way she came, something tells me I won’t be forgetting her anytime soon—not that I ever did to start with.
THREE
Thea
“I SWEAR TO God, he’s the most pig-headed, narcissistic asshole who ever lived!”
“Uh-huh,” Blue murmurs, not even bothering to look up from her tablet. “Tell me more about how much you hate Dane. It’s not like you’ve been ranting about him for the last two days. Please, I’d love to hear more.”
We meet up at the library every Tuesday to study. Blue’s majoring in graphic design whereas I want to be a surf photographer, so it’s a journalism degree for me. However, we do have some overlap in our courses.
“I know, I know. I sound like a broken record at this point. But how do you just…forget…someone you spent nearly every day with for almost nine years? It’s not like I’ve changed that much.”
Now Blue looks up. “You’re joking, right?” I quirk a brow; she shakes her head before continuing. “You literally glowed up. In eighth grade, you looked like a boy and now…you’re…” She waves her hands in the air, making the shape of an hourglass. “All curves and lip gloss and sex appeal.”
I snort out a loud laugh at her description of me, earning me looks of ire from nearby tables. Sure, I grew some D-cups and an ass and learned how to use a flatiron and apply makeup, but I’m still…me.
“Not recognizing me aside, who asks random women to sit on their lap? He’s a dog!”
“But you love puppies.” Blue grins, her eyes already back on her screen.
“Yeah, the kind with fur, not STD’s.”
“Judge much?” she asks, her soft tone not matching her hard words.
I sigh. “I’m just saying.”
She looks up again, pushing her blue hair—yes, her hair matches her name—behind her ear. “Listen, I know you and you’re not gonna let this go without closure.”
“I know.” I cover my eyes and groan. “What do I do?”
Blue peels my hands away from my face. The megawatt smile she’s rocking tells me I’m not going to like whatever she suggests. “Simple: you try again.”
Ugh. Yup, called it. “I don’t know…that sounds like—”
“The best idea ever? I know. It’s like I’m a genius or something.”
“Or something,” I mutter and Blue laughs.
“Whine all you want, but we both know, as per usual, that I’m right. So do your little stalk-y thing and talk to him.”
“It’s not stalking, it’s—”
“Call it what you want, but find an in, talk to him, and move on. Simple as that.”
I nod, because as much as I don’t want to admit it, she’s right. I’m being a baby. I need to face this thing with Dane head on, so I can move on once and for all.
• • •
I spent the last two weeks agonizing over how to approach Dane again. The confidence—ahem, false bravado—I had the night of the party has long since vanished. Every time I even thought of talking to him again my gut churned. But for the sake of my own sanity, and to satiate my curiosity, I have to. It’s like Mama always says—you gotta buck up, buttercup.
However, two days ago, the tides finally turned in my favor and the perfect buck-up-opportunity fell into my lap while perusing the school’s website, in the form of private surf lessons with none other than my golden god. I don’t think I’ve ever filled out an online form so fast in all my life. Major props to my middle school computer lab teacher for getting me to 60 words a minute!
Today’s our first session and even though it doesn’t start until nine, I was up before the sun, my body wired with nervous energy.
My inner-asshole whispers to me, telling me I should stay home and that I’m only going to make a fool of myself. But just like at the party, I shut her poisonous ass down. And plus, even if I do end up crashing and burning, at least I’ll go down knowing I tried.
FOUR
Dane
LAST MONTH WHEN I told my agent Lance I needed to come home, he almost had a coronary. He went as far as straight up trying to forbid me from traveling, like I was a naughty child. I shut him down real quick though.
My family will always come first, and when my mom called and told me Dad suffered a major heart attack, I didn’t hesitate to pack my bags.
I told Lance if it came down to it, I was prepared to walk away from it all. In the end,