Forever (Friends #3)(4)

Maybe.

"Cannon's mom is out of town," Ryan finally says. "So we all convinced him it's finally his turn to host the after game bash."

"Well, count us out," Livvy says, leaning forward so she can shoot me a look. "Amanda and I are having a girls' night in."

Ryan makes a disgusted noise. "Boring."

"Life isn't an endless party, you know," Livvy points out, sounding prim. Meaning she sounds very un-Livvy-like.

"Says my girlfriend who loves to party," Ryan teases, squeezing us both closer to him. "Come on, girls. Forget moping about a certain someone over ice cream." 

I frown. Yep. He's got me all figured out.

"He won't be there." When I glance up, I find Ryan studying me. "Tuttle. He won't show up. He doesn't like going to parties, unless he's hosting them."

"He went to your birthday bash," Livvy reminds us.

"That's when he was chasing Amanda." Ryan's gaze never leaves mine. "I don't think he's chasing you anymore. Do you?"

I slowly shake my head, not liking his tone of voice. Or the look in his eyes. "And I'm not chasing him either."

"Right," Ryan drawls, pulling me in so close to him, my face is smashed against his very hard chest. I shift away, flustered. I'm not attracted to him, but being held so close to a guy is making me miss it. The closeness that comes with having a boyfriend. A relationship.

Damn it, I miss stupid Jordan Tuttle so much, it hurts.

"She's definitely not chasing him," Livvy says firmly, rushing to my defense. "She's over that douchebag."

I wince. I'm the only person allowed to bag on him and Livvy's done it twice in one night. "I am," I say weakly. I don't sound very convincing and Ryan knows it. Livvy probably does too. "So over him."

"We can find you someone new then," Ryan says, giving my shoulders a squeeze. "Maybe even Cannon. Guy's been down and out lately. I don't know what his deal is. He needs to get laid. Maybe you could offer up your services."

Did he basically just call me a prostitute?

Livvy slaps Ryan on the chest, making him yelp. "You're so freaking crude! Amanda isn't going to help Cannon with that particular problem tonight. Or ever."

"Oh. Right." Ryan starts to chuckle. "Considering she's a virgin and all. Guess she wouldn't even know how to help him."

I shrug his arm away from my shoulders and start walking ahead of them, silently fuming. Livvy immediately starts chewing Ryan out and I wonder if I should stay and listen. Gloat a little bit, maybe even add a few words. But I don't want to. Insulting Ryan in return won't give me any satisfaction.

Nothing will.

Well.

Maybe Jordan Tuttle would.

But that's hopeless thinking on my part.

Ultimately, I decide to stay out of their fight. What's the point? I don't want to get in the middle of that. They've been arguing more lately too. She's always irritated with him. He's always irritated with her. It makes me wonder how much longer Ryan and Livvy are going to last.

I've been leaning against the back of Ryan's car for five minutes before Livvy finally approaches me, her cheeks flushed, her eyes still sparkling with residual anger. "I'm so, so sorry he said that to you." She takes a step closer and envelopes me in a quick hug. "He's an asshole."

"Yeah. He is," I say against her hair before I pull away. "You don't need to apologize for him. It's not your fault he said that."

"But he's my boyfriend, so I feel responsible. I told him we're definitely not going to that party tonight. He can go alone." She crosses her arms, even makes a little "humph" noise, but I can see the worry in her eyes.

She doesn't want her boyfriend to go to a party alone. He's one of the hottest guys in our class, and he's still relatively new, considering he moved here over the summer. This makes him a hot commodity. Lots of girls would love to snag him up. And Livvy knows it.

"He's going without you?"




 

 

Livvy nods. "Yeah."

"Are you okay with that?" I ask carefully.

She throws her arms up in the air in a frustrated gesture. "What am I supposed to do, huh? Control his every move? I'm supposed to trust him, right? So his going to the party alone tonight will be a moment of trust on my part."

"And his."

"Right. And his." Livvy nods, her chin wobbly.

Like she might start to cry.

"We'll go to the party." The words rush out of my mouth quickly. I needed to say it fast or I might think too much and reconsider. "We won't go with Ryan, though. We'll show up later. On our own."

Her mouth drops open. "Why? So I can spy on Ryan? Make sure he's being a good boyfriend?" She starts pacing, and I wonder where the hell Ryan is so we can get him to take us back to Livvy's house. I'm desperate to get out of here.