Page 64 of A Very No Strings Halloween

“What?!”

“It was never just you and me, Billy! It was always us pretending to be someone else!”

His jaw clenches. His nostrils flare. I would find it hot if he weren’t such an insufferable man who refuses to see what I see and to feel what I feel and to know what I’m thinking without me having to explain it to him. “Let’s not say anything we’ll regret while we’re hungover, Donna.”

Thank God I didn’t tell him I love him while he was ejaculating inside of me. He could never love me the way Lars loved Lara. “Great idea,” I say. “Let’s not say anything at all.”

He sighs and shakes his head. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Ohhhh, poor little misunderstood Billy.”

He wrinkles his brow at me. “Okay. Let’snotsay anything.”

There’s a flash of headlights up ahead as the Uber turns onto the private road that leads to the house.

I slide into the back seat, lean into the side door, and put my bag in between us so there’s no chance our legs will touch during the ride back to the apartment. I huff and cross my arms across my chest, glaring out the window. I can feel Billy watching me from his side of the back seat. I close my eyes. All I see is the message in the mirror.

Tell him.

Tell him what?

What does she want me to tell Lars?

“Donna.”

The look on her face… I saw her—I saw her in the mirror.

“Donna, we’re home.”

I open my eyes.

We’re parked in the street in front of our apartment building.

I guess I fell asleep.

The towel is still wrapped around my head. We say nothing as we go inside and take the elevator up to the fourth floor. I rifle through my bag, trying to find my keys, with no luck.

“Lemme help,” he says, like he’s an exasperated dad and I’m his bratty kid.

I’m too tired to argue with him.

He pulls my key ring out of my bag immediately,like a magician.

“Thanks.”

“You want me to unlock the door for you?”

“Sure.”

He does. Then he opens the door and hands me my keys.

I start to go inside.

“So, you want me to give out candy with you tomorrow, or…?”

Pausing, I say, petulantly, “Don’t you have a big Halloween party to go to?”

“Usually, but I don’t have to go to that. I mean, unless you wanna go with me?”