“that I have a boyfriend.”
I tilted my head sideways. “You don’t?” That was unbelievable; Philip was a great guy. How could he not be with someone?
“No. It sucks. I mean, there are guys, but they aren’t my boyfriends.” He kicked at the floor. “They’re good for hookups, but nothing more.”
I felt myself turning red again and mentally chastised myself. He’s nineteen, Gabi! Of course he’s done…stuff before!
Still. Philip deserved a boyfriend. A really awesome boyfriend. And the universe sucked if it didn’t produce one for him very soon.
“Ha, you’re thinking perverted things again, aren’t you,” he said, poking me.
“No, I’m not!”
Philip gave me a lazy crooked smile. “So you and Rafe haven’t…”
I picked up his pillow and smashed it into his laughing face. “Why do es everyone keep asking me that!”
“Probably because you blush so easily,” he replied, stretching onto his back and hugging the pillow to his chest. “And I definitely remem ber Rafe being shy around girls. Is he still like that?”
“Yeah, he can’t even kiss me in front of my dad without breaking out into a sweat.” I shook my head, laughing. “He battles demons all the time, but my dad? Forget it. Rafe’s convinced Dad spends all of his free time sharpening the kitchen knives so he can stab Rafe one day.”
“It’s nice to know he hasn’t changed,” Philip said, amused. “How did you guys meet?”
I raised my eyebrows. “You want the long version or the short version? Because it’s pretty complex.”
“Do I look like I have anything else to do?” He plopped the pillow behind his head before folding his fingers together and resting them over his stomach. “Unless you’re in a hurry to return to your room?”
“Uh, you mean my prison cell?” I shook my head. “No thanks.”
“So stay here. With me,” Philip said. “I’ll sleep on the floor, you can have the bed.” His face was open, earnest, and I could tell he really did want me to spend the night with him. I felt a wave of sadness. Why did I get the feeling Philip was lonely? Maybe because everyone you’ve met is either a bastard like Charles or a loser like Scott. Would you want to be friends with them?
“Okay, I’ll stay. But you’re not sleeping on the floor.” I settled down next to him, curling up on my side. “I trust you won’t take advantage of me in my sleep. Although , honey, you don’t know what you’re missing out on.” I flipped my hair over my shoulder.
Philip snorted. “I’ll take your word for it.” He poked me. “Now tell me about Rafe!”
“Well, one night I was working at my horrible job from hell when this shoplifter came in…”
Chapter Seventeen
Rafe was late. Maybe that was typical of most teenage boys, but Rafe was never late. In fact, he was usually early by a good ten minutes, while I was the one rushing around, trying to get ready in time. Tonight, the night of the winter formal, I had started getting ready the moment I got home, just so I would be ready when he arrived at 6 pm. Rafe was taking me out to dinner, to the Italian restaurant we had visited on our first non-date, and I couldn’t wait to enjoy a romantic, delicious meal without Evan around to annoy us. And that chocolate cake… I had been dreaming about that chocolate cake for months.
Rafe had laughed when I told him that. “I’m not even surprised that the cake is the highlight of your night.”
See how well trained he was?
So. School dragged (as usual), and once the final bell rang, I rushed home with Chloe and Penny, my fairy winter formal godmothers . (They had come up with the term, not me.) After a long shower, they had me sit on the toilet so they could attack me with hair products and various makeup brushes. They only stopped long enough to eat the pizza Dad had picked up on the way home (I wasn’t allowed to eat—absolute torture!), and then it was back to work.
“Should I be insulted that you
I tilted my head sideways. “You don’t?” That was unbelievable; Philip was a great guy. How could he not be with someone?
“No. It sucks. I mean, there are guys, but they aren’t my boyfriends.” He kicked at the floor. “They’re good for hookups, but nothing more.”
I felt myself turning red again and mentally chastised myself. He’s nineteen, Gabi! Of course he’s done…stuff before!
Still. Philip deserved a boyfriend. A really awesome boyfriend. And the universe sucked if it didn’t produce one for him very soon.
“Ha, you’re thinking perverted things again, aren’t you,” he said, poking me.
“No, I’m not!”
Philip gave me a lazy crooked smile. “So you and Rafe haven’t…”
I picked up his pillow and smashed it into his laughing face. “Why do es everyone keep asking me that!”
“Probably because you blush so easily,” he replied, stretching onto his back and hugging the pillow to his chest. “And I definitely remem ber Rafe being shy around girls. Is he still like that?”
“Yeah, he can’t even kiss me in front of my dad without breaking out into a sweat.” I shook my head, laughing. “He battles demons all the time, but my dad? Forget it. Rafe’s convinced Dad spends all of his free time sharpening the kitchen knives so he can stab Rafe one day.”
“It’s nice to know he hasn’t changed,” Philip said, amused. “How did you guys meet?”
I raised my eyebrows. “You want the long version or the short version? Because it’s pretty complex.”
“Do I look like I have anything else to do?” He plopped the pillow behind his head before folding his fingers together and resting them over his stomach. “Unless you’re in a hurry to return to your room?”
“Uh, you mean my prison cell?” I shook my head. “No thanks.”
“So stay here. With me,” Philip said. “I’ll sleep on the floor, you can have the bed.” His face was open, earnest, and I could tell he really did want me to spend the night with him. I felt a wave of sadness. Why did I get the feeling Philip was lonely? Maybe because everyone you’ve met is either a bastard like Charles or a loser like Scott. Would you want to be friends with them?
“Okay, I’ll stay. But you’re not sleeping on the floor.” I settled down next to him, curling up on my side. “I trust you won’t take advantage of me in my sleep. Although , honey, you don’t know what you’re missing out on.” I flipped my hair over my shoulder.
Philip snorted. “I’ll take your word for it.” He poked me. “Now tell me about Rafe!”
“Well, one night I was working at my horrible job from hell when this shoplifter came in…”
Chapter Seventeen
Rafe was late. Maybe that was typical of most teenage boys, but Rafe was never late. In fact, he was usually early by a good ten minutes, while I was the one rushing around, trying to get ready in time. Tonight, the night of the winter formal, I had started getting ready the moment I got home, just so I would be ready when he arrived at 6 pm. Rafe was taking me out to dinner, to the Italian restaurant we had visited on our first non-date, and I couldn’t wait to enjoy a romantic, delicious meal without Evan around to annoy us. And that chocolate cake… I had been dreaming about that chocolate cake for months.
Rafe had laughed when I told him that. “I’m not even surprised that the cake is the highlight of your night.”
See how well trained he was?
So. School dragged (as usual), and once the final bell rang, I rushed home with Chloe and Penny, my fairy winter formal godmothers . (They had come up with the term, not me.) After a long shower, they had me sit on the toilet so they could attack me with hair products and various makeup brushes. They only stopped long enough to eat the pizza Dad had picked up on the way home (I wasn’t allowed to eat—absolute torture!), and then it was back to work.
“Should I be insulted that you
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