Read Online Two-Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt - Free Book Online Page B

it,” he says. He takes another bite of his burger. And licks his lips again. My stomach does a flip.
    “Good,” I say. “Because I would hope that you wouldn’t not answer a call from your girlfriend just because of me.” Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Why would I say that? Why would I bring up the dreaded G word? It reverberates around us, like an echo. Girlfriend, girlfriend, girlfriend. We’ve never talked about his new girlfriend. Actually, since we broke up, we haven’t really talked at all. Okay, stay calm. La, la, la, pretending I didn’t say anything.
    “It wasn’t my girlfriend,” he says, looking right at me. I practice making my face a complete blank. Like I’m in one of those poker tournaments and there’s a million dollars on the line, and if my face betrays my emotions, then I’ll lose it all. I look straight ahead. Think of things that don’t make me emotional. Um. Spanish tests. Baseball. Pink shoes. Actually, I love pink shoes.
    “Oh,” I say, because someone has to say something. “I just want you to know that you don’t have to not answer it because of me. If, you know, she does end up calling.” I am so smooth.
    “Thanks,” he says, looking confused. “Aren’t you hungry?” He looks at my sausage calzone, and since I don’t want him to think I’ve lost my appetite from thinking about his skanky girlfriend, I down the whole thing even though it tastes disgusting. The sausage is rubbery, and the cheese tastes like plastic.
    “Wow,” Jordan says. “You really were hungry.”
    “Yup,” I say, taking a big sip of my drink. “Good calzone.” Not.
    And then I do something that is so totally ridiculous, but I can’t stop myself. It’s one of those things that you know you shouldn’t do, but you have to. Kind of like at the prom, when I had spent fifty dollars to get my nails done (those really cute acrylics that look real if you get the expensive kind), and while Jocelyn and I were in the bathroom reapplying our lipstick, one of my nails seemed a little loose, so I pried it off with a nail file. It was a really stupid idea, because I had to go around for the rest of the week with one nail missing. But I couldn’t stop myself. And that’s how it is right now.
    “So,” I say, “how are things going? You know, with, um, your girlfriend?” I try to say it like I’m asking because I want him to be happy, but I’m afraid it comes out more like I’m prying. Since I just downed my whole calzone, I take a sip of my soda so I’ll appear nonchalant.
    “Fine,” he says, shifting in his seat.
    “Good,” I say. “I’m glad.” My stomach lurches, and I don’t know if it’s all the greasy food or the fact that I’m thinking about Jordan with another girl.
    “Yeah,” Jordan says. “And, uh, I guess, you and Lloyd?”
    “What?” I say.
    “You and Lloyd,” he says. “You guys are like a thing now?”
    “Yeah,” I say, “we’re a thing now.” Oh. My. God. I cannot believe I just said that. Me and Lloyd are so not a thing. Well, I guess we’re as much of a thing as you can be when you make out with someone in your room. Oh, my God. Am I slut? I think I’m a slut. I mean, who lets some random guy go up their shirt when they’re in love with someone else? Not that Lloyd is really all that random. I mean, I’ve known him forever. And lusted after him for just as long. So maybe it was good that I got it out of my system. Because like I said, hooking up with Lloyd was…strange. But maybe that’s just because we weren’t used to each other. I don’t really have much to compare it to, except for Jordan. And the first night he and I hooked up was weird, because it was so random. But then it got better. The hooking up, I mean. Because we got used to each other. Maybe Lloyd and I just have to get used to each other?
    “Wait,” I say. “How’d you know that Lloyd and I were a thing?”
    “B. J. told me,” he says.
    “How does B. J. know?” I ask, rubbing my temples