The Unexpected Everything - Morgan Matson Page 0,150

to keep this secret from Toby forever? Are you?”

“Do you really think they’re going to be able to make a long-distance thing work?” I asked, knowing full well that I wasn’t just talking about Bri and Wyatt. “Especially since they haven’t even talked about it?”

The sentence seemed to hang between us for a second, and I pressed my nails into my palms, not even sure what I wanted him to say.

“Yeah,” he finally replied. He cleared his throat and looked down at the table. “That’s . . . I mean, I guess it’s a complicated situation.”

I nodded, trying not to let the disappointment I was feeling show on my face. What had I wanted Clark to say? That we were different, that we’d find a way to make it work? That he’d at least thought about this, like I had?

I took a long drink of my soda, wishing more than anything that we’d just left when I’d wanted to in the parking lot. It suddenly felt like Clark was getting farther away from me across the table, like there was a gulf between us, even though he hadn’t actually moved. “Well,” I said, giving him a tight smile, “it was the only thing to be done. If you’d been there, you would have understood.”

“Okay,” Clark said, and silence fell between us once again. I looked across the table at him and tried to imagine the rest of the night playing out. Suddenly, all our plans, all Clark’s preparation, my fancy underwear . . . none of it felt right anymore. This wasn’t how I wanted the night to kick off. I couldn’t even imagine recapping this in the diner in the morning, that we had been awkward and sniping at each other over dinner, not saying what we really meant. None of it was going the way I’d wanted it to. And it wasn’t fair to do this to Clark, since he had just been yanked into this. “Clark,” I said, swallowing hard. “About tonight. I think maybe it’s not the best night for it.”

I looked up at him, and he nodded. “Yeah,” he said, and while I could hear disappointment in his voice, he didn’t sound surprised. “I think maybe another night would be better.”

“But soon,” I said.

“Yes, absolutely soon,” he said immediately, and I laughed. Our food arrived, and when Clark started eating his burrito, the kitchen staff gathering to watch again, I sent a text to my friends, telling them that our plans had changed, there was no need for waffles, and I’d talk to them tomorrow.

By the time we were done with dinner, things were feeling better. Not like the evening could still be salvaged, but somewhat back to normal. We were feeling like us again, at least.

“But I am worried about you,” Clark said, once the plates were cleared. He reached across the table and squeezed my hand. “How are you doing with all of this?”

For a moment I thought about telling him how I was really feeling—like things were spinning out of my control and all I knew to do was to hold on as hard as I could, and try to keep everything together. But the moment passed, and I just gave him a smile, even though I was pretty sure he would see through it. “Of course,” I said. “I’m fine.”

ME

Hey! Running a few late to pick up Bert. Be there soon.

CLARK

That’s fine!

Whenever.

Um.

ME

What?

CLARK

So I have to tell you something

ME

What is it?

CLARK

I told Tom

About Bri and Wyatt

ME

What?!

Clark!!

CLARK

You were acting so strange about the whole thing

Not like yourself at all and I didn’t know if you were okay.

I just wanted his take on it.

But it’s okay. He promised not to tell

ME

You really think he’s going to be

able to keep this from Palmer?

CLARK

Maybe?

ME

I don’t.

Wait, hold on, he just texted

TOM

Andie! What the hell?!

ME

I know

TOM

I mean . . .

ME

I know

TOM

You know I have to tell Palmer

ME

NO

Tom, seriously, you cannot

CLARK

What’s he saying?

ME

Oh, just that he has to tell Palmer

CLARK

But he promised he wouldn’t!

ME

He hasn’t yet, but it seems likely

CLARK

I’ll talk to him

TOM

Hello?

ME

Sorry. Clark’s mad at you

TOM

What did I do? I didn’t even want to know

any of this. And now I’m keeping secrets from my

girlfriend?

ME

How do you think I feel?

You can’t tell her. Tom, SERIOUSLY

It’s bad enough you and Clark know

TOM

What’s that supposed to mean?

PALMER

Hey. What’s going on?

ME

Nothing. Why?

What do you mean?

PALMER

What?

ME

Did you talk to Tom?

PALMER

About what?

ME

Nothing. Just . . . checking.

PALMER

Want to see a movie later?

ME

Maybe! Can I let you know?

CLARK

Okay, now Tom’s mad at me

ME

But is he