Alice

19

"Your smile is starting to freak me out," Parker mumbled, shoving the last of her clothes into a suitcase. "Seriously."

"He's my boyfriend, Parks. Charlie. Can you believe it?"

I'd been grinning like a buffoon since I'd first announced it, and the smile still hasn't left my face. My cheeks were actually starting to hurt, but every time I thought about him, my lips stretched wider. Ridiculous, I know.

"Actually, yes, babe I can. Wanna know why? Because you're Alice and everyone loves you."

I sighed happily. "He told me I was worth all the cheesy, sappy shit. I don't even like cheesy, sappy shit—"

"Yes, you do."

"Okay, yeah I do! And he's willing to do them!"

She laughed, shaking her head at my excitement. "What time are you meeting him?"

"Soon. He texted saying he was going to go home first." I shook my arms out and attempted to calm down. "Okay, okay. What about you? You and Noah all alone at his Hamptons home..."

Parker's lips stretched into a devious smile. "I am going to ride him every damn night, Alice."

I made a face. Too much info. She laughed at my face and zipped up the suitcase. There was a knock on the door and Parker shouted it was open. Cara appeared moments later.

"No, no," Parker shook her head and pulled the suitcase off the bed. "Y'all gotta go, I gotta go."

"I have to meet Charlie anyway," I said, my smile slipping back on my face.

"I just got here!" Cara complained. "What is going on? What do you mean meet Charlie? Why am I being kicked out?"

"Charlie and I talked, and he's sort of my boyfriend now." I wiggled my eyebrows. Her mouth fell open in surprise and then her lips split into a grin. "And Parker is about to go on her romantic getaway with Noah."

"Oh my God, I have no boyfriend, no life...what the hell." Cars pouted. "Does either of your boyfriends have any hot friends?"

"You already met Ricky and Kevin," I said. "Interested in either of them?"

She pulled a face. "Kevin's hot, but isn't he like a total flirt?"

I shrug. "Ricky's nice."

"Yeah..." she trailed off. "He seems shy."

"You're shy," Parker mumbled, tapping away on her phone.

"Exactly. We'd be awkwardly sitting in silence."

"Babe," Parker suddenly says, phone now pressed to her ear. "Where are you? Yeah, I'm all packed. Mhm. Mmm, I know. All night, baby—"

"Okay!" I cleared my throat and grabbed my phone off the dresser. "I gotta get going. Have fun, Parks."

I lean forward, kiss her on the cheek, and hug Cara.

"I'll walk out with you," Cara says. She hugs Parker and follows me out. "So where are you meeting him? Is this like a first date?"

"Kind of. I don't know. I need to get ready."

I can hear Parker laughing at whatever Noah was saying. I bit my lip. I want what they have, and I want it with Charlie.

"God. You're going on your date with Charlie, Parker's going on a getaway with Noah. Seriously, could I be any more pathetic?" Cara pouted.