“Are we friends? We just met.”
“We’re friends, Zoe.” I stand up so I can put the bracelet on her wrist. Because now that I’ve asked her, I’m not letting her come up with any other reasons about why she shouldn’t go—especially when she wants to.
She lets me put the candy around her wrist. Once it’s in place, she brings the bracelet closer to her face, eyeing it like I gave her diamonds instead of a bunch of chalky sugar pieces on a string.
“Wear whatever you want to the dance—sweatpants even. I just want to dance with you, Zoe Allen.”
Biting her lip, she nods and smiles. “I’ll have to tell my parents, but maybe they won’t care. Like you said, we’re friends.”
Even though she friend-zoned me, I don’t care. I don’t intend to stay there for long. I’ll make her my girlfriend someday, even if I have to wait until she’s eighteen.
“Thank you, Dylan. Even if you did completely surprise me.”
“I think I’m going to love surprising you, Zoe. In fact, I’m going to do it for as long as you’ll let me.”
“What does that mean?” she questions with a confused look on her face.
“It means whatever you want it to mean. Right now, it means I’m taking my new best friend to the dance.”
I tap the tip of her adorable nose with my finger before turning and walking away with my heart beating faster than it ever has before. We may have just officially met, but I’ve been watching her from a distance for a long time. I’ll never get enough of that girl.
Our friendship never wavered after that day in the gym, and neither have my feelings for Zoe.
The dance was a typical high school event with a lot of glitter, even more pink, and lots of Valentine’s Day crushes. Up until that point, it was the best night of my life because I had Zoe all to myself for a couple hours.
Almost seven years later, I’m still biding my time, hoping we’ll somehow happen on our own when the time’s right. But now that we’re already a couple months into our senior year of college, time is running out. Before Zoe completely fades away, I need to catch her.
She’s only gotten more complicated as the years have passed, but it’s not her parents keeping us apart anymore. She’s old enough to date, only she doesn’t. Much like when I met her, she has blinders on, her sole focus of college now shifting toward medical school.
Her eyes are on the finish line, and while I hope to be crossing it with her, I want to do it as her boyfriend. She may be content keeping our best friend status intact, never once trying to venture to the other side where the possibility of romance lingers, but I still crave more of Zoe. I always have, and I always will.
I’ve wanted her so much that I’ve done some pretty stupid things. Like when I became so frustrated she was never going to see me or what we could have that I tried being with other girls.
One or two may have helped for a little while. I wasn’t thinking about Zoe twenty-four hours a day, but as soon as I would see her again, all those feelings I’d been carrying around came crashing back. It was clear as day that she’s not someone I’m going to get over—I’m only going to care about her more.
And I hate that she assumes I’m going to end up in Keely’s bed at some point today. That’s why there’s going to be no more games, no more waiting around, and no more hoping the universe aligns and does the work for me. I need to show Zoe how much she means to me, and how much I want her in my life. Starting now.
She’ll be in full nerd mode when she finally walks through the doors to meet me after class, but I don’t care. Like any other Friday afternoon, while most of her classmates are ready to start partying, Zoe will be one of the last to leave the building. When she does, she’ll be itching to tell me all about the lecture she sat through, reciting it almost word for word.
Most twenty-one-year-old girls thrive on gossip and guys, but Zoe gets her kicks in class. The more facts tumbling around in her brain, the better she feels.
I love that about her. That she doesn’t have her head in a Solo cup every night of the week, drowning herself in cheap beer and mixed drinks.
As expected, she’s beaming when she spots me, hurrying over with her mittens on her hands and the fuzzy hood on her winter coat framing her beautiful face. Her deep brown eyes sucker punch me in the gut, and all I want to do is pick her up, throw her over my shoulder, and haul her back to my bed.
Before she starts rambling about the laws of physics, even though it’s killing her to keep it inside, she still takes the time to ask, “How was your day?”
“I broke up with Keely,” I blurt out without even thinking.
Zoe pauses, seemingly as shocked as I expected her to be. “Why’d you do that? She must be pissed after buying all that stuff.”
“I don’t care about the stuff. I only care what you think.”
Zoe’s said more times than I can count what a perfect couple Keely and I made and how happy she was for the two of us. Considering Zoe doesn’t lie about anything, it pissed me off. Those are the kind of observations I didn’t want her having about me and another girl—ever.
“What does it matter what I think? If you didn’t like her, you shouldn’t be with her. I just hope you didn’t break up with her because of what I said this morning.”
I want to tell her it had everything to do with what she told me, but that’s not the whole truth. The truth is, it had everything to do with Zoe.
“Keely’s not the girl for me. It was wrong to ever date her in the first place,” I tell her as I slide her bag off her shoulder, hoisting it onto mine.
“That’s heavy, Dylan. You don’t have to take it.”
“Yes, I do. It’s a long walk back to your dorm.”
“Why are you walking then? You’re the one with the car.”
“Maybe I like walking with you.”
Smiling, she shakes her head and pulls the strings of her hood a little tighter. “So, about the breakup. How can you possibly know if Keely was wrong for you if you were only together for fourteen and a half days?”
