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Lyric is the baby. In my parents’ eyes, she will always be the baby, and as such, they’re very reluctant to let her grow up.

“Not sureokayis the right word, but yeah. I mean, it’s not like they can stop me. Iaman adult.”

“I suppose that’s true.” I turn back to Charlotte. “What about you? What are you going to do now that this one is moving in with Prince Charming?” I try to say and act the way I would if this were just a normal interaction with a friend of my sister’s that I don’t know well.

She can see through it, of course. But my sister seems none the wiser, and that’s the entire point.

“Maisie and I are rooming together.”

“Maisie is the one with the blue eyes,” I confirm, even though I know exactly who Maisie is. Charlotte talked about her often during our months of conversation.

“Blue eyes. Perfect skin. Legs that go on for days.” Lyric nods. “That’s the one.”

“Are you as excited for the start of sophomore year as my sister is?”

“Eh.” She lifts her shoulder in a half-shrug.

“Not a fan of school?” Again, something I already know the answer to, just trying to save face and not tip my sister off.

It’s over. What purpose would it serve for Lyric to learn the truth now, other than to hurt her?

“She likes the extracurriculars more than the classroom.” It’s my sister who answers as she gently elbows her friend.

“Oh yeah?”

“And the extracurriculars like her.”

I bet they do... I think but don’t say, fighting the irrational jealousy that bubbles inside my stomach like hot tar.

“When do you go back again?” I ask in general, not directly asking either of them specifically.

“Second week of August,” Charlotte answers as she stands. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to run to the restroom really quickly before dinner starts.”

I watch her until it’s no longer safe to do so. The sight of her lean, long legs in that skirt is enough to damn near do me in. I glance back at my sister to find her watching me.

“She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?” She reads me like a fucking large print book whose letters you can see from a mile away.

“She’s attractive. Young. But attractive.”

“I feel so bad for her.”

“Why?” I lean back in my seat, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

“She was talking to this guy last year, like most of the year, and he recently ghosted her. Like can you imagine? What kind of guy would ghost someone like Charlotte? I can’t wrap my head around it.”

My stomach feels heavy, like I just swallowed gallons of tiny rocks that keep sinking deeper into my gut.

“That’s shitty,” I force out, trying so fucking hard to seem uninterested that the effort is borderline painful.

“That’s one word for it. Anyway, I think being here has helped take her mind off it. I feel a little guilty that Kai is coming tonight. I mean, I’m ecstatic, but at the same time, I’m afraid Char will feel like a third wheel. Do you think maybe you could hang out for a bit this evening? Make it feel less couple-y and more of like a group.”

“I don’t know, Ly. I have to be up early for work tomorrow.”

“Just hang out for a couple of hours after dinner. You don’t have to stay super late. Please.” She pouts out her lower lip.

On one hand, the last thing I want to do is hang around longer than I have to. I’ve tempted fate enough where Charlotte O’Malley is concerned. But at the same time, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious how much further I can test it before the very precarious tight rope we’ve been walking for months snaps and we both go plummeting to the rocky path below.

“Two hours. That’s the best I can do.”