Say Anything

by Madeleine Labitan

  Why did he choose to kiss me instead of Jenna Alridge to begin with? Did he do it to make Laura jealous? Well, it worked. She was absolutely livid. She spent the rest of the night shooting daggers at me. Like the whole thing was my fault.

  I didn’t even dare leave the comfort of the living room for fear that she’d get me alone and confront me again.

  Thankfully, Noah kept himself scarce and didn’t stay anywhere near me, as though he was afraid I’d throttle him for kissing me.

  If I end up awake all night, I just might.

  Instinctively, I touch my lips. Then groan aloud and turn on my side. “Why can’t I stop thinking about him and that stupid kiss?”

  The drive home tomorrow is going to be so awkward. I couldn’t even look at him in the eye after the game. How can I bring myself to talk to him?

  No matter how much I tell myself that it’s just Noah and not Lincoln—the boy I supposedly have a crush on—it’s not working. I’m seeing him in a different light now.

  But if I’m being honest, I’ve started to see him in a different light even before the kiss. I’m not sure how or when it happened. Maybe because I’ve spent a lot of time with him and he managed to grow on me.

  Let’s face it: Noah may be a pain in the butt sometimes and loves to mess with me, but he can be charming, too. He’s not so bad. Not at all.

  But what about Lincoln? Your crush, remember? And don’t forget about Laura...

  I blow out a breath. I don’t even know anymore.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  “My head still feels like it’s about to explode,” Morgan groans from the couch. “Why is hangover such an asshole?”

  I pause from organizing my duffel bag from the bed. “Didn’t you already take aspirin?”

  “It didn’t work.”

  “Oh, you poor baby.” Bree smirks at her as she steps out of the bathroom, freshly showered with her hair already blow-dried.

  Morgan scowls at her. “How are you looking like a million bucks when I’m slowly dying here?”

  “Because I wasn’t really drunk.”

  That makes me pause again. She hadn’t been drunk last night? But she looked pretty wasted.

  “Bullshit,” Morgan snaps. “We were both drunk. I was there with you.”

  Bree smiles sweetly. “No. You were drunk. I was just playing along. I had no intention of getting a hangover, so I made sure not to drink too much. And it worked. I got a little tipsy but that was just it.”

  I stare at her. “So, you’re saying that you weren’t actually drunk when you kissed Julian?”

  Her cheeks heat up. “We were playing Spin the Bottle.”

  Morgan cackles, sitting up. “You practically jumped him.”

  “I did not!”

  I bite my lip to keep from grinning. “Yeah. You kinda did.”

  “Oh my God, shut up! You guys are crazy.” She then scowls at me. “And what about you, missy?”

  “Me?” My eyes widen a little. “What about me?”

  “You kissed Noah.”

  “That was different.”

  “Different how?”

  Is she being serious right now? “He was the one who kissed me, not the other way around. I didn’t even ask him to. He just did. And like you said, it was Spin the Bottle.”

  “It was a pretty hot kiss,” Morgan comments.

  I shoot her a dirty look. “No, it wasn’t.”

  Bree grins and sits across from me. “But it so was.”

  Oh, no, no. We’re so not doing this. We should be packing and getting ready to leave instead of having a stupid conversation about that kiss.

  Morgan jumps up from the couch and plops down next to Bree. “So, are you finally going to tell us the real deal with Noah?”

  “Oh my God, can you stop with that nonsense already? There’s no “real deal” with Noah. We’re just friends, nothing more. That’s probably why he kissed me last night. He thought it would be harmless to choose me over Jenna.”

  Only it didn’t turn out to be harmless. Not for me, at least. Is Noah even remotely affected by the kiss? Maybe it’s just me who can’t stop thinking about it.

  Why, why can’t I get it out of my head?

  “See, that look right there tells us there’s something going on,” Morgan quips with a grin.

  Bree nods heartily. “You might as well spill everything.”

  Seriously, these two. “There’s nothing to spill. So you might as well drop it. Morg, you haven’t even started packing yet.”

