Great. Now I’m going to have to explain myself. I’d love to avoid this conversation.
Looks like I’m not gonna.
Once we’re in Eli’s Charger and he’s fired up the engine until it roars, he pulls out of the parking lot and immediately starts talking.
“What is your deal? Why didn’t you want to go there to eat? Does it have to do with Ellie?” Eli asks.
He’s far more aware of the Ellie thing than anyone else, only because we lived those moments together during our senior year. When he was in hot pursuit of Ava and Ellie became my new adoring fan.
“She might be mad at me,” I say.
“Why?”
“We might’ve done something last night.”
Silence fills the interior of the car, making me squirm.
“What exactly did you two do?” he asks carefully.
“You can’t tell anyone. Especially Caleb.” He will never let me live this down.
Let’s be real. None of them will let me live this down.
“Dude, just spit it out,” Eli says impatiently.
“We hooked up.”
More silence as Eli absorbs what I just said.
“Really? How was it? Did you fuck her? Please tell me you didn’t fuck her,” Eli says, keeping his gaze on the road.
“I didn’t fuck her. But we did other stuff.” I don’t need to go into detail.
“Damn bro. I never thought you’d actually go for it.” He shakes his head. “How was it?”
It’s none of his damn business, but I guess I need to give him something. “It was—good.”
“Want more?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know.” I shrug. “I don’t normally return for seconds. Or if I do, it’s only because I know I’ll never see her again.”
“You’re probably going to see Ellie a lot over the next few years,” Eli reminds me.
“I know,” I say miserably, hating that I sound so down and out. “I fucked up.”
“Maybe. Maybe not,” Eli says.
“What do you mean?”
“Keep it light. Keep it casual. See what happens. Ellie might be down. She’s eager to take any bit of attention you toss her way, I know that,” Eli explains.
“You make her sound desperate,” I say, my voice edged with steel. I don’t like hearing him talk about her like that. “She’s not.”
He actually laughs, the fucker. “Simmer down. I’m not knocking your girl. I’m just stating facts. This is a girl who’s been worshiping the Jackson Rivers shrine for a long ass time. She’ll do whatever she can to keep you.”
“Eli, what the fuck are you saying? I don’t want to string her along. She’s the serious type. You know this,” I point out.
“Right. You’re right. But she might be the nonserious type too. You’ll never know until you talk to her.” He turns onto Shaw Avenue and we’re only minutes from the restaurant. “I say you go for it.”