Page 23 of I Don't Need Your Romance

She nods and rests her head on his shoulder.

We talk about a few more things and then wish each other good night. I fall back against the wall and think about my brother and sister, trying to find images from my own memories and not the ones I’ve seen in Gina’s videos. Since I was so young, I only have a handful of them.

Then I dive into my new book.

About twenty minutes later, the door opens and Raven walks in. “Hey, Soph.”

“Hey.”

“New book?”

“Yep. I just got back from the bookstore with Damian.”

She freezes near her desk and turns around. “Did you just say you went to the bookstore with Damian Harrington?”

“It’s Damian HarringtonLawrence,” I correct as I turn the page. So far, the book is intriguing. I’ve already met the main character and her love interest and can tell this romance is going to beawesome. Their chemistry is off the charts.

“Fine, whatever. But you hung out with him after your session?”

“I wouldn’t call it ‘hanging out,’” I clarify as I turn another page. “Just a teen giving another teen a ride on his motorcycle.”

Raven intakes a sharp breath. “Did you just say Damian gave you a ride on hismotorcycle?”

“Hmm…? Oh my gosh. The love interest in this book is so frustrating but so lovable, too. Like, I wish he would just press the woman he’s obviously in love with against the wall and lay on her the most passionate kiss in the history of kisses—”

“Sophie!”

My eyes snap to hers. “Huh?”

“I asked you a very important question!”

“What? Oh…yeah, you can borrow my notes.”

“This isn’t about your notes. This is about you riding on Damian’s motorcycle to the bookstore.”

“Oh, that.” I shrug like it’s no big deal. “Yeah, that happened.”

“Okay, that’s it. I’m calling in Addie and Carly.”

She whips out her phone and sends a text to our other best friends. She must have said this was urgent because they knock on the door thirty seconds later.

“Did you text that Damian gave Sophie a romantic ride on his bike?” Addie asks as she bursts into the room as soon as Raven opens the door.

“And he kissed her?” Carly adds with huge eyes.

My head once again snaps up. “Who said anything about a kiss?”

“Oh, that was just me,” Carly says with a laugh. “I was trying to make the moment more dramatic.”

“But Damian did give you a ride on his bike, right?” Addie asks as she hops onto my bed. Carly and Raven settle down on her bed.

I place my bookmark in my book and set it aside. “It’s not really a big deal,” I admit. “I mean, I kind of freaked out about the bike thing because I’d like to at least have my first kiss before I die, but it wasn’t as scary as I thought. We made it to the bookstore in half the time and I was able to get all the books I wanted. Well, thanks to Damian. He snagged the last copy of this.” I hug the mystery book to my chest.

“He actually helped you look for your books?” Addie asks with excited eyes.

“Not only that. He even paid for them.”

“Oh my gosh, really?” Carly is nearly bouncing on the bed.