Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 87856 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87856 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
I test my will, reading the snippets in my inbox.
I worry about her so much. It's not fair. She's almost grown and I'm not her mother.
Now, it's sexy too. I've been a bad, bad girl. More sexy because of the fucked-up implications.
Is there a reason to keep writing? For me, yes, but why would anyone keep reading when I spin the same thing again and again?
I resist.
It takes all my self-control, but I resist. Through boring shifts, after conversations with Luna, while I shoot the shit with Dare—his other best friend, the girl next door, is coming back from her study abroad for a few weeks, and he wants to show her a good time.
He's actually nervous.
Which is weird.
And kinda cute, in a weird way. It's a good focus for my attention. His crush. Even if he says it's not a crush. Even if he says it's because he admires her. She's smart. Not that I'd get that.
"Hey, I love smart chicks," I say.
"Chicks, seriously?" Luna asks.
I wink at her.
"Seriously, Moonlight, you're too easy," Dare says.
"Call me Moonlight again, I dare you."
"Oh, you dare me?"
"You think I can't take you?" she asks.
He gives her a quick once-over. "Yeah. What are you? five ten, one forty?"
"Excuse me!" She folds her arms.
"One fifty?" he taunts her.
"Seriously, Dare?" I shake my head. "Asking a woman's weight?"
"She's the one who wants to pick a fight." He turns to Luna. "I've got fifty pounds on you."
"I'm scrappy," she says. "And you're stupid."
"Yeah. But I could still crush you like a bug," he says.
"When did you get violent?" I ask.
"It's not violence. It's logic. Men can hurt women. That's why women are afraid of them," he says.
Luna shoots me a where did he get this look.
I shrug.
"Have you been listening to me?" she asks.
He laughs. "No. Valeria."
Luna shoots me another look see.
I nod. I see. Everyone sees.
"Hey! I'm not blind. And you two aren't subtle," Dare says.
"You like her," Luna says.
"She's my best friend," he says. "No offense, Tricky."
"She's cuter. I get it," I say.
He laughs like the suggestion is ridiculous. "Valeria?"
"Are you kidding? Haven't you seen her Instagram?" Luna asks. "She's a total babe."
"I don't go on Instagram," he says.
"Well, you should check. She looks hot." Luna pulls out her cell and finds his friend's profile. A picture of her, on the beach in Barcelona, in a string bikini.
His eyes go wide, but he shakes it off, signals the phone away. "She's like my sister. You're weird."
"Okay, and if your sister was hot, you'd be able to admit it," she says.
He looks to me for support.
"I don't know about that one. I can see Molly is conventionally attractive. And I know a lot of people have the hots for red-headed women. But I wouldn't call her hot," I say.
"No way! Molly is smoking hot! In those suits? I want her to boss me around," she says.
"Wait. You like girls?" Dare asks. "Since when? Can I watch?"
"I don't know if I like girls," she says. "But I find them attractive."
"You daydream about fucking his sister?" Dare asks.
"I don't daydream. I see the appeal," she says.
"You're bi?" he asks.
"A Kinsey 1," she says. "Fleeting thoughts." When neither of us object, she says, "How the hell do you two know the Kinsey scale?"
"Everyone knows the Kinsey scale," Dare says. "Get real."
"Right. And your girlfriend is a psych major," Luna says. "How is she, by the way?"
"Good," I say.
She shoots me another knowing look.
I return one that says drop it.
"You know, it's offensive you suggest we only know things because of the women in our lives," Dare says. "How would you like if we did the same?"
"Are you reading books on human sexuality of your own accord?" she asks.
"Do I suggest you only know about cars 'cause of Oliver?" he asks.
"I don't know anything about cars and neither does Oliver," she says.
"Drinking until you pass out then?" he asks.
She glares.
"Seriously, Dare?" I ask.
He shrugs whatever. "I'm just saying. I don't suggest you fucked your way into this job or your knowledge of spreadsheets."
"Did I say anything about sex?" she asks.
"The point stands," he says.
Luna looks to me for support.
"You would be pissed," I say. "You are pissed over less."
"Okay, fine," she concedes. "I apologize for insulting your intellectual curiosity."
"Are you buying that?" he asks.
I motion so-so. "You did learn that from Valeria."
"Of course," he says. "But I made an effort. I read a book."
"A book with words?" she asks.
"I know I'm a beautiful hunk of meat to you," he teases her. "I don't blame you for missing my intellect. It's hard to believe someone so beautiful could be so smart too. But you should get it, 'cause it's the same for you."
The flattery wins her over. "That's true."
"I think she feels bad," I say.
He copies my so-so motion. "I'll forgive you if you help with the barbecue."