The Innocent ↝ ÉLITE ¹

ELEVEN

Marina laughed. "You're a virgin and you're giving me sex advice."

"Hey, you asked!" Arlo defended.

"I know. I know. I'm joking."

"Did I hear that correctly?" A voice said and the two girls turned their heads as Christian walked backwards and came to a stop when he was by the two girls, looking at Arlo directly. "You're a virgin?"

"Its not that big of a deal." Arlo deadpanned.

Christian raised his hands in surrender. "I never said it was. I'm just surprised. You're gorgeous."

Arlo smiled. "Thanks, Christian."

He pointed to Arlo and looked at Marina. "How has she not been laid yet?"

"Don't ask me. I'm just as surprised as you are." Marina chortled.

Arlo rolled her eyes. "No guys have really been interested in me and whenever I've liked a guy in the past, they never reciprocated the feeling. So, what do you expect?"

"I find that hard to believe." Christian scoffed.

"Well, believe it."

ARLO SAT IN Ander's bedroom on his desk chair, staring up at his bedroom ceiling as he lay on his bed, his face buried in his pillow.

The two had stayed like that for an hour, not muttering a word to each other. Arlo didn't particularly want to go home yet, both Izzy and Diego were at a friend's house and the girl didn't want to be alone with her parents just yet and she was a little preoccupied thinking about that moment with Guzmán the other night.

"Okay," Ander groaned as he sat up. "What's up? You haven't said a word in an hour."

"Neither have you." Arlo pointed out as she adjusted her position in the chair so she was now facing him.

"What is going on?" Ander questioned, throwing a pillow at her.

Catching it, Arlo sighed. "Guzmán and I sort of had this...moment I guess the other night."

Ander arched an eyebrow and smirked. "Really now? What happened?"

"Just some eye contact." Arlo said awkwardly. "That's the best way I can explain it."

The boy laughed as he edged forwards, now sitting on the foot of his bed. "So, what? Do you like him like that?"

"I–" Arlo began then stopped. "I don't know. I mean we just started being friends again. I don't wanna lose that or him for that matter."

"Well, I cant say I'm not surprised."

Arlo's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"When we were younger everyone thought you guys were gonna get together."

"What? Really?"

Ander chuckled. "Why do you think Lu gives you such a hard time? She knows deep down that if there was a choice– if it really came down to it, he would choose you without any hesitance. And if he could go back and undo what he did four years ago, he would in a heartbeat. I mean, and I don't know if you've noticed, but since you started being on good terms again, he doesn't even talk to her anymore."