Be Rude but Love Me | ✔

CHAPTER 16

"I can't believe I remembered to ask you about your date only two days after," I moan in annoyance with myself. "What kind of a best friend does that make me?"

Ellie laughs slightly as she takes a seat behind the wheel. I buckle myself up and she pulls out of the driveway. We are going to James's party. It's been a week since my confrontation with Yann and I make sure not to see him in the mornings when I wake up. Either I go to help with the fair or I stay home up in my room and come down only when I am sure he's long gone. I feel a little better, less stressed and less guarded and I found myself enjoying my summer without him there. But somehow, it feels like there's something missing.

That day, after sitting in the bathroom with Ellie, I had suddenly occurred to me that I had never asked her about her date with James. So much for being a best friend. I had beat myself up for it but Ellie had assure me it was fine – I'm not sure if it was the other way around that I would think it fine. Even one week later, guilt eats at me and ever since I've been pestering her with questions about the two of them and making up for it. Though I really doubt nothing I do can make up for it. I just can't believe I forgot to ask. I even did her makeup that morning, for Christ's sake! Ugh.

"The kind that has a life," she replies after a few seconds with a look my way. "I'm not mad, Tracy. I know that things haven't been easy with Yann and that he probably is in each and every one of your thoughts."

"Whoa there," I say with a frown, "you almost make it sound like I have a crush on the dude or something."

Ellie bursts out laughing at that. "Damn, wouldn't that be fun?" She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively at me.

"Yeah, right. Never in a million years." I roll my eyes at her and look out the window. Switching topics, I ask, "What is Will up to with his father anyways?"

Ellie shrugs. "Dunno. He said he would join us there."

I hum and turn on the radio. Through the windshield, I can see the last of the sunset and know it's just a matter of minutes before we are plunged into darkness. Singing along to the radio, Ellie and I don't talk much during the ride to James's. It's a half an hour drive to his party but at the speed Ellie is going, we'll make it there in fifteen.

"Wow," I say, "someone's eager to see her boyfriend."

She sends me a death glare and in the faint light of the receding day, I can see her start blushing. "He's not my boyfriend."

"Yeah, right. Whatever you say."

Ellie ignores my teasing for the rest of the way and pretends to sing to the radio. I watch her turn redder by the minute and when we get in front of James's house – we make it in thirteen minutes actually since I guess she was dying to escape me – she gets down of the car before I can even get a hold of my buckle.

When I'm finally out, she locks the doors and hurls me forward. "If you say one more word about James and me, Tracy, I will bite your head off."

I roll my eyes at her empty threat but keep my mouth shut nonetheless. As we walk across the front lawn, couples chat animatedly with cups in their hands. The music is blaring from inside the house and I cast a quick glance around to notice that the closest house must be at least within a walking distance of ten minutes. No risk of the police crashing the party.

Ellie and I step into the house – she's still firmly holding my hand like a kid – and she smiles at a few familiar faces. Well, no one is familiar to me aside from the few guys I recognize from the fairground. Everyone seems to be holding a cup and I am sure that it's not soda that they contain. Taio Cruz's Dynamite is having sweaty bodies gyrate around on the dance floor as girls grind on girls and on guys. The stairs are packed with people pressed against the wall as they either talk or kiss fervently.