Best-Case Scenario

Chapter Thirty-One

What did you say to Kali???

You talked to her?

Teagan text me back!

When the last text comes in, I put my phone face down on my desk. Seth has been helpful but I don't need it anymore. I'm not sure if Kali and I can even salvage our friendship after yesterday. She hasn't reached out. Neither have I but it feels like I left my heart out to get it stomped all over. I do not want to relive the experience.

I put down my book when my phone starts buzzing without a break. I turn it over and groan when I see Imari's facetime request.

"What?" I say when I slide it open. Imari's face is full of concern, but it's not his mouth the words come out of.

"Oh, so you'll answer his call," Seth says, coming in on the edge, eyes narrowed.

"Sorry T," Imari says. He stretches his arm out so I can see both of them, Seth's basement the backdrop.

I lay on my back and hold the phone above my face. "You got me," I say dully. "I thought Imari was calling about tonight's hockey game."

"That you're still coming to," Imari says. I feel a little guilty since I had planned on cancelling using the excuse of a family dinner that wasn't planned but I could talk my mom into so I wouldn't be lying.

I nod. "I'll be there." He hears the reluctance but only gives me a cocky grin.

"That doesn't matter," Seth says glaring at Imari. "What did you say to Kali?"

"Why?" I ask. I didn't really need to ask. I should have known she would go to Imari for help, but I'm surprised he's telling me about it. We try to keep the gossip low in our group.

"She left about ten minutes ago after unloading to us about your talk yesterday. She didn't say what happened, just cried."

"She was crying?" My stomach feels sick at that. I didn't mean to blow her off, but...

Imari nods. "Yeah going on about how your friendship was ruined. She asked us if we knew you were bi."

"And?"

Seth has the decency to look a little guilty. Imari's face is blank. "We told her we knew. Of course, we did. I told Seth he should have told you to tell her the truth."

"I didn't tell her to lie," Seth argues. "I only said if she tells Kali about being bi, Kali might guess there's more to that."

"She didn't," I say. "Yesterday when we talked. I told her but she didn't say anything about us. I mean she kind of did but it didn't make sense." I thought I got all the tears out yesterday, but my eyes fill up again. I let them.

They look at each other. "I told you she would be like this," Seth says.

"I thought she was smarter."

"Rude," I cut in. "Kali's smart too. Why didn't she say anything yesterday?"

"What did she say?" Seth asks.

I try to remember. "She mumbled a lot. That's all. Started a bunch of stuff but didn't finish."

"And then you left her like that," Seth says. It's a statement. Not a question.

I don't respond.

It's Imari's turn to try to get something more from me. "You told Kali you were bi yesterday. That's the first time she's heard that. Think about it, T. From her perspective. She thought you were straight all of this time. You never gave her any sign of it from what Seth tells me. You were with Finn. You might have told Kali you were ending that but you only said it was because of the other girl and college, right?"