Zoe thrives on details, making sure each one is perfectly categorized in her mental filing cabinet where she’ll never forget it. The girl has a freakishly strong memory, and I love that it’s been keeping track of the length of my relationship. It gives me hope that maybe a part of her was bothered by me dating Keely.
“Let’s just say you two are complete opposites.”
“But you already knew that. You’ve known me for years. Why did you end it?”
Because I’m in love with you. “It’s actually pretty simple, Zoe. It takes Keely four hours to figure out what she wants to eat for dinner. If I plan on taking her to a restaurant, I have to ask her what she wants by noon, or we won’t eat until ten at night.”
“And you’re a foodie, so I see why that’s a problem.”
“Exactly.”
“What else bothers you?”
“She sheds like a damn cat. Her hair is really pretty and all, but yours doesn’t do that. She showered at my place twice, and I had to call the plumber to snake the drain. Even he said it was the worst he’s seen in a long time.”
Zoe tries to muffle her laughter with her wool mittens, but even they can’t hide my favorite sound. “Anything else?” she asks with a smile on her face—my second favorite thing.
“Her taste in movies sucks. She’s never seen any of the classics like you have. Sometimes I wonder how you’re even sisters, let alone twins.”
“I ask myself that question on a daily basis. We can’t even live together. That should tell you something.”
“It does, considering a classic to her involves apple pies and dicks. And I love apple pie, but it’s not a classic.”
“Yeah, I get it, but I thought that’s what guys liked about her. She does what she wants when she wants to—she’s a free spirit. That sounds more appealing than my schedules and spreadsheets.”
“She’s so sponta
neous, she farts in her sleep.”
Zoe giggles again, and this time, it almost knocks me off the concrete path we’re walking on.
“Besides, I happen to like your schedules. I always know where you are.”
“Right? They piss Keely off, but in her defense, nocturnal flatulence is a fairly common problem. You could even run into it with the next girl you date, so it might not be fair to count that one against her.”
Like a schmuck, I get turned on by her doctor talk. “If it were you, Zo, I wouldn’t care.”
“Well, I’ve stayed over enough for you to know that’s one trait we don’t share.”
“And I’m thankful.”
I’m going to have to do a whole lot better than this if I want to get her attention. It’s got to be something big—something that she won’t be able to doubt or walk away from.
CHAPTER THREE
Zoe
By the time I walk into my dorm room, I have five missed calls from Keely. I want to talk to her to make sure she’s okay, but what do you say to your sister when your best friend is the one who broke up with her? I can’t hate him. I can’t even dislike him. He did what he did for a reason. Whether it’s because she has a gas problem or not, it was his choice, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
It shouldn’t matter, but Keely won’t have any problems finding another guy to date. It wouldn’t surprise me if she already has three knocking down her door. Whereas Dylan’s the complete opposite. I’m sure lots of girls would jump at the chance to date him, but he’s so selective it’s hard to figure out exactly what it is he’s looking for.
For as long as I’ve known him, he’s only had a couple relationships, none of which lasted more than a few weeks. Just like today, he can easily ramble off a list of infractions that he can’t seem to overlook.
Whatever it is he’s looking for, I hope he finds it. He’s too good of a guy to end up all alone.
As expected, Keely answers the call on the first ring. “Are you okay?” I ask her, cautiously.
With a voice as light and airy as cotton candy, she surprises me. “I’m totally fine! I have a date tonight.”
“That didn’t take long. You’re not even the smallest bit sad about losing Dylan?”
Surprising me again, she laughs. “I didn’t lose him, Zoe. He lost me. Not that it’s my fault he’s gay. I may be excellent in bed, but there’s only so much I can do.”
I spit my water out, droplets spraying all over my comforter and pillow. “Dylan isn’t the least bit gay, Keely.”
“He didn’t come right out and tell me he was, but it’s definitely the impression he gave me while we were talking. Plus, there’s no other explanation. Why else wouldn’t he have tried to sleep with me or come running after you told him what I had planned? And you did, he said as much.”
Because you fart in your sleep is what I want to tell her. But since I can’t be that harsh to her fragile ego, I tell her, “He wasn’t into a relationship right now, that’s all. And I didn’t fill his head with your plans. He asked where I was, so I told him.”
“Right, well, since that trip was a complete waste of time, I have to go to the mall and find a killer dress for tonight. That means you’re coming with me.”
I hate shopping. Let me rephrase that—I loathe shopping with Keely. Everything she tries on looks like it was made for her, which means it takes her forever to make up her mind. Once she does find her perfect outfit, I always get stuck trying on the rejects that didn’t make her look hot enough. None of which I’d be caught dead in. Where she has no problem showing some skin, I’m the complete opposite, trying to cover up as much as I can.
“Keely, I can’t tonight. I actually have a lot of homework.”
Laughing, she snorts into the receiver. “It’s Friday, love. That shit can wait until Sunday night. I’ll pick you up in ten. Oh, and be out front. The new guy at the front desk gives me the creeps.
She’s not exaggerating. Clark is even more socially awkward than I am.
“Two shopping trips in one day means you owe me.”
