5. The Date
THE DATE
AUbrEY
I’ve moped around all week.
By the time Saturday comes, it should come as no surprise that my cousins are sick of seeing me in poor form. It’s blatantly obvious on each of their faces as the three of them stroll into my room.
“Let me guess…this is some type of intervention?” I ask. Folding my arms over my chest, I pray it hides the stain on my sweatshirt that I haven’t changed out of in days.
They each nod, sitting on my floor as I pull my knees to my chest instead.
“You said this year was going to be different,” Reese announces through pointed brows.
“And it has been,” I counter, raising my shoulders. But they each look at me blankly. “Okay, maybe—”
But I’m cut off when June reaches out a hand and says, “Hand over your phone.”
“No,” I drawl, inching back from her.
She stands, hands on her hips. “Aubrey, hand it over.”
I look from June to Rory. Hell must have frozen over today because it seems the two of them are in agreement as Rory insists, “Hand. It. Over.”
I sigh, retreating my eyes to Reese, my last resort. Surely she will be on my side.
It only takes a look to see she’s not.
She points at my phone, still gripped in my fingers, and then back to June. “Aubs,” she declares, “you have to move on.”
Tears bead in my eyes. I know I have to. But that doesn’t mean I want to.
I release my hold on my knees, and I can tell June finally spots the grease stain. She opens her mouth to say something, but Reese gives her a pointed look that seems to say: “Don’t even think about it.”
I look over each of my cousins’ faces, Rory and Reese still sitting on my floor, studying me.
June, her long, slim legs standing at the end of my bed, hands still on her hips.
I’m so proud of the women they’ve become.
How different each of them is, strong in their own right.
I’ve seen myself as their older sister, the one they look up to.
And I want to be an example, someone they are proud of.
And the way I’ve been acting...
Well, I wouldn’t want this to happen to any of them. I’ve waited far too long for Liam Anderson to suddenly come running back, to be the man I need. The man I needed.
But Liam lost me long before the night everything happened.
I take a deep breath. I’ve had a year to process my hurt, not only about Liam but—
“Okay,” I announce, interrupting my own thoughts.
I watch as each of their faces pulls into a smile. And that alone makes whatever their little plan is worth it. Slowly, I hand my phone to them, still unsure what it has to do with their intervention.
June grabs it, walking around the room as her fingers fiercely fly across the screen.
“What are you—” but June raises a hand and silences me.
I look over to Reese, who remains sitting on the ground, staring up at me on my bed. When I mouth, “What are they doing?” she just shrugs and looks away.
Oh, she totally knows but isn’t telling me.
After a few minutes, June hands my phone back to me, and I look over the screen.
I suck in a sharp breath when I see what they’ve done.
“WHAT!” I yell. “YOU SIGNED ME UP FOR DELLETH DATING?!” My eyes bulge as I learn they haven’t just created an account…they’ve already matched me with several people.
“Wait—how long have you guys been planning this?”
Apparently, long enough to set up a date at seven o’clock.
Those sneaky little bitches.
Rory is skipping down the steps, fleeing to her room. She hates confrontation, so I know she’s hiding herself away to avoid an argument.
June sits back down on my floor next to Reese.
I assumed when Reese said something about moving on, that they were scheming something.
Maybe setting me up on a blind date. But Delleth’s dating app isn’t really known for setting up dates.
It’s more of an ‘I want to get laid’ type of app, if you know what I mean.
And that...I’m not ready for.
I look over my profile, running my hands through my tangled hair.
I read over the description June wrote about me. “Fun and flirty?”
Reese covers her mouth, hiding her laughter because we all know that’s far from the truth when it comes to me.
More like sad and angry.
I scroll through the photos they posted of me.
Our family went to Turks and Caicos in July, and I took a picture that was very unlike me.
I’m in a bikini, not leaving much to the imagination as I’m spread out in the sand.
Rory made me take the picture, and I’m starting to believe that was no coincidence.
I frown. “I’m going to kill you, Rory!” I yell as I storm from my bed and shout down the steps, knowing she can hear me.
“Actually…you should kill me,” Reese confesses quietly from her position on the floor.
I whip around. My mouth dropped open in evident shock.
June utters, “I was just as surprised when she suggested it to me. But she is a genius, so are we really that amazed?”
Reese rolls her eyes, grinning. “This year is going to be different.” She repeats the words we promised to each other at the beginning of the year. “I think it’s time to start making some changes,” she adds softly.
