Chapter 21
“Something totally happened with you and Wes on the weekend, didn’t it?
” Cress asked as we unpacked our bags on Sunday evening.
We’d only just arrived back at school after our trip to New York, and I was already dreading having to return to class tomorrow.
The weekend in the city had been a much-needed breath of fresh air for me, and I wasn’t ready to face reality.
I definitely wasn’t ready to see Noah again—especially after I’d kissed someone else.
I hadn’t told Cress or Anna about kissing Wes yet, mostly because I didn’t quite know how to feel about it. Given the way Cress was looking at me now, I knew I couldn’t pretend nothing happened.
“Why would you say that?” I asked.
“Well, for starters, he wouldn’t stop staring at you during the car ride back to school. He also didn’t seem nearly upset enough about seeing his ex making out with some guy at the club. Something happened, I know it.”
Cress was far too observant for my liking, and I still had no idea what to say, so I focused on the clothes I was supposed to be unpacking and continued trying to dodge her question. “Why are you only bringing this up now?”
“Well, I couldn’t exactly ask when Wes was around. I’m dying here, Isobel. What happened?”
“Okay, okay.” I knew there was no point resisting. “We kissed.”
“I knew it.” Cress squealed and jumped onto my bed beside me. “Now, dish, I need all the details.”
Her enthusiasm was hard to ignore. “Well,” I started.
“We were getting kind of close while we were dancing in the club, and I thought maybe we were going to kiss. But then Wes saw Sarah, and the moment was ruined. I followed him from the club to make sure he was okay. And when I was trying to comfort him, it just sort of happened.”
“I knew he should have been more upset about Sarah,” Cress gushed. “This is huge.”
“It’s not that big a deal.”
“Of course, it is. Now, tell me more. How was the kiss?”
I started to smile. “Wes is a really good kisser.”
She squealed again, making me laugh. “So, are you guys a couple now or what?”
“Gosh, no.” I shook my head. “It was just one kiss. I’m not ready to be in a relationship, and he probably isn’t either.”
A little of her excitement dampened. “Yeah, I get that.”
She seemed really pro-Wes, and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. Just a few weeks ago she’d been over the moon I was dating Noah. “Isn’t this weird for you?” I asked. “I mean, I was dating your cousin—”
“Who’s a total idiot,” she said, interrupting me. “He was stupid to let you go, so I’m completely on team Isobel-moving-on. I just want you to be happy.”
“Thanks.” I gave her a warm smile.
“Plus, I think we could come up with a really cute couple name for you guys. I’m thinking either Isley or Wesobel.”
I laughed. “Wesobel?”
“What? It’s totally cute.”
“And it’s also totally getting ahead of things. Wes and I don’t need a couple name.”
“Not yet…”
I rolled my eyes, but it was hard not to be slightly affected by Cress’s excitement. I’d enjoyed kissing Wes, but I hadn’t really thought about it being something more. If anything, I’d been worried about the kiss driving us apart.
“Do you think things are going to be weird between us now?” I said. “What if this affects my friendship with him?”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
“And that is…”
“You need to talk to him,” she said.
“Anything but that. Talking will only make things more awkward.”
“No, it will get things out in the open. You’ll find out where you both stand and can go from there.”
“But what if I don’t know where I stand?”
“Well, you can tell him that too. It’s better he knows you’re confused rather than thinking you regret the kiss.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I let out a breath as I looked at the duffel bag on my bed. It was only half unpacked, but now that Cress had me considering talking to Wes, I felt like I had to get it over and done with. I could unpack the rest of my clothes later.
I started toward the door. “I might go chat with him now.”
“Probably a good idea. Do you need a breath mint?”
“We’re not going to kiss again, Cress.”
She rushed over to her drawers, grabbed a tin of breath mints, and offered it to me.
“Are you willing to take that risk?” I let out a grunt and took one but only because my mom had told me you should never refuse a breath mint when offered.
There was usually a reason people suggested it, and I didn’t want to risk chatting to Wes with bad breath.
“I knew it,” she said, gleeful as I popped the mint in my mouth.
“You know nothing,” I replied, but she was still giving me a smug smile as I left the room.
I didn’t share her confidence or her enthusiasm ahead of my conversation with Wes.
What if I said the wrong thing and totally messed up our friendship?
We hadn’t known each other long, but we’d become close in my short time at Weybridge, and I didn’t want things to be weird between us.
