hunch over my crossed my legs, picking at a smear of dried paint on the comforter. It matches the blue walls. Judging by the sharp smells in here, I’m guessing they were painted recently. “It’s a long story,” I say, still focused on the stain. She waits patiently, until it all spills out: the Public Speaking Incident. Sam’s promises.
Pininfarina. How watching him laugh at me was worse than the time Tracy Evans hid a fish in my locker.
When I’m done, drained, cried out, completely exhausted, she answers as only Leigh can. “You know I have to watch it, right? I have to see that video.”
I wipe my eyes and glare at her. “You can’t be serious.”
She winces, scrunching her nose. “That face, Nina. That face.” She waves her hands at me. “You need to stop with that face.”
I bite my cheek and pout. Stupid angry-old-lady face. Add that to my arsenal of surefire turn-offs, next to twitches like a sleeping dog, and it’s all too clear why Sam so easily laughed at me.
She lets out a lengthy breath. “Look. If I don’t watch it, I’ll spend all my time wondering what you did, coming up with crazy stuff and blowing it up until I can’t even look at you. If I see it, then I’ll laugh once, and we can move on.” She pins me with her dark eyes. “Resistance is futile.”