“We’ll see about that. If I remember correctly, you owe me after getting my boyfriend to break up with me.”
Even though I didn’t, and she knows it, too, I still feel guilty. “Fine, but I’m not trying anything on. I don’t care how hot you think it looks, how cheap it is, or how much you want me to have it. Got it?”
“I can’t make any promises. See you in ten.”
She hangs up before I can argue. Even though she drives me crazy, has a million opinions about everything, and stresses me out, she’s still my sister. Without her, I’d probably be even more of a loner than I already am.
It’s a good thing she’s picking me up out front because Clark’s sitting at the front desk eating broccoli again, smelling up the entire lobby of the dorm.
“Zoe, wait!” he says with his fork halfway to his mouth.
I stop with my hands on the door, wishing I could pretend I didn’t hear him. “What’s up, Clark?”
“This came for you a couple minutes ago. I was going to call up to your room as soon as I finished my snack.”
I take the small box out of his hand, unwrapping it like a kid on Christmas morning. When I pull the lid off, I find two tickets to the physician lecture I wanted to go to over winter break. There’s no name attached to the box, but it’s obvious who they’re from. After all, he’s the only one who listens to me ramble on and on about the medical world.
I tuck the box in my purse and type out a message.
Zoe: Thank you for the tickets. But why?
Dylan: Just because.
Zoe: Keely isn’t upset with me, you didn’t have to.
Dylan: Yes, I did.
Zoe: Why?
Dylan: Don’t worry about it. It’s not the only surprise I have for you.
“Will you stop smiling like a loon and get in the car!” Keely yells out the passenger-side window.
My sister sure does know how to ruin a nice moment. “I’m coming.”
Before my door is even fully closed, she’s already pulling away from the curb. “Operation Get Laid is in full effect, Zoe,” she says as she steps on the gas and races through the parking lot, honking her horn when a couple doesn’t get out of her way fast enough.
“Can we get to the mall in one piece, please? Not to mention Dad will kill you if you have to call home and ask for money to cover another speeding ticket.”
Blowing off my concern entirely, she goes faster. “Did I mention Chaz is visiting this weekend?”
“Not interested, Keely.”
She’s been throwing her pain-in-the-ass friend at me every chance she gets. They worked two summers at the community pool together, and I’ve had to suffer because of it. Each and every time he’s in the area, she invites him to visit, knowing full well he’s no different than the last time. Yet she swears up, down, and all over the place that he’s better than ever. Not once has he ever been more appealing.
“Oh, come on, it won’t kill you to be in the same room as him tonight. Maybe hang out a little. Have a drink or two. Some dancing.”
“No, absolutely not. I agreed to shopping, that’s it.”
“Why are you always so anti-fun?”
“I’m anti-Chaz, there’s a difference.”
“You’re impossible. You know that?”
“If you like him so much, date him!”
“He likes you. For reasons I’ll never understand.”
“If he likes me, he probably likes you, too. We look the same!”
She pulls into the mall parking lot, saving us from driving all the way to the outlets like she usually does. “That’s ridiculous. Granted, we made out once or twice during our lifeguarding days, but I’d hardly count any of that.”
“Whatever. I don’t need details.”
She shuts the car off and turns toward me. “Live a little, Zoe. This is our last year of college.
The last time we’ll be together. It’s bad enough you’re a senior living in those horrible dorms. How do you expect to meet a guy when you’re surrounded by little boys? We have a pact, remember?”
“I remember, and I said I was game, but I’m in the dorms because living with you was like living in a frat house.”
“Again, let me revisit my earlier statement. This is college.”
“Can we just focus on your outfit and less on my love life?”
“Yes, but I’m voting Chaz as your first victim. You need some flings. And you agree he’s all wrong for you, so that means he fits the job description.”
“Anyone but Chaz. Please. If his head gets any bigger, he won’t even fit through the door. He’s obsessed with himself.”
“And you. He’s crazy obsessed with all things Zoe Allen.”
Before she can go on any more than she already has, I open my door and climb out of the car. She follows, hurrying to catch up to me. “I’ll let you think it over, but it’d be nice if you could help entertain him while he’s here. There’s this guy I’ve had my eye on for like a month. I need to make it happen tonight before he loses interest.”
“A month? But you were with Dylan the past two weeks.”
“Oh, come on, I’m human. I’m sure Dylan’s been checking other people out, too. It’s human nature.”
“You’re exhausting, Keely. Absolutely exhausting.”
Smiling, she picks up her pace the closer we get to her favorite store. Like a moth to a flame, she’s in shopping heaven once she’s among the threads of some barely there dresses.
“Do you love this one, Zo?” Keely holds up a dress that looks like a bandage wrapped around a mummy.
“Not really, but I’m sure it’ll look nice on you.”
She glances at it another time before putting it back on the rack. I let her browse the rest of the dresses, helping her carry all the ones she wants to try on, without saying a negative word about any of them.
For some reason, there’s twice as many as usual by the time we find a fitting room. All the ones I’m holding, she keeps in my arms, pushing me inside a dressing room and closing the door behind me. I stand staring into the mirror, pissed that I fell for it.
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