  She just laughs. “I didn’t even unpack to begin with.” Her smile turns devious. “So I have a lot of time to spare.”

  “Gee, lucky me,” I mock, rolling my eyes.

  “Oh, come on, Ri. Don’t be a spoilsport,” Bree chides. Then grins mischievously. “Tell me, is Noah a good kisser?”

  “Not at all.” But I feel my cheeks burn hot.

  “So he is,” Morgan cackles.

  Bree clicks her fingers. “Hah, I knew it.”

  My cheeks go redder, if that’s even possible. Ugh. Why do they keep putting me in the hot seat?

  “Fine,” I snap. “He’s a good kisser. Satisfied?”

  They both give me smug looks, making me roll my eyes again.

  Then Bree’s expression turns serious. “Did you see the look on Laura’s face though? She looked so pissed.”

  Morgan snorts. “Pissed? She was absolutely furious. If looks could kill…”

  I groan and rub my face. “Don’t remind me. I don’t even know what I’m going to do. She’ll kill me for kissing her boyfriend.”

  “Except he’s not.”

  Morgan and I stare at Bree.

  “Explain,” Morgan demands.

  “Okay, but don’t tell anyone.”

  We give her a look that pretty much says “duh.”

  “Fine.” Bree scoots back into the bed and folds her legs under her, making herself comfortable. “So, here’s the thing. I overheard Lindsay and Tabitha talking about how Laura has turned desperate—their words, not mine—to get back together with Noah. That she’s starting to look pathetic in her efforts to make him take her back. They were so drunk they didn’t care that I was within hearing distance.”

  My mouth falls open. Noah and Laura are still broken up? They never got back together?

  Holy—

  “Shit,” Morgan blurts. “I just lost the bet with Brad.”

  I shoot her a confused look. “What are you talking about?”

  “He’s in the football team with Noah, right?” She waits for us to nod our heads. “Which means he’s likely privy to the real status between Noah and Laura. Well, he kept telling me they’re over for real. But I wouldn’t believe him so he made a bet with me to prove I was wrong.”

  “And he just did,” Bree chuckles.

  Morgan crinkles her nose. “Are you sure that’s what you heard?”

  “Loud and clear.”

  I shake my head. “That can’t be right. I saw them kissing at the party. Why would they kiss if they weren’t together?”

  “Maybe it was just a one-off. Some exes hook up after the breakup. It happens. That’s what Brad and I did before we decided to get serious.”

  “Yeah, that’s just probably it. From Lindsay and Tabitha’s conversation last night, it really seems like Noah wants nothing to do with Laura anymore. She just can’t take the hint.”

  Morgan smirks. “Which means Riley here has a big chance of getting Noah for herself.”

  That makes me glower. “Lincoln is the boy I have a crush on, remember?”

  “Well, then tell me this. Did he kiss you? Did he ask you out? Did he even bother to make a single move at all?”

  No, he didn’t. I remain quiet.

  “Yeah, didn’t think so. Face it, Riley. Lincoln isn’t the love interest in this story. He’s not your guy. Noah is.”

  Bree giggles. “Now, let’s work on making it a happy ending.”

  ******

  On the way home, I keep ste
aling glances at Noah. He’s singing along to the Imagine Dragons song playing in the Jeep without a care in the world.

  How can he be so casual when I’m feeling all kinds of awkward here?

  He’s not your guy. Noah is. I hate that Morgan’s words keep playing in my head, taunting me. I hate that they’re getting to me. But annoyingly, I can’t brush them off.

  Ugh. This wouldn’t have happened if I stayed at home. I wouldn’t be entertaining these stupid thoughts, and I wouldn’t be awkward around Noah.

  What can I do to bring everything back to normal again?

  The sound of a throat clearing reaches my ears. Blinking, I glance around to see that we’re already parked in front of my house. Oh. I’ve been lost in my thoughts the whole drive.

  “I guess this is me.” I cringe as soon as I said it.

  Thankfully, he doesn’t comment.

  Time to get out of here.

