Page 36

On the morning of my twentieth birthday, I’m woken up with pancakes in bed courtesy of my best friend. Birthday pancakes were a tradition in my house growing up, so it means a lot that Pia’s taken it upon herself to keep it alive.

“Happy Birthday, Care Bear!” she sing-songs, setting a tray on my lap.

“One chocolate chip and one blueberry? You remembered.” I could never pick between one or the other, so I always went with both.

“We haven’t been away from each other that long,” she giggles, grabbing her plate from the tray.

“I wish we weren’t away from each other at all.”

“Yeah,” she mumbles around a mouth full of pancakes. “But after meeting Levi last night, I wouldn’t blame you if you never want to come back to California again.”

“So, does that mean you like him?” I’ve been dying to know since we picked her up from the airport.

We didn’t get much of a chance to talk last night, at least not about this.

Levi left shortly after we arrived home since he had to be up early for his swim meet.

And by the time we said goodbye to him, we were pretty worn out ourselves.

Pia from her travel day and me, well, let’s just say Levi was very enthusiastic about our love confession.

And he made it known by making me come multiple times.

“Are you kidding? A gentleman, and he’s hot.” She fans her face dramatically, making me giggle.

This right here is what I’ve missed.

“He’s pretty amazing,” I admit, thinking of how good last night was.

Not only was it good, but it was everything and more I could have hoped for as someone who’s always loved love. The date he planned, the words we spoke to each other, and the honesty and vulnerability we shared still blows my mind.

I’ve never felt closer to him than I did in those sacred moments. And I may not know what lies ahead for us, but I’ll hold on to that memory for the rest of my life.

“Do you know what else I like about him?” Pia says, and I put my fork down, waiting for her to say more.

“He makes my best friend happy. You’ve got this glow about you. With Hunter, I felt like he dimmed your light a little. Don’t get me wrong, he had some redeemable qualities,” she admits begrudgingly. “But after seeing you and Levi together, it’s obvious he was never supposed to be your person.”

“The glow could be from the three orgasms he gave me before we picked you up,” I confess, covering my face with one hand to hide my embarrassment.

She throws her head back in laughter, and I join in.

“Three? Dammit, Bear, you’re making me think I should pack up and transfer to Huska too.”

I perk up. “You definitely should!”

My phone rings before she can respond, and I grab it from the nightstand. It’s a FaceTime request from my mom.

When I answer, my mom, dad, and childhood dog—who is fourteen and wearing a birthday hat—appear on the screen.

“Happy birthday!” They shout in unison, and the smile that’s been present since I woke up widens. My mom waves Bo’s paw in the air, but he’s over it as soon as she puts him down and trots out of frame.

“I miss you guys,” I tell them.

We’ve always been close; not seeing them has been a hard adjustment.

“We miss you, too, honey. We’ll save your birthday gift for when you visit during Thanksgiving break.” Mom says excitedly. She’s always been a big gift-giver.

“Let me know what day you want to fly out. I’ll email your ticket over to you.” Dad adds, ever the planner.

“I will, thank you.”

“Are you still planning on bringing your friend with you?” Mom asks casually, but I know better. She’s dying to talk more about it.

I never kept my relationship with Levi a secret from them. Mom knows we’re more than friends, but with my dad fidgeting beside her, she’s phrasing it like that for his sake.

Over the phone, Pia’s eyes widen. She mouths, Levi? I nod in confirmation.

“I haven’t asked him yet,” I say, and my dad’s shoulders visibly sag in relief.

It’s hard not to laugh at how protective he’s being.

Even though he knows I’m an adult, he’ll always think of me as his little girl.

And after the mess with Hunter, I can’t blame him for being wary about someone new.

Which I love him for, but I don’t have any reservations about introducing Levi to them.

“Well, you let us know, and I can get him a ticket, too,” Dad says.

Mom pats him on the arm like she’s proud of him, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they rehearsed this part of the conversation before calling me.

“What’s the plan for today, birthday girl?” Mom asks, steering the conversation back to a more neutral topic.

We chat about my day for a few more minutes, and even Pia gets in on the conversation. When we say our goodbyes, it’s with a promise that we’ll be safe tonight.

I responded to a few happy birthday texts from family and friends. Macy and Elsie blew up the group chat at midnight last night, but I saved the best for last. Opening Levi’s text, my brows skyrocket.

Levi: Happy birthday, Teddy Bear. P.S. Check your front door.

“What?” Pia breathes over my shoulder and stares at my phone to see what’s caused the look on my face.

She’s off the bed faster than I am, but I'm right beside her when she flings open the front door.

“Are you serious?” Pia squeals when she sees what’s on my welcome mat.

The sound breaks through my momentarily stunned haze, and I carefully pick up the gorgeous bouquet of red roses, bringing them inside. There’s a card attachment, which I carefully unfold.

Happy birthday. I feel lucky to call you mine.

Always and endlessly in love with you. x

-Levi

Inside the card are two gift vouchers to a local nail salon, one for me and one for Pia.

Pia is busy fussing over the flowers, and when I show her the gift cards, she practically vibrates with excitement.

“Please tell me he has a brother or a cousin? I’ll even take a step-something at this point.”

“No,” I laugh. “I promise, I’m not holding out on you.”

She asked me the same thing last night when Levi insisted on carrying her luggage from the car to the apartment. She had one carry-on suitcase. On wheels!

Pia chats on about how we should go to the salon first, so we’ll be back in time to meet the girls who are coming over to get ready before the party. I nod and hum along to her words, but my attention keeps drifting toward the roses.

I’m a lucky girl.

