***

She was all I could think about the entire drive to his house.

When we got there, the girls were all sitting around the coffee table, e-readers in hands.

There were glasses of wine or champagne, or whatever it is chick's drink, on the coffee table, along with some boxes of tissues and a bag of chocolates.

Their heads all whipped up when they heard us walk in.

Jake went to Micky, kissed her on the cheek, and then headed to his room.

They all went back to reading, like I wasn't even here. Amanda glanced up, but looked straight back down when she saw it was me.

No smile. No frown. Nothing.

I went to sit on the sofa while I waited for Jake. "So... what are you guys doing?"

"Hoovering," Micky said through a sob.

I looked around.

They were sitting on their asses, not a single cleaning product in sight.

I must have misheard them. "What?" I asked again.

"Hoovering," Lucy replied, wiping at her face.

What the hell was going on? My eyebrows bunched together in confusion. Their eyes were red and puffy from crying.

And then it hit me—what was wrong with them all.

"You guys want me to get you like, ice cream or more chocolate...something for your cramps?" I asked cautiously.

"What?" Micky chuckled, still not looking up from her book.

"You guys have that thing—you know—when girls are together all the time and they get their periods at the same time or some shit."

"Naw, Logan. I live you." Lucy smiled at me, then went back to reading, "Now go away!"

Amanda hadn't looked up once since I sat down. Her eyes were glued to her book.

I was bored, and wanted to be an asshole, so I got comfortable on the sofa. "So, did you guys hear about that Lit. Professor and his student?"

"Shh!" Both Micky and Lucy snapped.

I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped. Then continued to be an asshole. "Apparently they'd be doing it for a whi-"

"SHUT UP!" Lucy yelled, coming to a stand. Her face was red, jaw clenched. "Go away!" She started swatting my head and shoulders with her hands. I tried ducking and blocking her hits but she was too quick. "You. Are. Ruining DEAN HOLDER!" Her voice got louder with every word.

She pulled me by my hands until I was on my feet, turned me to face the front door, put her hands on my back and started pushing me towards it.

I tried digging my feet into the floor but the girl had some power.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and started dialing Cam. By the time the phone was to my ear, she'd pushed me out the front door, slamming it shut behind me.

"Yo," Cam answered.

"Dude, your girlfriend's fucking bat-shit crazy."

"What?" He sounded pissed.

I was about to tell him what happened when he chuckled. "Dude, it is Tuesday... and they are Hoovering."

What the hell does that even mean?

***

Cam ended up coming over, putting an end to the girl's book club. Heidi and Dylan joined us and we made a night of it.

Amanda hadn't said shit to me, or even glanced in my direction. She wasn't openly avoiding me, but I could definitely tell it was an effort for her. I tried to subtly watch her, but her eyes were glued to her phone.

When the pizza arrived, we all move to the back deck.

"We should all do something for spring break," Heidi said.

Everyone made a sound of agreement through mouthfuls of food.

"We should go to Mexico!" I said. Dylan nodded his head, fist bumping me. His mouth was too full to speak.

"NO!" Lucy gasped, her head shaking frantically. "Nu-uh! Not Mexico!"

All eyes were on her.

Cam swallowed his food, and then spoke through a smile. "Lucy here..." he pointed his thumb at her, "...thinks that if she goes to Mexico, they'll kidnap her and sell her as a sex slave."

We all laughed.

She still had that panicked look on her face. "It's not funny you guys, it happens."

"Lucy, we read that book three months ago. Get it out of your head." Micky said through a laugh. She was sitting sideways on Jake's lap while his arm rested on her legs.

"No," Lucy defended. "It's true. It happens all the time."

"Lucy," Amanda said. It was the first time she'd spoken since I got here. "I'm pretty sure you have to be virgin to be sold as a sex slave. And you—most definitely are not a virgin!"

Everyone cracked up.

"Yeah, she's not!" Cam high-fived Amanda.

Lucy's face turned to shock, but only for a second before she looked down at the floor, smiling to herself.

"You got family there right?" Cam asked Amanda.

How does he know that?

"Yeah. You guys would be welcome to stay there. They love having guests."

"You'd obviously be coming with us."

Obviously? What the actual fuck is going on? How long has Amanda been living here? And how the hell has she managed to get to know my friends without me knowing it?

"Maybe." She shrugged. "But if not, you guys could definitely stay there. Just let me know." She pulled her phone out of her pocket and excused herself, walking back into the house.

I watched her every move.

A few minutes later, she came back, but stood at the back door. "I gotta go. E's coming to get me."

"No. Don't leave yet." Micky was on her feet. "We wouldn't have even finished book club yet. Why are you going so soon?"

"Logan can give you a ride later," Lucy chimed in. I could hear her smiling; she was so damn obvious.

"Yeah. For sure. I'll give you a ride. No problem," I rushed out.

Smooth.

Then I just stared, waiting for her to say something. She never even looked in my direction.

"It's fine. He's on his way already." She waved to everyone before quickly making her way into the house and out the front door.

***

I was in the kitchen, throwing away some beer bottles, when Cam came in. He leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his chest, smug smile on his face. "So...Amanda..." he trailed off, expecting me to finish his sentence.

I didn't look at him. I didn't say shit.

"You know, when I first saw her with Lucy, she looked kind of familiar. But I couldn't place her. But now—I think I remember her—she's that girl from the diner right?"

I froze mid movement and glared at him.

"It is!" He looked like he'd just won a prize. "Did you end up taking her out? What ever happened with her?"

I sighed, thinking about what to tell him. "Nothing, dude. Nothing happened." Lie.

SIX

-Past-

The reinforcements.

Start of summer, pre College

I met up with Cameron at Lucy's house. He'd been watching her brothers and wanted to take them out of the house for a bit. "Let's meet up at that diner on Maine, you know the one with the fifties theme or whatever."

I agreed.

Lucy had six brothers, which meant they had to take two cars almost everywhere.

"What are high school bitches like?" the kid in the front seat asked as we followed behind Cameron.