Nerves have me feeling like I’m about to deliver a speech to an entire auditorium, spotlight trained on me. We never discussed what we’re telling people if anything.
“You guys are so cute together, and he just seems so happy when you’re around or when mentioning you.”
“We’re just friends.” I’ve used this label a dozen times in reference to Nolan and me—more—yet it leaves the taste and sensation of ash in my mouth this time.
“Hudson and I were friends before we began dating.”
“I don’t think Nolan’s looking to date.”
She winces. “I heard things with his ex ended pretty badly. I was kind of the same way this summer. My ex ended up cheating on me with his ex. Things kind of spiraled for me.”
“I’m sorry. Why do so many people cheat? Why not just break up if you’re unhappy in your relationship? My ex cheated on me with my roommate.”
“No!”
I nod. “They moved to Scotland together in August.”
Her jaw drops. “Hadley, that’s horrible. What a jerk. Both of them are jerks. I hope they catch some kind of Scottish curse.”
I grin feebly. “We hadn’t been dating very long and it wasn’t serious, so it wasn’t a heartbreak.”
“No, but they still leave scars. It’s hard to trust after someone puts your heart in a blender with zero regards.”
Her words have me thinking about Janelle and how every time a girl has desire shining in their eyes when looking at Nolan, it reaffirms that our situation is casual and temporary. That I’m temporary.
Chapter23
Nolan
“Idon’t know if we can call this a secret tradition,” Hadley says, eyeing the woods we’re waiting outside of. Here at Camden, the special effects and theater department work with two neighboring colleges to create a haunted mile-long walk through the woods. From here, we can’t see anything, but once you step inside, it’s like a movie set with props and entire scenery sets, not to mention the countless costumed actors.
Hannah nods. “The entire campus is here.”
Hadley points at her as validation. “It’s open to the public.”
Lenny grins, his ridiculous stick-on mustache catching in his mouth. He’s dressed as Hulk Hogan. He drapes his arm around Hadley and Katie. “Because it’s awesome.”
“The cookie run wasn’t a secret and was open to the public,” I remind her.
“Yeah, but…” Hadley objects looking at Hannah for help.
“Did you do the haunted walk last year?” I ask her.
“No…” she admits. “Because I hate horror stuff.”
Evelyn chuckles, leaning closer to Hudson.
“Weren’t we supposed to be dressed in costume?” Sadie asks from where she’s clutching Palmer’s arm and eyeing the half of our group who didn’t dress up. Palmer’s dressed as a doctor and Sadie is wearing a naughty nurse costume.
Hadley glances at the darkened skies that were becoming overcast before we left, and shrugs. “When I heard the woods were involved, I assumed they were optional.”
“Yeah. There’s no way I was going to run from someone dressed like that in a mini skirt,” Hannah says, pointing at someone approaching the front gate dressed like a zombie with plenty of gore.
“I just don’t wear costumes,” I say with a shrug.
Hadley looks at where Hannah’s pointing, eyes growing wide. “Katie was smart to bow out.”
I wrap my arm around her shoulders. “Skydiving, Cutlass.”