Page 29 of Rival Season
I nod, even though I did not know that. And for some reason, having all those elephant feet back and trampling around upstairs again doesn’t sound too terrible.
“Anyway, enough about the boys,” Ally goes on. “Tell me about your dissertation. I know nothing about how grad school works, except it sounds stressful.”
I groan. “Well, in the words of Anthony Bridgerton…it’s the bane of my existence and the object of all my desires.”
Ally laughs. “I love that show; sometimes the guys watch it with me.”
I shake my head. “That’s hard to picture.”
“They love to complain when I put on my shows, but deep down, I know they love them.” Ally smiles. “So, what are you studying?”
Donna swings by with our burgers and fries and dashes off to her next table. Ally immediately picks up her burger and takes a bite.
“My PhD is in social work, so my dissertation topic is on the outcomes of foster youth who age out of the system.”
Ally’s eyes go wide, and she swallows. “No way! Penn will be so helpful with that.”
I pick up a fry and take a bite, nearly moaning at how good it is. “Why’s that?” I ask around my French fry.
Ally eyes me like she’s trying to figure me out, or maybe attempting to piece together how serious me and Penn are. There’s something behind those brown eyes that tells me she’s hiding away an interesting bit of information. I want to pry, to pick at her brain and learn more about the elusive Penn Matthews…but I realize that would make it seem like I know nothing about him. And if we’re supposedly dating, shouldn’t Iknow important details likewhyhe might be so helpful with my dissertation?
“Oh, hey! We should do a double date night in the hot tub,” Ally says, changing the subject abruptly, which just makes me more curious about why Penn would be helpful for my dissertation topic.
“That sounds fun,” is what I respond with instead of prying for information. But it only takes a split second for it to hit me that I just agreed to wear a swimsuit in front of three incredibly fit professional athletes—I’m including dancer as an athlete; Ally’s legs are insanely muscular. The thought of baring that much skin makes me uncomfortable, but then I remember Penn’s devilish expression the other night when he said it was a shame he couldn’t come downstairs to my bedroom to make Chadwick jealous. He was joking, obviously. However, I don’t think I imagined the heat in his eyes at that moment. My skin prickles at the thought of those blue eyes traveling over my body in a bathing suit. Would they flare the same way?
I swallow, quickly pushing away the mental image. “Or we could just do a movie night.”
Ally hums around another big bite of her burger, nodding as if to sayeither is good for me.
We continue eating and end up chatting for hours, and she tells me all about her dance show and I tell her about Fluffy. Ally is so easy to talk to and fun to be around. This dinner is the most social interaction I’ve had with another girl for a long time. I forgot how nice it is to have a friend.
By the time I get back to my apartment, I’m hoping Chadwick is in bed already, but no such luck.
I walk inside to find him smack in the center of the couch, surrounded by takeout bags—that I’ll have to clean up—and playing some war game on the Xbox he brought with him when he moved in.
He looks up as I hang my purse on the hook by the door and slide my shoes off.
“Hey, you’re back,” he says, pausing his game. “I ordered your favorite dessert. Chocolate tuxedo cake.”
I bring one hand to my temple and rub at the spot where I suddenly have a headache. “Chadwick…you’ve known me since we were kids, and you dated me for over a year. Yet somehow during all the time you never realized I don’t like chocolate. Also, the smell of roses gives me a headache…and Ineverwear fancy jewelry. Not because I don’t own any, but because I don’t like it. I like scouring thrift shops and estate sales to find unique items that tell a story. How did you never notice that?”
His head jerks back and he releases a frustrated breath. “Wow, sorry for being a terrible boyfriend, I guess.”
I bring my hand to my heart. “Thank you so much for that heartfelt apology. I’m going to bed.”
“Maybe your expectations are too high, Hazel. Nobody’s perfect,” he says, as I walk past him to get to my bedroom.
I stop and turn to look at him over my shoulder. “Maybe, but I won’t lower them for you or anyone else.”
When I get inside my room, I close the door and slink to the floor in front of it. My hands are shaking from the adrenaline of standing up for myself. For a moment I feel bad about everything I said and wonder if I was too mean, but I shake the thought and remind myself that Chadwick is a horrible person.
Now if I can just muster the strength to stand up to my mother the way I’ve recently learned to stand up to Chadwick.
My phone pings with a text, and with my hand still shaking I take it out of my pocket and read.
Penn
Sounds like you and Ally had fun tonight. She’s chatting Noah’s ear off about it on the phone right now. I’ll be back in the morning, let’s get together and chat about our next move?
