Were-Reader

6

The next day Reese hid in her room, lying listlessly on the bed the next day until noon. Finally Harley knocked on her door and would not take the hint and leave her alone. Knocking again, she said something unintelligible. Reese curled up like that would hide her from her determined friend.

"Go away," Reese said without any real heat. She was too hollow to care. It made no sense, but there she was, mourning over some guy she had barely even met like he'd been her life partner or something. Why was she being so silly over some guy?

She had never really believed in love at first sight, not really. It was a nice concept in fiction, but she existed in reality. She shouldn't be this upset. She hadn't been this upset when other guys had started chatting her up to get to Harley. I mean, sure it had hurt, but they'd been quickly forgotten. Why should she be this upset just because Nathan, who was nothing to her, happened to nearly stand her up only to be be talking with another girl? A girl equally as beautiful as Harley, who she would never be able to compete with even if she tried. Even if she had not made a complete fool of herself right afterwards. Her face got hot just thinking about it.

Hopefully he wouldn't even remember her after everything was done. He'd probably gone straight back to that girl and resumed his conversation. That would be for the best.

It was no big deal.

The ache in her chest was heartburn from her nonexistent hangover. Yeah, because that was a thing. Hangover heartburn.

"Okay, come on, let me in," Harley called, louder than before.

"Ugh. Let me die in piece."

"I'll buy you breakfast."

"Too late. It's lunch time."

"Whatever. Did you even at least eat breakfast?"

Reese just groaned. Breakfast was the most important meal of the day, and Harley knew all her weaknesses and the best ways to exploit them. She was so evil. "Fine. But you bring breakfast here to me. I don't feel like going anywhere." She tromped over to the door and opened it.

"How're you feeling?" Harley asked, as soon as the slightest crack opened up.

"Fine."

"I mean your hands, your knees? I heard you were bleeding."

Reese held them out and then flopped back on her bed. "I just skinned them a little. Happy now?" She'd determined that she'd also lightly sprained her finger, but if Harley heard that she would only fuss more.

"No. I'm worried about you."

"Sorry." Reese didn't like anyone needing to worry about her.

"Not something to be sorry about." She frowned. "So, I met Nathan."

Reese rolled over and burrowed under her pillow so her voice was muffled. "I don't want to talk about him."

"Really? Why not? He's as hot as you said he is." Harley sat down on the edge of the bed beside her.

Reese groaned. "Good. Then you can have him. You two would look great together. Fantastic even, like you just walked off the runway." If only that irrational ache would just go away, all would be right in the universe again like it was before he'd walked into the coffee shop and shook up her norm.

"No thanks. I don't want him. And he definitely doesn't want me."

"Then he can have that other girl. The one with the black hair," Reese said, pretending she didn't care. "I need to focus on school, not get caught up in dating drama."

"What girl?"

"Some beautiful chick with black hair. I don't know who she was." Reese really didn't want to talk about the competition. Not that there was a competition, Reese wasn't even in the race.