Most Likely (Most Likely #1) - Sarah Watson Page 0,61
“I think we might be eligible for a world record.”
Martha smiled. At least that would be one way to leave her mark on the world. She knew it was stupid, but she still cared about carving her name into that jungle gym. Martha pulled a gummy out of the bag and licked it.
“You’ve got this,” Victoria said. “For the world-record books. We’ll be remembered together.”
Right as Martha lowered her bear, her phone chimed from her pocket. Martha groaned. “If I move my hand, it’s going to fall.”
“Then we won’t be in the record book. No pressure.”
Martha mustered all of her focus. Her phone chimed again. Martha ignored it. She steadied her hand. Her phone chimed again. And again. Martha tried not to let it fluster her.
“Here,” Victoria said. “I’ll get it for you.”
Victoria slid up behind Martha, and as gingerly as she’d lowered the gummy bear, she slid her hand into Martha’s back pocket. Martha felt her body go rigid as Victoria carefully slid the phone—and her hand—up the length of Martha’s butt. Martha longed to turn around. She wanted to slide her hand into Victoria’s, and she wanted to tell her all her secrets.
Victoria pulled the phone out and looked at it. “It’s your friend Jordan.”
“Ignore it.” Martha was going to let the tower topple. She was going to turn around, and she was going to ask Victoria if she was feeling the same thing Martha was. “I don’t care about the park right now.”
“Uh, it’s not about the park,” Victoria said. “I think you’d better look at this.”
Scott put his blinker on and turned onto the freeway. Jordan typed a series of frantic texts to Martha.
Are you home?
Please tell me you’re home.
It’s a long story. I need you to pretend to be my roommate.
She knew Scott would insist on walking her to her door. He was that kind of guy. And she kind of wanted him to. She knew what it would mean if he offered.
WHERE. ARE. YOU?
Scott followed his GPS. It was a twenty-minute drive, and they chatted the entire time. Jordan kept a steady eye on her phone. There still wasn’t anything from Martha when he pulled up to the curb.
“Well,” Jordan said, “this is me.”
Scott glanced up at her building, then at her. “I’d better walk you to your door.”
Jordan tried to imagine what would happen when they got there. How would she explain that she didn’t have keys? She could knock. No, she couldn’t. Martha’s dad might answer. Now that he was working more normal hours, he was usually home at night.
“It’s okay,” Jordan said. “You don’t have to. Thanks for the ride.”
Jordan climbed out of the car and Scott did the same. “Jordan. I know the crime stats for this neighborhood. I’m walking you to your door.”
She looked at him, and he misread the hesitation on her face.
“I hope that didn’t come across as rude,” he said. “I don’t exactly live in a palace either.” He eyed Martha’s building. The one he thought was hers. “This is nicer than mine and I can barely afford my rent.”
Jordan wasn’t quite sure how to respond. “First apartments,” she said. “Am I right?”
Scott laughed. “Exactly. I think it’s like a requirement to have a place like this when you’re in your twenties. If we’re still living in shitholes when we’re thirty, then we can worry.”
They both turned when they heard footsteps.
“Hey, roomie,” said Martha as she walked up to them. Jordan couldn’t tell if she’d overheard them talking or not. “You just getting home too?” Jordan gave Martha a complicated look, imploring her not to ruin this and apologizing all at the same time. Martha turned to Scott. “Hi. I’m Martha. Jordan’s roommate.”
He shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Thanks for getting her home,” Martha said. “I got it from here. We always walk together at night. You can never be too safe in these shithole neighborhoods.” Jordan laughed awkwardly. Martha turned to her and destroyed her with her gaze. “First apartments, am I right?”
She’d heard it. She’d heard everything. Jordan felt awful. Worse than awful. She barely looked back at Scott. “Thanks for… everything. Good night.”
“Night, Jordan,” he said. “Nice meeting you, Martha.”
Martha’s voice brimmed with anger and hurt. “The pleasure was all mine.”
Jordan waited until Scott drove away from the curb to say something to Martha. “I am so sorry. So incredibly, deeply sorry.”
Martha shrugged. “Forget it,” she said, voice cool. “I’m sure it was worth making fun of my home to save the