  Reaching for the handle, I open the door. But it won’t budge. I try again and it still won’t open.

  “Um, the door is stuck,” I tell Noah, still trying to open the dang door to no avail.

  “Because it’s locked.” Amusement tinges his voice.

  I turn my head to scowl at him, only to find his face a few inches from mine. I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. Is he going to kiss me again? I close my eyes and wait.

  A few seconds pass before… “Uh, Riley?”

  No.

  Oh, God.

  Please, no.

  He didn’t lean in to kiss me. He leaned in to unlock the door.

  Riley, why are you so dumb?

  “Are you okay?”

  Cheeks hot with humiliation, I force my eyes open. “Yeah. I’m just a little sleepy.” I fake a yawn for effect. “It’s been a long day.”

  “Right.”

  “I’m gonna go.” I push the door—which is already open—and hop out of the Jeep.

  “Wait,” Noah calls out as I walk to my front door.

  I spin around. “What?”

  “You forgot your bag.” He’s standing beside his Jeep, carrying my duffel bag, trying not to laugh.

  How many times do I have to humiliate myself in front of him? It’s like Lincoln all over again.

  Oh, crap.

  Noah is the new Lincoln.

  Dumbfounded at the realization, I snatch my bag from him, and without another word, run inside the house.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  When Monday rolls around, I’m no longer thinking about the kiss.

  No, that’s a lie. It hasn’t slipped my mind at all. I’m still very much thinking about it—and the guy who gave the kiss.

  I tried distracting myself by cleaning my room and doing a marathon of Teen Wolf. But the latter only reminded me of the times I watched the show with him.

  We haven’t talked since he dropped me off. He didn’t even bother to seek me out or pester me like he used to do. Is it because he’s just as affected by the kiss as I am? Or he’s busy reconnecting with Laura?

  Oh, I remember what Bree said. But who knows what happened in that getaway. Maybe they got the chance to talk things out again. Maybe Noah realized that Laura is the only girl for him after he kissed me.

  Scowling at that thought, I shut my locker with a little more force than necessary.

  And you were so shocked when you realized you have feelings for the guy?

  I bang my head against my locker. I am so dumb.

  The signs were already there. I was just too slow to catch on.

  “Uh, is this a bad time?”

  With a jolt, I look over my shoulder to see Lincoln standing behind me. I turn around to face him, forcing a smile back on my face. “Um, hey.”

  He smiles back. “Did your locker do something to piss you off?”

  No, Noah did.

  But I can’t tell him that. So I just shrug. “What’s up?”

  Suddenly, he looks shy. “Can we talk? It won’t take long.”

  I look down on my watch. I have a few minutes to spare before Morgan starts hunting me down. She’s going to give me a ride home. She and Bree wanted to hang out at my house after school because according to them, it’s been awhile since the last time we got together there. And because Bree has no play practice this afternoon, we all decided to do it today.

  “I guess I can give you a few minutes. Walk me to the parking lot? I’m going to meet my friends there.”

  After a small hesitation, he nods. “Sure.”

  We start to walk.

  “So, what is it you want to talk about?”

  He chuckles. “Honestly, I don’t know how to start.”

  Something tells me this is going to be a serious conversation. We need some privacy.

  I peek into the classroom on my left and seeing that it’s empty, I open the door and step in, motioning for Lincoln to do the same.

  “Okay, tell me.”

  He clears his throat. “So, I’ve been wondering.”

  “Go on.”

  “Would you like to go out with me?”

  Wha—Did he just ask me on a date?

  I stare at the earnest expression on his face. He totally did. Lincoln Evans just asked me out.

  I should be excited. I should be jumping for joy. But instead I’m scrambling for the right words.

  I swallow hard. “Lincoln, I—”

  “It’s a no, isn’t it?” He already knows.

  The sadness in his voice twists my heart. I lower my eyes and whisper, “I’m sorry.”

  I hate this. But what can I do? I can’t lie to him. He doesn’t deserve that.

  “Is it Noah?”

