16

JUST TALK TO ME

I STAYED WITH THE TRIO FOR A WHILE longer, then Ben walked over and pulled Julia up off the blanket.

“Want to roast marshmallows with me?” he asked.

“Definitely,” she said.

“I need another soda,” Alison said, peering into her empty cup.

“Me too,” Heather said.

“I think I’m going to go find Paige,” I said. “I gave her space with Ryan for a while, but I know she wanted to hang with me, too.”

Alison and Heather nodded and got up off the blanket. We split up and I started looking for Paige. There were a lot of people and it was hard to make out faces in the shadows. I walked past clumps of students and someone grabbed my arm.

I turned to find Jacob’s handsome face glowing in the firelight.

“I can’t talk now,” I said. “I’m looking for Paige.”

He released my arm. “Sasha, please. Just talk to me for a second.”

“No,” I said. “People can’t keep seeing us talk.”

I moved away from Jacob and left him standing there.

“Sasha!” Paige popped into view, a s’more in one hand and a bottle of root beer in the other. “I’m so glad I found you. Ryan just went to get more marshmallows. You have to hang with us for the rest of the night.”

I smiled, not wanting her to see I was upset. “Actually, can we talk for a sec? Alone?”

Paige frowned and stared at me. “Of course. Did something happen?”

“We need to walk away from everyone else.”

Paige followed me to the edge of the woods and we stood in the semi-darkness, away from the fire and the crowd.

“Just tell me,” Paige said. She touched my elbow. “What’s going on?”

I couldn’t hold it in for another second. “You’ve been right this whole time. I’ve been lying to you about what happened at my party. I’m so, so sorry, Paige.”

Paige rubbed her forehead. “Jacob did try to kiss you, didn’t he?”

“Yes.”

“Sasha, I knew you’d never do anything like that. Why didn’t you just tell me?” Paige’s eyes were full of confusion.

“I don’t know! I guess I was afraid to make him look like the bad guy and I never wanted Callie to know the truth, even though I know you’d wouldn’t tell her.”

“No,” Paige said, her tone soft. “I’d never do that.”

“I should have told you that night, but it just felt like the right thing to do not to tell anyone—Jacob and I both agreed.”

Paige was quiet for a minute. “You gave up your other best friend to protect him. You lost so much—I’m sorry.”

“I just wish I’d told you sooner. You would have been there for me. I’m really, really sorry I lied to you, Paige.”

Paige leaned over, hugging me. “I’m sorry you felt like you had to. But I’m your best friend. You can always tell me anything. I’m glad I finally know the truth. I’d known something was off and—”

Paige stopped talking when footsteps approached and Ryan came into view.

“Hey,” he said to us. “Paige, the Homecoming committee is looking for you. They need to know where the extra packages of Hershey’s bars are.”

I looked at Paige, waiting for her to tell Ryan we were having a chat and she’d help them when she could.

“Okay,” Paige said. She smiled at him and squeezed my hand. “I’ve got to go. But thanks for talking to me. We can talk as soon as I finish with the committee.”

And she and Ryan left me standing there.

This was ridiculous. I hurried away from the fire and walked across the grass and to the sidewalk, my shoes thudding on the pavement. Obviously, Homecoming came before best friends.

I took a breath and I saw Jacob’s face in the firelight. I sighed, wishing I could think of anything else. But now my mind was stuck on him.

He was single.

I was on my own.

But it didn’t matter. We had to stay apart.