“Nothing.” I bit my lower lip, my face hot with shame. “Sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” She continued to stand there. “Are you sad about Aiden?”
“He’s just a jerk,” I groaned again as I pulled out the carton of chocolate milk. “I don’t know why he gets to me so much.”
“Because you like him.” She smiled.
“Yeah, I guess so.” I poured a tall glass and then looked for some cookies. My stomach was in knots and I needed a sugar high to make me feel better.
“It’s fine, Alice,” she continued. “He’s just being an ass. He’ll come around, and he’ll forget that silly little kiss.”
“That’s not everything,” I said softly as I pulled out my purple box of Cadbury Fingers. They were my expensive treat to myself. They were more expensive than regular cookies because they were imported from England, but I loved my sticks of biscuit covered by milk chocolate. They were worth going broke for.
“What do you mean, that’s not everything?” Liv stood behind me and as I turned around, her brown eyes looked cautious. “You didn’t have sex with Scott, did you?”
“What?” My voice rose and my jaw dropped. “Hell no. Of course I didn’t sleep with Scott. How could you think that?”
“Well, you’re acting funny,” she said with a frown. “What else don’t I know, Alice?”
“Ahem.” Xander walked into the kitchen and cleared his throat. “I’ve put the movie on hold, but I’m wondering if I should just leave?” He looked at me and then at Liv. “It seems like you guys need to talk?”
“Thanks.” I nodded and smiled at him weakly.
“No.” Liv frowned and then gave me a look. “You don’t have to leave.”
“Are you sure?” He stood there with a smug smile on his face. “I don’t mind, and it seems like Alice really needs to talk.” He looked at me again, and I stood there with my heart in my throat. I couldn’t look at Liv. I was scared she was going to tell Xander he could stay. Which would mean that she was officially choosing him over me. Which would not be cool. I was her best friend. I had first dibs on her time. If she told him he could stay, I was going to feel very, very sad.
“If you don’t mind,” Liv said and walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll make it up to you.” My shoulders relaxed at her words. She wasn’t choosing Xander over me. Yet.
“I’ll hold you to that,” he said in a silky smooth voice, and I looked away as he pulled her mouth to his and kissed her firmly. Oh how I wished Aiden would grab me like that and kiss me possessively. “Feel better, Alice.”
“Thanks.” I nodded and chugged my chocolate milk.
“Alice, I’m going to walk Xander to the door then I’ll be back.” Liv looked at me. “Pour us two glasses of Merlot. I think tonight’s going to be a long night.”
“Okay.” I nodded and smiled. I wasn’t sure how I’d gotten so lucky as to get Liv as a best friend, but I vowed to myself that I would never take her for granted. I looked in the cupboard for some wine glasses and a bottle of wine. I then opened the fridge and took out some French bread and brie that I had not bought, and sliced the bread and put it in the mini toaster oven that we had. A couple of minutes later Liv walked back into the kitchen, and I tensed slightly. I was worried that she was going to be mad at me for making her send Xander home.
“Yummy, you’re toasting the French bread?” She sidled up next to me and grinned.
“Yup, and I took out the brie, too.” I looked over at her. “I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course.” She laughed. “I got chocolate as well.”
“Yay.”
“It’s dark, so it’s good for us.” She pulled out her bar of chocolate from the fridge. It was Lindt dark chocolate with mint, and I grinned. It was the only dark chocolate I liked because it didn’t taste all gritty and bitter. The mint in this bar made the chocolate taste creamy and delicious. Almost as sinful as real milk chocolate.
“I’m sorry I made you send Xander home.” I made a face as I turned the slices of French bread over so that they could be toasted on both sides. Our toaster was poorly made and it never seemed to toast the bread evenly on both sides.
“It’s fine.” She rubbed my shoulder. “I’m not going to just let you suffer; besides, he knows us both well enough to know that I couldn’t just sit there while you were upset. He knows you’re my best friend and—love it or hate it—he has to deal with it.”