stop by me.
He nudges me with his shoulder. “Speedy.”
“What?”
“That’s what I’m calling you, Speedy.”
“You’re not very good at coming up with nicknames.”
“This is true. I’m not. I never went to college, so I have a terrible vocabulary.”
He keeps on going, graceful long lines, and tricks all the way down. I take a long jump, just to prove I can land it, and he whoops behind me.
By the time we get down the mountain, the sun has started to set, and I can see the appeal of it—the deserted slopes, the pink sky, how you feel so much closer to everything up there.
Chapter Twelve
I don’t even know which dress I want to wear, so my dad overnights me the three acceptable ones that I still own. I wish I had told Lottie I was going on a fake date with Hunter. Someone who could at least take a look at what I was wearing and put me a little at ease.
I blow-dry my hair and do my own makeup, and then stare at the three dresses apprehensively. What the hell am I going to do about this?
Courtney, I think. I’m an idiot. How did I not think of Courtney sooner?
“Hey, it’s been forever,” Court says, when I call her. She sounds relieved to hear from me and I feel a rush of guilt for being so difficult to get in touch with over the past few weeks. “What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit.”
“Okay. I’m going on a fake date.”
“What the hell is that?” she laughs.
“Ugh. Long story.”
“With a guy?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you going on a fake date…”
“I kind of owe him a favor…”
“So, you’re working for an escort service out in Utah? I knew you weren’t skiing.”
“I’m going on a fake date to a benefit thing with a snowboarder who just broke up with his girlfriend who asked me if I’d pretend to be his date so he didn’t have to tell his dad that he broke up with another girlfriend…or something like that,” I cringe as the words come out in a flood. It sounds so much crazier when I say it out loud.
“Well, he sounds like a real Prince Charming,” I can hear her excited smile. “Is he hot?”
“Yes.” I say.
“Does he have a name?”
“Hunter.”
“Good name,” she says. “So, what’s the problem?”
“What to wear?”
She snorts. “Video chat me, bitch.”
“Right. Right. Duh.”
I flip open my computer screen to see Trevor staring at me.
“Ew, half-naked girl. Courtney ,” he screeches.
I duck out of my camera’s view. “ COURTNEY !”
“What?” she squawks. “Trevor, where did she go?”
“She was in a bra. Do you two always video chat naked? Courtney, are you a lesbian?”
I pull on a t-shirt, huffily. “Courtney.”
“I thought you’d want to say hi. And that you would have clothing on.”
“Fine. Clothes on.” I scowl. “You didn’t tell me Trevor was there.”
“Hey, Pip,” Trevor says. “The shirt’s a good look. I approve. I think no shirt on a fake date just screams desperate whore.”
“Thanks. So which one?”
I hold up the two dresses—they’re both simple. One’s red, one’s black—knee length, both fit me the same way.
“Red.”
“I feel like it made me look pale.”
“If you want to impress him, wear red,” she says flatly. “No question.”
I nod. “Hold on. I’m going to try it on.”
I slip away from the computer and slide into the dress and then I back away and try on my basic, black pumps.
“Pretty! Turn.”
“Yeah, that’s it,” Trevor said, nodding his approval. “I’m almost attracted to you right now.”
I turn around and smile. “Are you sure? I’m already late.”
“Positive.”
“Okay, thanks. You’re the best.”
I walk over to the screen to close it and Courtney frowns. “Aw, you have to go already?”
“Yeah, I’m like super-late.”
“Well, call me,” she says. She hesitates. “It’s been ages.”
“I know,” I inhale. “I really—I swear. I’ve been a shitty friend. I will call you. Both of you. But I have to go
He nudges me with his shoulder. “Speedy.”
“What?”
“That’s what I’m calling you, Speedy.”
“You’re not very good at coming up with nicknames.”
“This is true. I’m not. I never went to college, so I have a terrible vocabulary.”
He keeps on going, graceful long lines, and tricks all the way down. I take a long jump, just to prove I can land it, and he whoops behind me.
By the time we get down the mountain, the sun has started to set, and I can see the appeal of it—the deserted slopes, the pink sky, how you feel so much closer to everything up there.
Chapter Twelve
I don’t even know which dress I want to wear, so my dad overnights me the three acceptable ones that I still own. I wish I had told Lottie I was going on a fake date with Hunter. Someone who could at least take a look at what I was wearing and put me a little at ease.
I blow-dry my hair and do my own makeup, and then stare at the three dresses apprehensively. What the hell am I going to do about this?
Courtney, I think. I’m an idiot. How did I not think of Courtney sooner?
“Hey, it’s been forever,” Court says, when I call her. She sounds relieved to hear from me and I feel a rush of guilt for being so difficult to get in touch with over the past few weeks. “What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit.”
“Okay. I’m going on a fake date.”
“What the hell is that?” she laughs.
“Ugh. Long story.”
“With a guy?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you going on a fake date…”
“I kind of owe him a favor…”
“So, you’re working for an escort service out in Utah? I knew you weren’t skiing.”
“I’m going on a fake date to a benefit thing with a snowboarder who just broke up with his girlfriend who asked me if I’d pretend to be his date so he didn’t have to tell his dad that he broke up with another girlfriend…or something like that,” I cringe as the words come out in a flood. It sounds so much crazier when I say it out loud.
“Well, he sounds like a real Prince Charming,” I can hear her excited smile. “Is he hot?”
“Yes.” I say.
“Does he have a name?”
“Hunter.”
“Good name,” she says. “So, what’s the problem?”
“What to wear?”
She snorts. “Video chat me, bitch.”
“Right. Right. Duh.”
I flip open my computer screen to see Trevor staring at me.
“Ew, half-naked girl. Courtney ,” he screeches.
I duck out of my camera’s view. “ COURTNEY !”
“What?” she squawks. “Trevor, where did she go?”
“She was in a bra. Do you two always video chat naked? Courtney, are you a lesbian?”
I pull on a t-shirt, huffily. “Courtney.”
“I thought you’d want to say hi. And that you would have clothing on.”
“Fine. Clothes on.” I scowl. “You didn’t tell me Trevor was there.”
“Hey, Pip,” Trevor says. “The shirt’s a good look. I approve. I think no shirt on a fake date just screams desperate whore.”
“Thanks. So which one?”
I hold up the two dresses—they’re both simple. One’s red, one’s black—knee length, both fit me the same way.
“Red.”
“I feel like it made me look pale.”
“If you want to impress him, wear red,” she says flatly. “No question.”
I nod. “Hold on. I’m going to try it on.”
I slip away from the computer and slide into the dress and then I back away and try on my basic, black pumps.
“Pretty! Turn.”
“Yeah, that’s it,” Trevor said, nodding his approval. “I’m almost attracted to you right now.”
I turn around and smile. “Are you sure? I’m already late.”
“Positive.”
“Okay, thanks. You’re the best.”
I walk over to the screen to close it and Courtney frowns. “Aw, you have to go already?”
“Yeah, I’m like super-late.”
“Well, call me,” she says. She hesitates. “It’s been ages.”
“I know,” I inhale. “I really—I swear. I’ve been a shitty friend. I will call you. Both of you. But I have to go
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