Page 41 of The Fake Divination Offense
My hand twists in Seb’s. “I can’t go after him. He’s not reallymine.”
“But he could be.” Seb releases me. “You want him to be. Your instincts are telling you something’s up, something’swrong, right? So listen.Talkto him. Find out what’s going on so you canmakethis real, because you owe it to yourself to go after it. Now.” Seb waves toward the moving car. “Go. Chase. Talk.”
“I’m not—I’m not going tochase him. Like a stalker.”
Thio winces and cups Seb’s shoulder. “Fair point. Following him probably isn’t the best move. When are you supposed to see him next? You could talk to him then.”
“Correction: youwilltalk to him then,” Seb says. “Pull up your calendar. Let me see what you’re slotted for after this. I’ll hold you accountable.”
The car’s stuck in a line waiting to get through the parking lot’s exit.
Alexo and that guy will leave. Go back to the place they share.
I scrub at my hair, fingers burning on my scalp, and snarl down at Seb. “I can’t. I fuckingcan’t, Seb. I’m—it isn’t—it’s toomuch, okay? I was too much with you and I’ll be too much with him and I don’t—”
Seb grabs my face, silencing me. “You have never, in the history of our relationship, been too much for me, Orok.Never.Getting to be loved by you is a privilege, and if Alexo doesn’t see it that way, that’s on him. But he should at least get the chance to decide.” He smiles, shifting from intense to light in a flash. “As someone very wise once told me, you like the guy. So talk to him. That’s it. Sounds simple to me.”
A memory pops up—back in college, when Seb was struggling with his feelings for Thio. I told him something similar.You like the guy. That’s what it is. Simple.
Simple.
I’ve been clawing my way toward simple, easy,finefor weeks. Been sacrificing pieces of my sanity and soul to stay in these strict little boxes so I didn’t explode in a confetti cannon oftoo much. Too obsessive. Too fixated. Too consuming.
But he’s leaving with that guy.
And I can’ttake it anymore.
So fucking weak.
I yank Seb in, kiss his forehead, and punch Thio on the shoulder. “Thanks. Sorry to flake on tonight, but I’ll call you later, I promise.”
Thio’s eyes burst wide. “Wait, you really shouldn’tfollow him—”
But I’m taking off across the parking lot already. Thankfully, I got a pretty close spot before the game, and I’m yanking open the door to my car, chucking my bag in the back seat, and peeling out of the spot while Alexo’s car is just leaving the exit. I clock which direction it turns and snake my way to the exit, too, and by the time I’m allowed to leave, I spot them stuck in stadium traffic at a red light.
My phone rings. I answer, and Seb’s voice fills my car. “You’re insane.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ve since been informed of the tactlessness of my initial suggestion and have been encouraged to dissuade you from this current path,” Seb says, clearly reciting what Thio told him. “Not,” he adds, “that I think you’re in any way beingtoo much; it’s just, ya know, not a good look to stalk anyone.”
“I’m notstalkinghim,” I say.
As the light changes and I follow them onto the highway.
Where I keep a few car lengths between us.
Sothat guydoesn’t realize I’m following them.
“Okay,mildlystalking,” I amend. “I’m going to make sure he gets home okay. And that that asshole doesn’t touch him.”
Seb’s silent for a beat. Then he chirps “Hey!” like Thio pinched him.
Rustling. Thio’s muffled voice.
Seb comes back with an exasperated, flat, “Orok. Stop. Turn back. Oh, dearest friend of mine, rethink your poor life choices, lest you—ow! I am not being purposefully melodramatic! Well,excuuuuseme for thinking he should actually go after Alexo. No, you know what? I rescind my rescinding. Because I want to know what’s up with him! And it’s a romantic gesture! It’s notcreepy.” A pause. “It’s a little creepy. But—”
Alexo’s car gets off the highway in the middle of Seb’s one-sided conversation with Thio, and I tail them into a neighborhood that makes me grimace, my brows pulling together.
