Page 50 of Kissing is the Easy Part

When he remains silent, I press on. “What do you think about?”

“Flora, this isn’t the kind of history I want to discuss. Can we get back to business?”

“Come on, it’s been ages. We’reseniorsnow. Surely we can talk about it and maybe have a good laugh? How we defined ‘opposites really shouldn’t attract’?”

My heart pounds and my fingertips grow cold despite the hot beverage. Nothing about us can be treated with a breezy laugh. I’ve stopped crying over him, but the feeling of being abandoned is left unresolved. The way he ended it was like shutting off a movie twenty minutes before the ending.

And I need closure.

“Okay.” He reclines in his seat. “What do you want to hear?”

“I want to know if you were happy and if you regret ever being in a relationship with me.” The words come out all at once, a rush of everything I’ve wanted to ask but never could.

I hold my breath.

“No, it was fun. You’re entertaining in small doses.” He answers straightaway, carelessly, as if I’m a silly YouTube clip of singing cats. “Why, do you regret it?”

I shrug. My breath hardens into a knot in my chest. “I guess not. There are only so many guys in our school. I would’ve gotten around to dating you eventually. Good thing to get it out of the way.”

“Yeah, thanks for the honor.” His voice is clipped, sharp around the edges. “If we’re done reminiscing, can we get some work done? Don’t want you running late for your next date.”

My god, he can be insufferable.

I shake my head as he flips open his laptop. The old Sean is gone, and all the king’s horses and all the king’s men can’t put us back together again.

Chapter Sixteen

Sean

We agreed to meet after school again after my practice on Monday. Flora glides into the student lounge with her usual flair.

Her dark hair is pulled back in a ponytail, showing the crystal earrings dangling below her jawline. The faint sparkle brings me back to last year when we were still dating.

“Nice earrings.”

“Yeah.” Her tone is frozen, matching my winter memories.“Someone who used to matter gave them to me.”

Ouch.Her dress hovers several inches above her knees. She’s probably going on a date later.It’s none of my business. “Are you going somewhere after this?”

“No, I’m all yours.” She pulls out the chair next to me. The end of her ponytail swings in front of my face as she sits down.

I inch away. I’m a sucker for long, glossy hair, and I don’t need distractions.

She dumps a folder onto the table with a sharp thud, then pulls out a typed document and shoves it in my face. “Here, read this.”

It’s several pages long. An outline of our paper, fully typed up, footnotes and references included. Some paragraphs are highlighted. Shewaspaying attention.

“This is impressive.” I flip through the pages. “You did this in one day?”

“What do you care? I come fully prepared this time. I can hold a proper discussion, so you can quit acting superior. I’m going to earn my name on the assignment.”

“I wasn’t . . . Hey, I’m sorry I offended you yesterday.”

“You offended me, all right. I thought we’d brainstorm first, but you treated me likea parasite leeching off your brilliant mind.” Her hazel eyes flash. “History isn’t rocket science. It’s not even hard. I don’t know how you can be so arrogant.”

“Okay, I deserve that. I was tired yesterday, and I don’t function well in the morning without coffee. I’m really sorry.”

She flips the school’s history textbook open with unnecessary force.