Page 27 of Only Ever You

I dig my pajamas out of my bag and head toward the bathroom she pointed out. At the doorway, I turn back. “Is there any chance you have fruit? Maybe avocado toast?”

She arches a brow at me, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“I don’t eat pizza this late,” I explain. “I don’t really eat anything this late.”

“Oh. Okay, yeah, no problem.” She flashes me a tight smile. “I’ll ask Mom.”

“Thank you.” I close the door and press my back to it, taking a deep breath. I’ve been here for ten minutes, and it’s already harder than I anticipated.

Michael:

how is the sleepover going? bored yet?

Me:

I don’t know why I agreed to this

Michael:

lol why am I not surprised?

Michael:

want me to rescue you? I can walk over. You can stay at our house for a sleepover instead

Me:

didn’t you say I need to socialize more?

Michael:

I meant I want you to hang out with me and my friends more

Me:

wish you’d told me that. It’s too late now. I just need to survive a few more hours. Hopefully, they don’t want to stay up too late. I’m leaving first thing in the morning

Michael:

wanna hang out tomorrow?

I smile at my phone, not paying attention to the movie Sienna and Lola are watching on her laptop. I tuned out the moment I realized it was Mean Girls. It’s a classic, and I liked it the first time I watched it, but it’s not what I’m typically into. Anime would’ve been so much better, but Sienna and Lola looked at me like I was speaking another language when I suggested it.

Their loss, honestly. Not a single anime has ever disappointed me. The same goes for manga.

Me:

I’ll text you if I’m in the mood to hang out

“Isla, you promised you’d stay off your phone,” Sienna whines.

“Sorry.” I put the device down and slide it away. “It won’t happen again.”

She studies me in silence, quirking a brow. “Who were you texting? Not your parents, I hope? You like being here, right?”

“Of course,” I lie. “Don’t worry. It was just Michael.”

The way her smile slips makes me uneasy.