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12. Not in love with him

      "You look great." Clay says for the third time in the car. The first was at the door, the second was walking through the parking lot, and this is the third, halfway to the restaurant.

      "Thanks I haven't been told that tonight," Adaline replies, rolling her eyes. Smiling, albeit, but rolling her eyes nevertheless.

She turned away from him to look out the window when he said it because she couldn't help but feel her face heat up. Anyone would though, right? It's not just her? She blushes at anyone complimenting her, not just Clay. And of course Clay would compliment her like that, he flirts with his friends all the time. Come on. Heatwaves exists for a reason.

      "And yet, here I am. Only been complimented once on this fine evening." He leans over and nudges her shoulder to get her attention back.

      "You look great, Clay." Adaline says jokingly reluctant.

The restaurant is some fancy one that she could never afford on her own. She is, above all else, a broke college student. Luckily enough Clay offered to pay for half and she's definitely not going to pass up a paid opportunity to eat at a nice restaurant for once. One nice night out with a friend isn't so bad, even if stupid Ian Brant and some girl I've never met are going to be there as well. It's doable, at the very least.

      "So uh," Clay glances over at Adaline and then looks back to the road. "What are you planning on being for Halloween?"

      "I don't know," Adaline answers, pausing to think. "Probably something matching with Maira, Madi and Dante like we do every year."

It then crosses her mind that this year might not be like every year. Not with Dante threatening to leave and the arguments being brought every single day. Madi and Dante fighting has caused every dynamic in their group to shift. The two of them won't even share a room anymore, Madi's been crashing on the couch since the first argument.

      "Good to know, good to know." Clay nods. He pulls into the parking lot of the restaurant.

Both of them exit the car, and while walking inside, they go over what they decided on. They started dating in August, they met on a dating app, ect. Adaline feels slightly guilty lying to Ian and his girlfriend like this. Then again, Ian has done some messed up shit and certainly deserves it.

They spot Ian and a girl with long, wavy blonde hair already at their table and go through the whole shabang to sit down.

Awkward silence between Clay ("wilbur''), Adaline and the girlfriend. Ian of course, being the annoying prick he is, is all smiles. He shakes Clay's hand, expressing just how great it is to finally meet him.

      "Uh...Hey." Clay mumbles awkwardly. Adaline doesn't even say anything back to his greeting, only forces a curt smile and sits down next to Clay.

She could've canceled. She could have bailed, not roped Clay into her stupid college drama. It's none of his business, in the end. It's not his problem. But in the end for her, she would have just been harassed by Ian and it's not like anyone who could do anything to help her would. Is this really the easiest solution, though?

      "You said you started dating in August?" Ian asks, he looks to the girlfriend (Sarah, a tech major) and she nods so he keeps going. "Addy's never brought you up before."

      "That's because we've had three entire conversations since september," Adaline says, not even bothering to look up from the menu. She's just going to order whatever Clay orders. "And I told you to stop calling me Addy."