Cress was right though, I needed to talk it out with Wes, so I made my way to his dorm.
*
The boys’ dormitory was lively when I arrived.
All the guys were out in the corridors, and the energy was chaotic as though they were making the most of the final weekend hours.
There were shouts and laughter as guys tackled each other, and music was blaring from one of the rooms. There were even two idiots throwing a football down the hall, and I froze as the ball came spinning in my direction.
Luckily, someone stepped in front of me and snatched it out of the air before it hit me.
I glanced up to find Luther scowling at the guy who’d thrown the ball. “Watch it, Bertram. You nearly hit my favorite new girl,” Luther growled before tucking the ball under his arm. “I’m confiscating this.”
Bertram looked like he wanted to object, but his friend quickly grabbed him by the arm and ushered him down the hallway.
Luther grinned as he turned to me. “You’re just a magnet for trouble, aren’t you, newbie?”
I stood a little straighter and shook my head in the direction of the boys. “If those guys are on the school’s football team, I can see why they’re always losing.”
“Yep, they’re terrible.” He laughed, but his expression quickly sobered. “How are you feeling? I hear your stomach lost a battle with a swanky New York restaurant.”
I scrunched my face up. “Noah told you about that?”
“Yeah, poor little dear was a mess on Thursday night. He was messaging me for advice on what he could get to help you. I told him that kisses were the best medicine.”
“Luther,” I groaned. “Not only are we broken up, but I was throwing up. You did not tell him that.”
“No, but I should have.” He chuckled. “I think Noah would have done just about anything to make you feel better.”
I let out a sigh. “I don’t know why you think we’re going to get back together. We’re over, for good.” The sooner everyone accepted that, the better.
“I have faith everything will work out.” Luther shrugged.
I rolled my eyes at him. “I’m trying to decide if you’re an optimist or just being willfully blind.”
“Maybe I’m simply a true romantic,” he replied. “Maybe I like to believe love overcomes all obstacles.”
“Maybe you like to cause trouble.”
“Oh, always that,” he said with a grin. The smile slowly dropped from his face as he considered me. “Seriously though, Noah’s been irritable and moody ever since you broke up. He’s the worst company ever.” He let out a sigh. “I was hoping the two of you would have made up by now.”
“Like I’ve been trying to tell you, that’s never going to happen.”
“Maybe, maybe not,” he replied. “Look, just do me a favor, and don’t give up on Noah yet.”
I stared at him, at a loss for what to say.
Did Luther know something I didn’t? What could Noah have possibly said to give him the impression there was any hope?
I wasn’t sure, but the one thing I was certain of was if I didn’t give up on Noah now I would never get over him.
I couldn’t spend my life letting my heart ache for a boy I couldn’t be with.
It wasn’t fair for Luther to expect that of me. “You can’t ask me to do that.”
“Well, I did.” And he didn’t look the least bit remorseful about it. “Anyway, I’ll catch you around, newbie. Stay safe out there.” He went to walk away but paused and handed me the football he’d stolen from the guys. “Here,” he said. “A souvenir so you can remember that time I saved your life.”
“I don’t think my life was in danger…”
“That’s not how I remember it,” he replied. “And think about what I said. You and Noah belong together.”
He turned to leave, waltzing away like he hadn’t just tried to blow up my life with the world’s most ridiculous request.
“There’s nothing to think about,” I called after him.
He didn’t turn back, and I wasn’t sure if it was because he hadn’t heard me or because he refused to acknowledge my protest.
Not giving up on Noah? Luther couldn’t have asked something more demanding if he tried, especially seeing as Noah was the one to give up on us in the first place. I shook my head and continued down the corridor to Wes’s room.
I was relieved when Wes answered the door after only a couple of knocks. I thought he might be surprised to see me, but his face lit with a welcoming smile. A small crease then puckered his brow as he looked down and noticed the ball in my hand. “Trying out for the football team?”
“Trying to avoid the football team, more like.” I shook my head when I caught his curious expression. “Don’t ask.”
“But now I’m all intrigued.” He stood back and gestured into his room. “Want to come in? It’s kind of mad out there today.”
“Just kind of mad?” I asked as I followed him inside. Not only was it chaos in the corridors, it was dangerous too. “I swear the boys’ dorms have always been so quiet when I’ve come here before.”
“Clearly you’ve been coming at the wrong time,” Wes replied. “If our dorm parents look the other way for even a minute, the place turns into a jungle.”