It’s simple. I don’t.
“Where were you yesterday, Kimmy? How can you come to my party and not wait for me? Hold on a second…” He looks me up and down as if he can read words on my clothes. “Did you get some?”
Some pushing, some kissing, some M&M’s. Take your pick.
“I’m not you, Ro,” I say instead.
“Of course you’re not. If you were, you would’ve been having fun, not hiding from a certain bastard with repulsive dimples.”
My eyes widen. He knows. How does he know? Am I underestimating how much Ronan is involved under the easy-going façade?
He waves a hand in front of my face. “Why do you look like a rat just died in your lap?”
“Ew, gross.” I hit his shoulder with mine.
“Not more gross than that.” He motions at my plate. “Go out with me and I’ll take you to the best cuisine, and it’s diet-friendly – my mother’s style.”
“Sure.” I smile.
He snaps his fingers. “You just agreed.”
I nod, wondering why he seems so surprised.
“It’s official. We’re going on a date.”
“A d-date?”
“Why do you think I asked you out?”
I stare at him for a second. Ronan has always joked about a threesome of me, him, and Elsa, but that’s all it’s been, jokes.
Why does he seem serious all of a sudden?
“B-but why?” I ask. “You have all the girls and then some.”
“You know, against common belief, I’m a fucking gentleman – unless clowns are involved, I’m not a gentleman then. Fucking creeps. Anyway, I’m doing it for you, Kimmy.”
“For me?”
“Fine, for us.” He sighs, shaking his head. “You get your payback.”
“Payback?” I know I’m starting to sound like an idiot with all these questions, but I’m seriously feeling out of my element right now.
“Knight hurt you yesterday.”
“You saw?”
“I felt it.” He pulls up a finger. “Premièrement, Knight skipped today, to fight and bleed his knuckles and will probably only show up for the game.” He adds another finger. “Deuxièmement, you’ve been crying and you ran away from him, which means he crossed a line. Finalement, I’m old-fashioned. I don’t like it when ladies cry.”
My lips part as I savour his every word. “So what? You think if I go out with you, it’ll hurt him?”
“It will.”
I laugh, and the sound is so bitter, it hurts. “I disgust him, Ro. He can’t even look at me anymore.”
My voice breaks at the end and I stop so the tears won’t come out. I did enough crying for a lifetime last night. I won’t cry again.
Doesn’t mean it hurts any less, though.