Chapter 23
795 Words
Lunch with Alexis and Jasmine was, unsurprisingly, a disaster.
Mostly because neither of them knew how to behave.
“He brought you coffee?” Jasmine whisper-screamed the second I sat down.
I stabbed a fry with more force than necessary.
“Yes.”
Alexis looked deeply offended on my behalf.
“No, because that’s actually insane.”
I frowned.
“Why?”
“Because Landon Baxter doesn’t do nice things publicly,” Jasmine said, like she was explaining weather patterns. “He barely does nice things privately.”
I paused.
“What does that mean?”
They exchanged a look.
And suddenly, I didn’t like the energy at the table.
Alexis leaned in.
“It means Landon has never exactly been…” she searched for the word, “…intentional with girls.”
My stomach tightened.
I hated that.
Hated the way my chest reacted instantly.
Hated the quiet little voice in my head that immediately asked:
So what makes you different?
Jasmine must have seen something flicker across my face because she immediately softened.
“But this feels different,” she said quickly.
I laughed once, humorless.
“You say that like you’re narrating my downfall.”
Alexis winced.
“Okay, fair.”
Before either of them could make it worse, I looked up—
and immediately wished I hadn’t.
Because Kasey was standing a few feet away.
Perfect hair.
Perfect makeup.
Perfect little smile that somehow still felt mean.
And the second her eyes landed on me, I knew this conversation was not about to improve my day.
“Well,” she said sweetly, looking between the three of us. “This is… cute.”
Jasmine visibly rolled her eyes.
Alexis muttered, “Oh brother.”
I sat up straighter.
“Kasey.”
“Nessa.” Her smile widened, all venom hidden behind lip gloss. “I just wanted to say how brave it is.”
I blinked.
“How brave what is?”
She tilted her head.
“You know. Coming here and just… going for it.”
I stared at her.
Not because I didn’t understand what she meant.
But because I wanted to give her one final chance to hear herself and stop.
Unfortunately, she didn’t.
“I mean, Pacific Sands can be such an intimidating place for people who aren’t exactly…” she waved a manicured hand vaguely, "used to it.
There it was.
Not subtle.
Not clever.
Just ugly.
Alexis sat up immediately.
“Are you serious?”
Kasey ignored her.
Her eyes stayed on me.
“But honestly? Good for you. It’s very… Cinderella.”
And that did it.
Something in me went still.
Not weak.
Not embarrassed.
Still.
The kind of still that comes right before a person gets exactly one chance to regret underestimating you.
I set my fork down carefully.
Then smiled.
“Oh,” I said lightly. “And here I thought your personality was just naturally unbearable.”
Alexis slapped the table.
Jasmine choked on her drink.
Kasey’s smile dropped instantly.
For the first time since I’d met her—
she looked caught off guard.
Good.
Because I was done being polite to people who confused kindness with weakness.
Her jaw tightened.
“You think he’s actually serious about you?”
The table went quiet.
And there it was.
The real question.
Not class.
Not money.
Not status.
Possession.
Threat.
Fear.
I held her gaze evenly.
“I think,” I said calmly, “that whatever Landon does or doesn’t feel is none of your business.”
Her nostrils flared.
And for a second, I thought she might actually say something worse.
But instead, she forced a smile back into place.
Then laughed softly like none of this mattered.
“Good luck with that.”
And with that, she turned and walked away.
The second she was gone, Alexis looked at me like I had just won a televised war.
“Oh my God.”
Jasmine clutched her chest.
“I think I’m in love with you.”
I exhaled slowly, only now realizing how hard my pulse was pounding.
“That was insane.”
“No,” Alexis said immediately. “That was iconic.”
I groaned and dropped my forehead to the table.
“I hate this school.”
“No,” Jasmine corrected. “You hate that the hottest guy here is obsessed with you and his ex situationship is spiraling.”
I lifted my head.
“Obsessed is a strong word.”
Alexis and Jasmine looked at each other.
Then back at me.
Then said in unison:
“No. It’s not.”
And that—
that should not have made me smile the way it did.
But it did.
Unfortunately.
(Chapter Theme Song: West Coast by Lana Del Ray)
- Writer
