Page 66 of Remember Me

Did she actually just say that to me? Lottie? My sweet, innocent Lottie? I’m struck dumb by her comment, but at the same time, I’m fully here for this naughtier side.

There’s shouting at the far end of the table. Alyssa and Theo are arguing about the karaoke song choices, no doubt trying to pick a song they each know the other won’t sing.

“What are you two singing this time?” Lottie asks Alyssa.

She turns to me with a sly grin. “I’m torn between ‘Love is an Open Door’ from Frozen or ‘Timber’ by Pitbull and Kesha. I think I’m going for Frozen; Theo definitely won’t want to sing that in front of everyone.”

“Oh please, I can make anything sound good,” Theo smirks.

“Bring it on, Boo.” She quickly writes the song choice down with their names on it and rushes off to hand it to the DJ.

Lottie inhales sharply.

“What? What is it?”

“Ok, so I think Alyssa is seeing someone, and I think he’s on your team.”

“What makes you think that?” I ask as I place a delicate kiss on her bare shoulder.

“Well, she has a new choker necklace she claims is old, but she never takes it off. So it must be new, or we would have seen it before, right?”

I nod along, “Ok, she could have bought that for herself, though.”

“Of course she could have, but she would have just come out and said that. Plus, she fiddles with the heart pendant part all the time and has this dreamy look on her face. It’s obviously a gift from someone.”

Hmm, I’m not convinced yet, but then Lottie adds, “She’s also on her phone a lot. I know that’s normal for her as an influencer, but her phone was blowing up the other day from a guy called Boo.” She shoots me a knowing look. “The way she was looking at her phone tells me it’s not a friend messaging her, and when I questioned her, she didn’t want to talk about it.”

“Ok, so who do you think it is?” If she is seeing someone, I have a sneaky suspicion who it could be.

“Well, it definitely can’t be Codey, he’s far too grumpy and unsociable for her. Louis is obviously ruled out as I’ve never met a guy more committed than he is to Kayla. I’ve never seen Alyssa interact with anyone else from the team, so that only leaves one other: Theo.”

“She always calls Theo ‘Boo’ as well. Huh, do you think I should go and threaten him? Go all ‘don’t hurt my sister or I’ll kill you’ on him?”

She laughs at that. “I think he’d probably be more scared of her than you, babe.” Harsh but fair. “We can’t say anything, J, what if we’re wrong? It may not even be someone from the team, and she could be single still. Plus, she’ll tell us in her own time when she’s ready. She doesn’t need us all in her business.”

I guess Lottie’s right. I don’t like Alyssa all up in mine, so I suppose it goes both ways. I just don’t want my baby sister to get hurt.

“Fine, I’ll leave it for now. But if she ever looks remotely upset by him, I’m saying something.”

The DJ calls out the next karaoke contestant of the night and, of course, it’s Theo and Alyssa. Everyone starts hooting and hollering, knowing what’s about to come. Theo is dragged on stage, and when he sees the song, he seems to have second thoughts.

“You can always drink the pitcher of regret, Theodore,” Alyssa says to him, batting her lashes.

“What have I told you about calling me Theodore,” he says, almost growling at her. “Let’s do it.” He turns to Alyssa and hands her the mic.

“Wow, that’s, erm, something special right there.” Lottie winces as she tries to think of the right words as Theo and Alyssa belt out their song.

I laugh at her trying to be diplomatic. “You can say it—they’re terrible. I know it, you know it, and even they know it. They just don’t care.”

We both know it’s true, they’re god awful, and I’m not shocked. I’ve heard them time and time again, but it never fails to amaze me how bad they are. They own it, though.

“I wish I was more like them,” Lottie sighs wistfully.

“A terrible singer?” I chuckle.

“No, silly, more confident. Have that ‘zero fucks given’ attitude, you know?”

“I get that, but then you wouldn’t be you. And I love you just the way you are.” I lean in and kiss that spot on her neck just below her ear, making her whimper and squirm in my lap.