More Than Maybe - Erin Hahn Page 0,53

my thoughts. “Anyone who’s been around your parents knows how in love they are.”

I’m nearly at study hall, English completely abandoned. I’ll get a late pass from Mr. Fallon, but first I need to see my brother.

“I have to go to geo trig,” Zack says. “And besides, this is between you two.”

I wave him away. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

I walk straight up to Mr. Fallon and ask to see my brother. Something in my face must belie an emergency, because he motions for Cullen. I drag Cull out to the hallway by his arm.

“What did you do?” I snarl.

“What are you on about?” he asks, ripping his arm back and adjusting his rolled sleeve. “Don’t you have English?”

“Lindsay is furious. Won’t even talk to me.”

Cullen lifts his hands in a placating way. “You dumped her. That’s nothing to do with me. I didn’t think you wanted her back.”

“I don’t, but all her friends won’t talk to me.”

Cullen’s expression is blank. “Again. Not my problem.”

“Yes, but we were friendly. Then I record the podcast with you and it goes live, and she hates me. What. Did. You. Do?” I repeat.

Comprehension dawns. “Ah. That. I didn’t do anything. You left, I cleaned the copy and posted it.”

“I told you to cut the nonsensical bullshit.”

Cullen narrows his eyes. “And I told you not a chance. That bullshit was the most genuine thing you’ve ever said.”

I slump against the opposite wall, my head spinning. “I can’t even remember what I said. I was definitely talking about Mum and Dad. There’s no way that would upset Lindsay. I don’t get it.”

Cullen looks like he’s holding something back.

“Well, let’s rerecord. After school?” I pull out my phone, scrolling for Phil’s number. “I’ll see if the booth is free.”

“It’s already posted, Luke. Obviously.”

Shite. Right. I’m all turned around and flustered. “So, that’s it. It’s out?”

He nods. I exhale slowly and let that sink in. So, Lindsay is mad. That’s … expected. Almost. I mean, we did break up, and I did talk about love. I scrub at my gritty eyes. Okay. Strangers listening won’t be a big deal. They don’t even know me in real life. Besides, our listeners barely number in the hundreds. It’s not like we’re nationally syndicated or anything. It’s fine. By this time tomorrow, it will be forgotten.

“Okay.”

Cullen scratches at his short hair, causing it to stick up from the product he uses. “Okay?”

“Yeah. I mean, there’s nothing I can do. Lindsay just threw me is all. She must have listened last night. I guess she cared more than she let on. It’s fine.”

Cullen looks like he wants to say more, but Mr. Fallon peeks his head out.

“Everything all right, boys?”

“Better, yeah. Thanks, Mr. Fallon. I should get to class.”

He hands me a tiny white slip. “Already signed off. Just pass this to Mrs. Montemayor.”

“Um, thanks,” I say, taking the slip, surprised.

“I enjoyed your show last night. I’m a big fan,” he says. “Back to your seat, Cullen.”

I pocket the late pass and exchange confused looks with my brother before heading to class. Before I make it, I have another text.

CULLEN

Listen to the podcast and … don’t kill me, okay? I had my reasons.

I knew it.

I detour into a bathroom and log on to my podcast app, clicking on the link. It takes a minute to download, and I almost give up. When the green circle finally completes, I hit Play. There’s our intro. I skip ahead. Celebrity cheating scandal. Okay. Dread is filling my stomach as I skip ahead again. There’s my rant. I listen to the entire thing. I sound like an idiot, but it’s not terrible. I wince at how that must have sounded to Lindsay or any other girl I’d dated. Clearly, I wasn’t talking about them, but I also don’t think anyone could have figured out who I’d meant. Not that I’d meant anyone.

All right, fine, Vada has seeped into my psyche. I didn’t wax poetic about her freckles, so that’s something, but barely. It’s probably fine. I was recorded before the slow dancing and hand holding. Technically. I exhale, my breath shaky. Fuck, Cullen. I missed English for this? I’m about to close out the app, but my finger hovers on the line. It says there’s five minutes left. I swallow hard.

The sound changes, and Cullen says something about a special message for an anonymous girl in my life. “Luke won’t say who this is about, and to be honest, I don’t even know if he