Page 91 of How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend
“No! Of course not!” I sit back against the cushy bench and snatch a fried cheese stick from the basket in the center of the table. I take a bite and give her a naughty smile. “Not that lucky.”
“Bad enby,” Kaitlynn laughs.
“If you only knew what goes through my head,” I say. It’s more trying to distract myself than anything, but it’s not a lie for once, I guess. She’d be all types of embarrassed, maybe worried.
“Oh, I don’t want to know. No, no,” Kaitlynn says.
“You really don’t,” I tell her.
“You have any exams tomorrow?” Kaitlynn asks. It’s a total topic switch. Unfortunately, the answer is yes. A few. Maybe I should practice putting a spell on myself not to think of Zachary. And a hex on…
“Yeah, math and English. And art. Yeah, I literally have an art exam. It’s so frustrating,” I say.
“Really?” Kaitlynn asks. “That’s lame.”
“Pssh. So lame.” I grunt and let the intrusive thoughts win. “I ought to put a hex on Regina.”
Kaitlynn’s expression morphs into confusion and there’s a pause.
“What? And why?” Kaitlynn asks slowly.
“She started all of this,” I grumble, eyes lost beyond her on the glass bottles hanging above the bar. I imagine Regina’s bright green eyes and curly brown hair.
“Oh…” she sighs. “But wouldn’t that actually be you?”
“I mean…but—” I try to find a way to spin it.
“No, no, Kenzie. I might be your friend, but that’s ridiculous. It’s not her fault,” Kaitlynn reminds me.
“But it’s Regina who told them.” I try to justify my moment of anger. She’s right though. There is no justifying it.
“Again, not on her. You shouldn’t have lied to her in the first place. Just because she told them,” she slows to emphasize her words, “what you told herisn’t her fault. Then you didn’t even deny it and correct her. That’s so much worse, Kenzie.”
“B-but… Shit,” I blurt. Why does she have to be so right?
“Yeah,” she says, letting the word string out for a few seconds like she’s waiting for it to settle into my thick skull.
I don’t know what to think. I didn’t mean to. I wasn’t prepared for any of that. But…I don’t know what to say. That doesn’t make it okay.
“Well, I need to hex Zach, then,” I blurt without thinking.
Kaitlynn’s entire head twitches and freezes. She stares at me with this searing gaze. I rarely get that look. It only comes out when she really thinks I’m full of shit or delusional.
“What?”
“Zach is not the problem either,” Kaitlynn says plainly.
“But—”
“No buts. We’re not doing that. You’re head over heels for him, Kenzie. It’ssoeasy to see.” She stops and looks away with this amused grin. “You get so giddy when he’s around. I love you, Kenzie, but he’s not the problem. The problem is you can’t figure out how to have him while fixing the shit you started, and it’s eating you alive. That’s the problem. It’s so clear.”
“What? No! That’ssonot it.” I lean over the table, trying to keep my voice quiet. There is only one other table occupied besides us, but I’m not having this overheard.
“Yeah, it is!” Kaitlynn laughs confidently. “Every time he shows up, you become this ball of nerves. You talk about him more than you ever did Hayden, and let me tell you, bitch, you talked about Hayden a lot. And why else would you get so defensive about him?”
“I-I…” I grumble to a stop. Is it really that obvious? I thought I hid it so well. “I…yeah. I do like him.”
“I know,” Kaitlynn says, but the accusation in her voice is gone. “It’s beyond obvious.”