My shoulders sag.
I scroll through the app, running my tongue over my teeth as I set my phone on my bed. I turn to look at her. “You know, you keep saying that—but when are you going to listen to your own advice?”
June snaps her fingers dramatically, tossing her hair off her shoulder with the movement.
“I’m going out for Halloween. Isn’t that some rite of passage for all college students? How’s that for different?” Reese counters.
I suppose it’s a start…I’ll give her that.
My eyes find June, who nods, confirming what Reese said to be true. Halloween isn’t for another two weeks, but it’s June’s favorite holiday, so I’m not surprised she already has plans made.
“Okay, I’ll do it…under one condition.” I chuckle, pleased with myself for coming up with this idea so quickly. “You—” I mumble, pointing a finger at Reese.
And I drop the evil details of our barter.
A little tit for tat, if you will. If I have to put myself out there again, so does she.
We go back and forth, Reese not budging.
“She has a date at seven,” June says, looking to Reese. “She’s got to start getting ready…like yesterday.” She steals a glance at me, specifically my greasy, knotted hair. “So, is it a deal or not?” June anxiously looks back and forth until—
Reese folds, a reluctant tone lacing her words. “Alright, fine. I’ll do it.”
June gives me a high five, her smile spreading from her own features to mine as I announce, “I guess I’d better get ready.”
“And please,” Reese murmurs shyly, “make sure he’s not shorter than me. I get some girls are confident enough to be okay with that—”
June cuts her off, her dry tone evident as she mundanely lists, “Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We know all your rules. No athletes. Blonde hair. Doctorate degree. Brown eyes. Six-four—”
“AT A MINIMUM,” I joke, grasping my chest in shock, like I’m appalled by the idea of Reese being with someone even an inch shorter.
June and I laugh as we watch Reese’s face go red.
Reese is always super picky about who she dates, which is typically no one.
She has this long list of requirements, and if they don’t meet even one of them…
she’s out. Reese isn’t shallow, and I know the list is one of impossible expectations that no man will ever meet, so she’ll always have an excuse as to why she can’t go out with them.
June immediately begins rambling about my date, pulling me back to my own problems. But Reese agreeing to my terms to also go on a date makes it worth it, no matter how nervous I might be.
June comments, “We picked out your outfit and confirmed with some friends that the guy isn’t a creeper or anything.”
I hear Rory yell from downstairs, clearly still eavesdropping and being invested since the hostility is over. “He’s soo fucking hot!”
My cousins giggle as I take a deep breath. I always knew this day would come.
I can’t wait my entire life for Liam to wake up and realize what happened, why I did what I had to.
“Alright. Let’s do this,” I blurt before I lose my nerve.
“Rory! It’s a go!” June screams.
Reese’s face beams as she stands, pulling me in a hug. “You got this,” she encourages before retreating to her own room. Of course, she is the mastermind, and June and Rory are her minions, executing the plan.
“I’ve got the shower going!” Rory shouts from downstairs. “Operation go-get-laid is underway!”
I frown, facing June. I open my mouth to argue, but she shakes her head and drags me down the stairs. The pair quickly push me into June’s shower as they give me explicit details.
Apparently, I need an everything shower, which includes—but isn’t limited to—shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, shaving (everything), exfoliating salts, shower gel, followed by lotion and oil after I step out.
I can’t help but wonder if June really does all this every time she showers. Then again, it would make sense, as it takes her two hours to get ready.
I don’t even have time to process all the details of tonight before June and Rory swirl around getting to work: June working on my hair as Rory starts my makeup.
By the time six o’clock rolls around, I don’t recognize myself.
I stare at my reflection in the mirror, my hands running through my blown-out curls.
“These will never hold,” I mention, but June shakes her head.
“It’s just a blowout,” she argues, like I know the difference. “It’s supposed to fall out and look all slutty.” She giggles. “Not that you are a slut—you get it…” she stammers.
“I can’t—” I look at them, shaking my head.
I glance at Rory, who looks like she’s a moment away from choking the air right out of me. I can’t blame her, though. She did spend an hour on my makeup and somehow managed to make me look hot. That’s no easy task. Like I always say: “Hometown good looks.” Definitely not hot.
Rory is a talented artist, though, so makeup is just paint to her. My face is her blank canvas, the final product her masterpiece.
“I can’t—sleep with him, whoever this him is,” I argue.