Page 113 of Never Say Never
“What?”
“I need to handle this. It’s Stef.” He gives me a knowing look before I make my way to my room.
I collapse on the bed, playing with the phone instead of replying right away.
With everything going on, there’s no way I can visit her in New York.
My schedule alone is impossible, but even more important, I’m supposed to be dating Avery. I can’t randomly show up across the country to hang with another woman.
And with Avery and I now physically involved?
Zero chance I can do the trip.
Fuck.I’m not looking forward to this, but I can’t drag it out any more. I’m supposed to be there in less than a month.
Suck it up, Rawls.
RAWLEY: Hey hey, how was your day?
STEFANI: I’m okay. It was a light rehearsal day, since so many people had performances.
RAWLEY: Not you?
STEFANI: Not today, I’m prepping for a show that runs next month tho.
She’s being kind of terse for her, so my antenna is up even more.
STEFANI: Sooooo, I know you and Avery are a thing, but you’re still coming, right?
Shit, here we go.
RAWLEY: Yeah, about that. I don’t think I can come to New York after all. I’m sorry.
I hope that didn’t sound too harsh.
Suddenly, my phone is ringing.
“Rawley Battle, are you really abandoning me?” Her soft Alabama accent is still present after all this time up North. “We’re friends, and nothing has to happen. You always come visit me in the summer. Who’s going to take me to the Met at midnight and dance around the fountain?”
She’d been talking about taking me to the goddamn Met for months. Fuck, this feels weird.
“Yeah, I know, Stef. It’s not going to work out this year, okay?” I try to think of ways to make her feel better. “It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just impossible. We’re still friends though.”
“Huh,” she says, and a memory of her pouting face pops in my mind. I bet she’s making it right now. “This is disappointing.”
“We’re going to stay friends,” I repeat.
“Sure. I’m going to go,” she says.
And then she hangs up and doesn’t text me again that night.
Guess I “handled” that.
28
AVERY
RAWLEY: Just saw the news. Congrats starter
