Page 7 of Definitely Not a Thing

“No comment is craaazy,” was the first thing out of Kae’s mouth when the call connected. She was clearly on a beach somewhere, and wearing shades, but they weren’t so tinted I couldn’t see the concern in her eyes.

“Nothing happened – notreally,” I assured her to ease her mind. “Just… embarrassing shit.”

“You already ran into Hunter?” she guessed, sitting up to get closer to the screen, and I shook my head.

“No – thankGod,” I mused. “I’ve actually been thinking… should I unblock him to tell him I’m in the building? So it’s not some weird surprise?”

“Hell no,” Kae immediately shot back. “I mean, will it be awkward, sure – but you’re at least expecting it to happen. He isn’t. he’s going to shit himself when he sees you there, it’ll be great.”

“Great?” I laughed, shaking my head as I massaged the cleanser into my skin. “We might have different definitions of that.”

“Great in afuck youkinda way,” she explained.

“In a fuckmekinda way.”

“Fair enough – both of you, but him just alittlemore, which is good enough for me. Because… well… fuck him,” she shrugged, sitting back. “He better be glad I’m not in town. I see he waited for me to be gone to act up.”

I frowned as I flipped the water on to rinse my face. “I don’t know ifact upis the correct term, so much as,finally got honest.”

Kae huffed. “Fine. Either way. I’m punching him in his shit next time I see – girlwhatis that noise? Is maintenance doing something in your apartment?”

I gave her a dry, wet smile. “Actually, that is my neighbor trying to set off the lunk alarm next door.”

“Wait, huh?” she asked. “Like lifting weights? And it’s loud like that?”

“Right. There’s zero noise insulation in these historic buildings, but… he might be making extra noise on purpose honestly.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Why would he be making noise on purpose?”

I blew out a sigh, grabbed the next step in my skin routine, and launched into the whole story from yesterday – from Arthur being annoying to my ill-fated scream. She listened without a single interruption – or reaction, at that.

And then…

She bursted out laughing.

Like… literal tears streaming down her face laughing.

“Kaelynn, it’snotthat damn funny.”

“I’msosorry Ames, but it very much is,” she countered, wiping her face. “Why are you in that building being an asshole?”

“Me?!” I asked, and she nodded.

“Yes,you,” she laughed. “Like he’s definitely being petty but what would you expect after being mean when he was trying to help you?!”

“Girl I’m about to hang up.”

“Nooo,” she cackled. “Don’t hang up!”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because you love me.”

“And it is clearly not reciprocated becausewhyare you on his side and not mine?”

Kae gasped. “Why would you think that?!”

“You are literallycacklingat my pain!”