It Could Be More | ✔

22. Pillow Forts

"Harlow?" the voice said again. I ignored it and keep walking. Guilt pooled in my belly, but I couldn't stop. Corey seemed fine with that, but he kept his hands firmly planted in his pockets for the rest of the walk. Best case, he also realized what a mistake it was going out in public. Worst case, I hurt his feelings with the way I dropped his hand.

I hoped that wasn't it. There was already one person who was most likely mad at me. I couldn't handle two.

Mom and Hudson were waiting for me when I got home. Corey and I parted ways without a final goodnight kiss. Things were leaning more towards him being upset. Maybe I was just being paranoid.

Hudson took us to a ramen place I'd never tried, but was now my favorite. I tried to stay present and be at there mentally and bond with Hudson, like I was sure Mom wanted. But my stomach was in knots. My hand itched for my phone. Mom would've really been mad at me if I pulled it out. Especially after I zoned on Hudson talking to me twice.

When we got home after dinner, I knew Mom had something to say about the way I acted. Thankfully, Aunt Nicola called about a turkey emergency.

I rushed to my room and video called Liah.

"Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. I am so, so sorry," I said as soon as her face appeared on my screen. She was home, sitting on the top bunk of the bunk beds she shared with her little sister.

"I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me." Her words were clipped and she wouldn't even look up at me. "Because that couldn't have been my best friend looking all cozy and holding hands with some dude in broad daylight."

I didn't point out that it was dark. "I'm sorry, okay."

"No, it's not okay!" She snapped. I flinched. She let out a breath, rubbing the middle of her forehead. When she spoke again, her voice was a lot calmer. "Because something is really messed up if we're both keeping our boyfriend's secret from each other."

I paused from where I was pacing my bedroom floor. "Come again?"

"Can I stay over?"

● ● ●

Liah and I camped out in my living room. Every blanket and pillow and sheet I owned was used to make a fort in front of the tv.

The pillow fort only came out for special moments, like revealing crushes or secrets. We hadn't needed it since middle school, but we agreed that now was the perfect time for its revival. We were taller, so we couldn't sit cross-legged like we used to. Instead, we laid next to each other, propped up on our elbows.

Liah styled her hair into flat-twist, her go protective style. My go to were simple twist because I was too lazy for anything else. We were in our pajamas with mugs of hot cocoa because it was freezing and pillow forts were notoriously drafty.

"You first," I told her, stirring my cocoa with a peppermint stick.

"Don't even try it," she said, knowing exactly what I was doing. I hoped getting her to talk about Vik would distract her enough to forget about me and Corey. "When did this happen? What is happening?"

"A few days ago," I whispered, even though my mom was out for the night and her white noise machine would've blocked us out, anyway. "Corey came over and kissed me and yesterday he said all this stuff about my brother threatening him if he ever asked me out, then we kissed some more and now I think he's my boyfriend."

The words came out rushed and sounded jumbled in my head. But from the grin on Liah's face, I knew she understood my rambling mess.

"What do you mean he kissed you? Like out of the blue? I need the details, Ari!"