  My eyes snap back to his. “How did you know?”

  “It’s pretty obvious, Riley. The way he looks at you. The way he makes sure you’re paying him attention. Heck, haven’t you noticed? He’s been competing with me for an alone time with you. That boy has got it bad for you.”

  My heart starts to pick up pace at his words. Noah actually likes me back?

  My mind goes back to the past couple weeks when Noah started acting weird. When he started acting like he was losing interest in helping me with Lincoln. When he began showing up on my doorstep to give those rides to school. When it was beginning to look like he wanted to monopolize my attention...

  Is Lincoln telling the truth?

  “And judging from that look on your face, you feel the same way.”

  There’s no reason to deny it at this point. “Sorry.”

  He lets out an audible sigh. “You don’t have to keep apologizing to me. It’s not your fault you don’t like me back.”

  “But I did,” I say quietly. “I did like you.”

  Lincoln looks a little surprised by my admission. “You did?”

  I nod, blushing a little. “I used to have a huge crush on you.”

  “Darn it,” he jokes. “How did I ever miss that?”

  I laugh. “I was really discreet about it. My friends were the only ones who knew.”

  And Noah. But he doesn’t have to know that.

  He gives a wistful smile. “What a missed opportunity.”

  But is it, really? Honestly, I’m not sure my feelings for him were as strong as I thought they were.

  Because looking back, what I felt for him seemed a lot different from what I currently feel for Noah. It felt...superficial in comparison.

  Maybe because I never really got the chance to get to know Lincoln. I never spent time with him. We didn’t even talk to each other until recently.

  Not like with Noah, who I managed to get to know and spend time with. And unlike the hero-worship I had for Lincoln, my feelings for Noah developed naturally.

  Sure, the boy loves to mess with me to the point of pissing me off and can be demanding at times. But I still like him despite those traits.

  Heck, maybe that’s why I do.

  I bite my lip. “I don’t know what to say.”

  His face turns serious. “You should have told me.”

  “I
didn’t want to get rejected.”

  “I would never reject you, Riley,” he says softly.

  There’s that twist again. “That’s really nice of you to say.”

  Things would probably be easy if my feelings for Lincoln had the chance to develop.

  But no. I had to go and fall for his best friend who may or may not be still hung up on his ex.

  Life is so not fair.

  My phone chooses the moment to vibrate in the outer pocket of my bag. Fishing it out, I see Morgan’s text on the screen. She’s already in the parking lot waiting for me.

  Putting it back inside, I turn back to Lincoln. “I have to go. Morgan is already looking for me. She’s going to give me a ride home.”

  Sliding his hands into his pockets, he flashes a small smile. “I guess I’ll see you later then.”

  Smiling sadly, I close the distance between us and stand on my tiptoes, kissing him on the cheek. “For what it’s worth, if you asked me out months ago, I would have said yes even before you finished the question.”

  ******

  “So, Lincoln is officially out of the picture.” Bree looks a little sad after I told her and Morgan what happened at school.

  To be honest, I still feel bad. I keep seeing the dejected look on his face. I’m not used to rejecting guys. This is probably the first time I ever did, and it happens to be Lincoln of all people.

  Now I wonder: if he showed interest in me in the past, would I still have developed feelings for Noah?

  I guess now I’ll never know.

  “What now?” Bree asks, her eyes focused on the ceiling. She’s lying on the couch while Morgan and I are on the single-seaters.

  Morgan answers for me. “Now she’ll go over to the Pritchetts and declare her undying love to Noah. I bet he’ll love it.”

  Yeah. I finally caved and admitted my feelings for Noah to my besties. I just confirmed what they already knew, anyway.

  But not my mom.

  Glancing over my shoulder to make sure that she’s nowhere in sight, I throw a glare at Morgan. “Do you mind?”

  “What’s the big deal?” she snorts. “Your mom loves Noah, doesn’t she?”

  “I just don’t want her doing cartwheels when I haven’t even decided what to do yet.”

  “What’s there to decide? You like Noah. He likes you back. Simple.”