Chapter 15 #2
His eyes sparkled as they looked to the girl next to him. "Oh really? So, you talk about me."
Lola lifted a brow. "Only when you do stupid things that make me angry."
"You're never angry with me."
"Also to insult you when your ego gets out of control."
Lennox grinned. "Ah come on, you love my ego."
"You're such a dork."
"Freya?" he said without looking away from her. "What does Lola really say about me?"
"Not much," I said to which Lola barked a laugh. "But she did say you're her best friend and favorite person."
"That must've been one of your less annoying days," she said.
"Ah, you're my favorite too, Lo," Lennox said.
He smiled smugly, tugging her into a one-armed hug, while Lola turned to me and mouthed, "Thanks a lot."
I shrugged, so entertained with watching them that I almost forgot I was at a party.
"In return for your honesty," Lennox said, straightening, "I feel like I should tell you something, Freya."
"Okay. How do you know me exactly?" I asked.
"Well, you see, Tolliver—"
"Excuse us," Tolliver said, taking Lennox by the arm.
Lennox's lips snapped shut, but his grin was broad.
"This should only take a second. Don't forget about me, Kent."
"Please, Stone, I could never," I said.
After they left, I turned back to find Lola smiling at me with her eyebrows raised.
"What?"
"Calling each other by your last names," she said. "So cute."
"Don't even start, Lo."
I laughed as she flushed.
"And I think half the people here call Tolliver that because of hockey," I said.
"Valid," she said. "It's the same with Lennox and me."
"How is soccer going?"
"Keeping up my training over the summer, making sure I'm ready to kill it next season. How's violin?"
"Haven't been able to play because of my wrist," I said, "but it's getting better."
"Sucks that you couldn't go on tour." I looked to her in surprise, and she shrugged. "Hazel filled me and the girls in. We had to coax it out of her, but she didn't think you'd mind her telling us."
Strangely, I didn't.
"It's totally fine," I said. "Have you written at all?"
"Only a few pages—but at least, I think they're good pages. Don't tell Hazel."
"I won't."
Lola lifted her chin at me. "What about you?"
I shook my head. "Honestly, I think I'm realizing I only joined the writing group because I love reading."
She laughed. "That is so real."
"I'm excited to read your book," I said.
"Thanks. If I ever finish, I'll send it to you."
As I smiled, Lola tilted her head to the side.
"So, you and Tolliver. That's a surprise."
"I know," I said. "We're so different."
"No, that's not what I meant," she said. "He's cool. You are too. You'd be good together. I've just never seen him with anyone."
I couldn't quite hide my shock, and Lola laughed.
"I mean, I could be wrong. But Lennox and Tolliver have been best friends since freshman year, and yeah. In that time, he's never had a girlfriend."
"Seriously?"
"I always figured he was waiting for the right person," she said.
I couldn't fully take it in. According to Lola, Tolliver hadn't dated.
My eyes went to him and Lennox where they were talking in the far corner of the room.
My fake boyfriend looked exasperated, but Lennox, who wore a shit-eating grin, seemed to be enjoying the conversation very much.
There were several girls at this party. At least half of them were eyeing the two, possibly because they were popular, maybe because they were gorgeous, probably for both.
"Uh oh," Lola suddenly mumbled.
When I met her eyes again, she was frowning.
"Don't look, but Wayne is coming this way. He's such a jerk. I can't believe you ever went out with him."
"Yeah, me neither," I said, feeling the need to avoid, avoid, avoid.
"I'll run interference if you want to escape."
"Thanks, Lola. I owe you."
"No you don't," she said with a smile. "You never owe your friends."
Something was caught in my throat.
"Go. I've got this."
With another grateful nod, I walked away, quickly losing myself in the crowd, vaguely aware of Wayne's loud curse and Lola saying, "Oops, you should really watch where you're going.
" As I looked back, he was fuming, looking down at his shirt which now had drink all down the front, as Lola stood there innocently.
I quickly closed myself in the library and leaned my head against the door.
"Are you hiding too?"
I spun at the words then breathed a sigh of relief. "Hey, Scotlyn," I said.
She waved at me before turning back to the laptop in front of her. Her auburn hair was plated in two long braids, and I noticed she was wearing headphones around her neck.
"What are you doing in here?"
"Trying to write and stay away from people," she said. "I've got almost a chapter and a half done."
"That's awesome," I said.
"I wish I wrote faster."
"Said every writer ever."
She chuckled at that.
"Do you know Sabrina?" I asked.
"Not really," she said. "We're in the same year. My parents know her parents, so they forced me to come. They want me to meet people. I think they're scared if I don't make friends before I graduate, then I never will."
After a beat, Scotlyn shrugged.
"They could be right."
"What about our writing group?"
She nodded. "I told them about that, but they were hoping for something that would take me away from writing. They already think I have too many books."
"My cousin, Charlotte, would say that's not possible," I said.
"I agree, but my parents... They think we sit around writing the whole time."
"We talk," I said.
"I know."
"And it's kind of social."
"I know." She sighed. "But not enough for them. Unfortunately."
A guy came barging in, looked around, spotted us then said, "Sorry, I was looking for the bathroom."
"One door down on the left," I said from memory.
"Thanks."
And he was gone, leaving the door to the library open again, but neither Scotlyn or I cared enough to get up and close it.
Looking back at Scotlyn, I confided, "I don't like parties either."
"Why not?" she asked.
"Because, and this is not something I tell everyone, so please don't share."
"I won't."