Page 234 of Tell Me I'm Enough

I lean in and press my lips to his cheek, quick and soft, because I don’t trust myself to do more without falling apart and giving in to every reckless thing I want right now.

“I’ll see you around, Playboy,” I whisper.

His lips twitch up with a small smile. “I’ll see you around, pretty girl.”

I go to open the door, and he pulls me back to him, surprising me by kissing me again. It makes my brain go silent, and my body light up. I fully give in and press myself closer, needing more of him, needing the reassurance that he needs me in the same way I’m starting to desperately need him.

“You’re trouble,” I say against his lips.

“So are you,” he whispers back. “Now don’t put your hand back on that door again.”

He doesn’t say anything else before getting out, rounding the car, and opening my door.

I step out, and he pulls me into a hug.

“I promise I’m doing this for myself,” he says against my hair. “But you should know you’re a big reason I finally had the confidence to do it.” I don’t say anything, because I can’t. The emotions are too thick in my throat. “Thank you…for being…you,” he tells me, backing away.

We just stare at each other for a moment, the streetlights lighting us both up in the dark. I take in every perfect feature of his, proud to call him my friend.

And maybe more one day.

One day.

Maybe one day.

“Goodnight,” I tell him quietly, finally getting my voice back.

“Goodnight, Simone.”

He walks backwards around his car, never taking his eyes off of me until he opens his door and gets in.

The car starts up, and then his passenger window rolls down. “I can’t leave until I see that you’ve gotten in safely.”

I bite back a grin and turn to walk inside.

“Yes, sir,” I call back over my shoulder, smiling at him.

By the time I get up to my dorm, the adrenaline from the game and the drive has finally worn off, leaving this exhaustion behind. Still, I’m left smiling. Because maybe it’s not what my heart really wants…but it’s something close. It’s progress.

I unlock the door and step inside.

Then stop.

Because the first thing I see—right there hanging on the wall—is a…situation.

That’s the only way I can describe whateverthatis.

Lani is standing in front of it—gluing another…umitemto the board. I stare at it for a full five seconds before speaking.

“Can someone tell me,” I say slowly, “what exactly I’m looking at right now…”

Lydia turns, looking up at me and then over at Lani.

She immediately loses it. “Lani is finishing working on her…project,” she says through laughter.

“I know I slept at the Gamma house the last two days…but how did I miss—”

I wave my arms, gesturing at the…art?