Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 48146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 241(@200wpm)___ 193(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48146 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 241(@200wpm)___ 193(@250wpm)___ 160(@300wpm)
I wiggled, trying to shift his weight off me, though it also felt warm and cozy. Bones stiffened, his voice groggy when he said, “What the hell?”
I glanced at him over my shoulder. “I could ask you the same.”
He scooted over. “Why are we in the same bed?”
“Because you fell asleep.”
“You could’ve woken me up.”
“I tried, you jackass.” I sat up so he didn’t think I was too comfy. “Anyway, what’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is…” He gingerly placed his feet on the floor. “I’ve got morning wood because I gotta piss, and you’re gonna think—”
“That you like boys all of a sudden?” I called after him as he made a beeline for the toilet. “Get over yourself.”
“No, I didn’t mean it like that,” he replied through the cracked door. “Those beds aren’t comfortable enough for two people.”
“Tell me about it. You almost smothered me.” I stood and stretched. “But in certain circumstances, it can be fun.”
He mumbled something on his way back to his own bed while I closed the bathroom door behind me. Yeah, talk about morning wood. Even a long piss didn’t take care of it for me, and I certainly didn’t want him to hear me jacking off, not after sleeping in the same bed with him.
After a quick shower, I reached for a towel, wishing I’d brought clothes in there with me. But I’d never done that before. The previous year, we’d walked around the room in only our towels and sometimes underwear, not giving it another thought. Why should this time be different?
Bones was sitting up in bed, scrolling through his phone, when I finished in the bathroom. I averted my eyes but could feel him watching me as I dug out some briefs to pull on.
“What?” I asked over my shoulder.
“What what?”
I smirked. “Let me guess—you can’t get over how soft my skin looks after that mask last night.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I can feel you staring at me.”
“Am not. Was lost in my own head.” He grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom. “Sorry. Didn’t mean anything by it.”
As soon as he shut the door, I breathed out. Okay, we were both being ridiculous.
I got dressed, grabbed my backpack and keys, then knocked on the bathroom door. “Heading out. See you later.”
I met Leah at the smoothie shop where Justin worked. It was good to see my friends after a summer apart.
Justin stood behind the counter in his navy-blue uniform shirt with a blinding smile on his face. “What’s up?”
We high-fived, then briefly talked about classes even though we’d been in touch during the summer to compare schedules.
“What can I get you?” Justin asked when his manager came into view.
“I’ll have a strawberry-banana shake with a hit of energy powder,” Leah said.
He rang up her order, then turned to me. “How about you? You need some energy too?”
“Nah, just some protein powder to my pineapple and coconut.”
“Coming right up.” He turned from the counter to prepare our orders. Justin began working there spring semester, and we hung out sometimes, waiting for his shift to end. So did his girlfriend, Jessilyn. She was the cheerleader he’d crushed on last fall and finally asked out. Now, they were tied at the hip.
Smoothies in hand, we sat at a table near the window to people-watch.
“How was your summer?” I asked Leah.
“Good. I worked at a kids’ camp. How about you?”
“I worked for my dad’s company again. I’m like his glorified errand boy, but I don’t mind too much.” My stepfather owned a couple of franchises of a popular fitness center. Mom did the accounting, and I helped behind the counter or wherever I was needed. My parents didn’t offer handouts, and I used the money to pay for gas and new dance tights.
“There’s Lark.” I lifted my hand to wave him over.
We’d invited him but weren’t sure if he would make it. He watched his sister when his mom was at work, but sometimes, he was able to use her car to hang out with us. No doubt Henry would’ve offered to drive him, but Lark didn’t like taking advantage of his generosity.
Lark waved as he stepped to the counter to place his order, then headed over along with Justin, who was on a fifteen-minute break.
“Can you believe classes start in a couple of days?” Justin asked.
“No, but I’m looking forward to it,” Lark replied.
I winked. “So you can see Henry more?”
He nodded as he took a sip of his smoothie. “And my friends.”
“Will you be able to come to the party tonight?” Leah asked Lark.
He frowned. “No, gotta watch Star.”
“There’ll be plenty of parties this semester,” Leah replied.
“Definitely. So, how’s band practice? Henry was complaining about the heat.”
“Brutal, but always is,” I said. “Bones won’t shut up about it either.”
“I still can’t believe you agreed to live with him again.”