After last night, I didn’t expect more gifts from Levi. And then he goes and does something sweet and thoughtful like this. I’m floating on cloud nine right now, but I can’t help wondering when the other shoe will drop.

He’s just so… perfect . And in the beginning, Hunter was too, until he wasn’t.

“Do you want to go first, or can I?”

“What?” I blink slowly, realizing I completely missed the last thirty seconds of our conversation.

“Do you want to shower first, or can I?”

“Oh, you go ahead,” I say, forcing my face to relax into a smile.

I’m happy—I really am—but the part of me that’s been hurt and let down before can’t help but wonder when it will all go wrong this time.

No.

I refuse to let my thoughts go further. Levi would never do that, especially after learning about what I went through with Hunter. I’m giving this relationship a chance because I see the good in Levi, and he hasn’t given me a reason to think otherwise.

I meant what I said about trusting him. And now I have to learn to trust myself.

While I wait for Pia to finish in the bathroom, I text Levi to thank him for the gifts and wish him good luck today.

He doesn’t respond, and I don’t expect him to. I’ve seen how focused he gets when competing, and I don’t want to distract him right now. Knowing I’ll see him tonight where I can thank him properly is enough.

***

“What do you think of this one?” I hold up a baby pink mesh-like mini skirt between my fingers.

Fingers that are now sporting painted fingernails courtesy of our impromptu trip to the salon before coming here.

Pia purses her lips in thought. “Perfect. I think it’ll look good with the corset.”

“Yeah, I think so too.” I grab my size and drop it in the basket. “That’s it for me.”

This year's costume is a sexy ballerina. It might be a little unoriginal, but I already have a pink corset top that works perfectly as the bodice. To complete the look, I only needed to order a few items online.

Except the skirt never arrived in time. So now we’re doing some last-minute costume shopping the day of Halloween, which is as stressful as it sounds. Half the shelves are already empty, and it’s by sheer luck that I even find what I’m looking for in my size.

I follow behind Pia, who’s making a beeline for the accessories. For someone with such short legs, she moves surprisingly quickly.

“Oh, thank goodness,” she mutters, spotting a single pair of black wings poking out between white ones.

She wriggles the wings free, a giant grin on her face. “I didn’t have high hopes when we walked in, but I feel better now. Can you imagine a black angel without her wings?”

“Disastrous,” I agree. “Do you need anything else?”

“Nope, I fit everything else into my carry-on, but I didn’t want to risk ruining the wings if I stuffed them in there too.”

We’re on our way to pay when I spot a familiar redhead near the registers.

“That’s Sadie,” I tell Pia, keeping my voice low.

She follows my gaze to where Sadie’s standing, posture rigid, not a hair out of place. And, as usual, overdressed. Underneath her fake facade, she’s quite pretty. It’s a pity her personality could use some work.

“The mean girl who’s forgotten we’re adults and no longer in high school?” Pia whispers.

“That’s the one,” I nod.

“You were right. She does look like she has a permanent stick up her ass.”

I can’t help it. I laugh. Unfortunately, it’s loud enough to draw Sadie’s attention. The usual sneer reserved for me takes over her face when she spots us.

I’m about to tell Pia we should walk the aisles until she leaves, but it’s too late. Sadie’s already making her way over.

I brace myself. Not for her bitchiness but because next to me, Pia is already baring her teeth, and I know she won’t take whatever Sadie says lying down. While I’m always ready to turn the other cheek, Pia is more than happy to dish it right back.

“What a coincidence seeing you here.” Sadie drawls, looking me up and down before sparing a glance at Pia. “Who’s your friend?”

“Who are you ?” Pia shoots back, giving Sadie the same once-over she just gave me.

Sadie looks momentarily stunned by the attitude, and I roll my lips together to prevent the smile from threatening to break free.

“Sadie,” she says, jutting her chin out. “I’m sure Bear has mentioned me.”

Pia and I exchange a look.

Is this bitch for real?

I told you she’s full of herself.

Pia pins her with a look. “Actually, she hasn’t.”

Ignoring her, Sadie peers into the basket hooked in the crook of my arm.

“Ballerina,” she muses, eyeing the package. “Cute, if not a bit boring. But then again, that suits you perfectly.”

She flashes me a patronizing smile, and next to me, Pia goes rigid.

“Listen here bitch. How about you leave us alone and go find yourself a new fucking attitude for Halloween?”

Sadie narrows her eyes, but my best friend doesn’t back down. Instead, she takes a step closer. Knowing this is my cue, I squeeze Pia’s elbow in warning.

“Let’s not waste any more time on her. She’s not worth it.” My eyes silently plead with Pia to let it go.

Nodding, Pia takes a step back. “You’re right, she’s not.”

We pay for our things, not sparing Sadie another glance, but as we leave, her icy voice cuts through the overhead music.

“Watch your back, Bear.”

Pia halts her stride, but I give her a subtle head shake. She rolls her eyes but, thankfully, keeps walking.

Once we’re back in my car, Pia says what I’ve been thinking.

“She’s going to be a problem.”

“I know,” I murmur.

Girls like Sadie never back down until they get their point across. I can handle the occasional word spat with her, but not knowing why she hates me so much bothers me more than anything.

My gut tells me I’m missing something obvious. I just haven’t had the time or energy to dwell on it. But when I’m reminded of her shitty attitude toward me, it’s frustrating not being able to put my finger on what it is.

Pia fiddles with the music until she finds a song we both like, and I’m pulled back into the moment with my best friend.

We shout the lyrics of our favorite songs until we’re back at the apartment, our cheeks hurting from smiling so much.