Tell Me You'll Miss Me | ✓

9. unless you want to

"Lots of eligible bachelors and bachelorettes around here..."

Nora quirked an eyebrow at Summer, the source of the intrusion, and then grinned at me.

There was a 98% chance I was blushing.

Summer was a monster. She had guts, I'd admit – but who said things like that? She had no shame, whereas I was turning cherry red in the face and I hadn't even said anything.

I took a big gulp from my travel mug to compensate, trying to hide behind its pastel stripes.

"Good to know," Nora said. "I'll keep my eyes open, for sure. I..." she paused and pursed her lips, looking down at the slightly gross cafeteria table. "Actually, a few weeks before we moved here, Alex broke up with me."

My travel mug quietly clanked back down against the surface. Summer and I stared, waiting for it.

"She figured it wasn't gonna work out, long-distance. It never does, right? So, y'know. Single and ready to mingle," Nora smiled, before scrunching her face up to wink at me.

It should've been corny and awkward, but instead, my stomach danced around all happy and nervy. This could not be real.

She's a she. Alex is a she. Nora dated a she. I'm a she! Nora could date me!

Summer looked even more thrilled than I did, and was already leaping on the opportunity. "That's so funny, that you'd say that! Because, look, I have a date this weekend with this guy, and I'm pretty sure it's gonna be the most awkward date of my life, so... maybe we could turn it into a double date? Just to help me out. Right, Jess?"

I snapped my head to look in her direction.

"What?" Okay, so I might not have been feeling super eloquent in the moment, but I was busy whirlwinding through like, nine emotions at once. Summer was so ready, always – for everything and anything, and as usual I was about three steps behind, jogging to catch up, red in the face.

"We could all go, right?" Summer was definitely pushing it. This whole thing sounded crazy, and the plan was beyond transparent. No way was Nora about to agree to--

"Totally! It'd be so good to get out of the house. You guys are like, the only people I know here, so, I've got your back," she laughed. "Who's the dude?"

Summer flinched, and then threw a glance in my direction. I tried my best not to roll my eyes. Where were her big, dumb, bright ideas now? Suddenly I had to do all the heavy lifting.

"It's, um. David? From your French class, right, Sum?" I suggested, because David was the nicest guy I knew. He'd be happy to owe us a favor, happy to fake-date Summer, and happy to get a free meal out of it, for sure.

"Yeah!" Summer looked relieved. "He's been bugging me all year to take me out to dinner. He's nice, but um. It's not happening. Except," she chuckled, "now it is, and... I need you guys there. Is that cool? Like, you don't have to hold hands or make out or anything," she laughed, and Nora and I looked at each other with a laugh, too.

A moment later, Sum added "Unless you want to, obvi," with a waggle of her eyebrows. 

She then jumped, sharply, when I kicked her under the table.