Page 94 of Don't Think

But Nora doesn’t respond. Doesn’t even turn around; she just keeps walking straight for the double doors.

Allie bolts from the bar, her shoes slapping against the sticky linoleum while she rushes after her.

I move to follow, but a hand catches my forearm, stopping me in my tracks.

“Let them deal with it,” Ana says softly.

“She shouldn’t be the one getting yelled at,” I protest, jerking my other arm in the direction Allie ran. “It was my idea. This whole thing wasmyidea, not hers.”

Ana nods, sliding her hand off my sleeve. “I know. But what you both need to understand is how it feels to be the last to know. Everyone else already figured it out, Jax. You guys really weren’t as slick as you thought,” she says with a small, sympathetic laugh. “But Nora? She was so wrapped up in Gareth that she missed it. And now she feels left out. She feelsliedto. And she’s allowed to be upset about that.”

Then we hear screaming so loud it whips both of our heads toward the door.

“Alright, scratch that,” she says, taking off at a full sprint.

Adrenaline floods my veins. My feet move before I even register it, charging toward the exit, pulse hammering in my ears.

It was just one more day.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Allie

“Go back inside, Allie!” Nora yells, jabbing her finger toward the doors.

Her face is bright red as she paces back and forth. She hasn’t let me get a single word in, not that I blame her. What we did was crappy. But at the end of the day, my sex life isn’t really anybody else’s business.

“Nora, just listen—”

“No!” she snaps, even louder. “Why should I listen to anything you say? You’ve been lying to me for a month, Allie. And judging by Ana’s face, I’m guessing she already knew too.”

I shake my head and step forward, stopping a few feet away. “I didn’t tell her either, Nora. You’re not the only one who didn’t know.”

“Oh, so she figured it out and decided not to tell me either?” Her voice cracks. “You don’t think I know I’m the black sheep ofthis whole trip? You don’t think I see how close you and Ana are, and I’m just…there?”

“That’s not tr—”

“Yes, it is!” she shouts, her voice sharp and shaking. “I picked up on it the day we went to the zoo! Ana asking me to get her phone knowing damn well it was in her pocket?” She scoffs. “I’m not an idiot, Allie.”

“Nobody said you were, Nor—”

“You don’thaveto! I see it. But I was dumb enough to think we were close enough that you’d tell me something like this. Why would you even hide it?Especiallyknowing I’ve been seeing Gareth?”

“I didn’t tell anyone because it’s nobody’s business who I’m seeing!” I snap back, my voice rising to match hers.

“I toldyou!”

“No, you didn’t! Jaxwalked inon you two!”

“Iwould havetold you is my point! You’re my best friend, Allie. Mybest friend. I don’t get how you don’t see that this hurts. I mean—”

Suddenly, my stomach lurches. A deep, sharp twist that makes me feel like I’m going to be sick. Bile creeps up my throat, but I force it down and breathe through it the best I can.

Nora throws her arms out, slapping them against her sides. “You’re not even listening to me. Why am I wasting my time?”

I press a hand to my stomach, clutching the fabric of my shirt like that’ll help settle it somehow.

“Iamlistening, Nora. But you’re not hearing me. You don’t think I wanted to tell you? I did. I just… couldn’t.”