Stuck with You - Alexandra Moody Page 0,77

my party early. It was strange to think how difficult it had been to find a free Saturday night in their schedule when now it was completely free. Thanks to the pandemic, most weddings were canceled. If only the wedding they shot in Mexico had been a few weeks later, they never would have got into this mess.

For a moment, Zoey looked slightly confused, but she quickly turned defensive. “Are you telling me that because you’re worried I’ll forget? I’m your bestie, Clary. Your bestie. Those other bitches we’re friends with might forget, but not me. I know that date better than my own birthday.”

She sounded really offended, so I rushed on. “No, I know you won’t forget. I was just thinking that it sucks I can’t have the party we’d planned.”

“Ugh, I know,” she agreed. “I’d prepared the best makeup look for you too. I don’t know why you wanted to have a Halloween party for your eighteenth, but I was going to make you look totally hot.”

“You know how much I love Halloween.”

“Yeah, but you like it for all the wrong reasons. You’re supposed to like it so you can wear cute outfits, not so you can watch scary movies that make it impossible to sleep at night.” I’d forced Zoey into watching a horror movie marathon with me a few years back, and she still hadn’t forgiven me.

“It’s going to be weird celebrating it without you,” I said. It was going to be even weirder to celebrate without my parents. I wished I could somehow stop time so I wouldn’t have to turn eighteen without them.

“I know,” Zoey replied. “But don’t worry, we’ll still have your party once lockdown ends. Your parents will be back by then, and it will be epic, I promise.”

“I hope so.”

I didn’t know how she could be so sure, but I appreciated her optimism. Zoey always knew the right thing to say, and it made me wonder if perhaps it wouldn’t be the worst thing to tell her the truth about what happened with Aiden. I needed to talk to someone, and I told my best friend everything. Now wasn’t the time to start keeping secrets from her.

“So, you mentioned I missed a call from you last night,” I started. “I might have missed it because something happened…” Man, this was hard. How did I even begin?

“Something?” Her eyes brightened with intrigue. “Something good or something bad?” she asked when I didn’t answer straightaway.

I couldn’t seem to respond.

“Clary…”

“Something like… I made out with Aiden!” The words burst from my lips, and I covered my face in embarrassment as Zoey started to squeal.

“Shut up!”

“Willingly,” I grumbled in reply.

“Shut up! You didn’t!”

I groaned. Admitting this was even more painful than I’d thought it would be. Zoey was completely freaking out with excitement.

“Are you messing with me?” she continued.

I slowly lifted my face from my hands to look at her. “No, I’m not messing with you. We kissed, and I think I want to do it again.”

She squealed once more, and I quickly lowered the volume on my phone. Her voice could probably be heard from Rosalind and Herb’s house across the street.

“How did you not tell me this the moment we started talking?” she asked when she finally managed to get herself under control again. “How did it even happen?”

“Well, after spending all this time with Aiden, I’ve finally started to get to know him. He’s kind of sweet and not at all like I imagined. I mean, he’s still annoying as anything and has the world’s worst pickup lines, but I actually kind of enjoy our banter. He told me he liked me last night, and it made me realize I had feelings for him too.”

“Oh my gosh, I’m dying here! This is the best lockdown news ever. I knew he liked you, and I knew you guys were perfect for each other. I knew it.” She placed a hand against her chest as she continued. “I feel like my life is complete now. My little Clarissa James has herself a boyfriend. So, tell me everything. Is he a good kisser?”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I quickly corrected her.

“Not yet, but he will be.”

I didn’t argue. It seemed pointless when I knew Zoey wouldn’t listen anyway. A part of me hoped she was right though. That Aiden and I would end up in a relationship.

“And you didn’t tell me about the kiss,” she continued.

I slowly smiled as I remembered the moment. “It was pretty