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I had just made myself a sandhen I heard the front door open My heart stopped for a second until I heard the light footsteps Ellie I breathed a sigh of relief

"Hey" Ellie smiled down at me as she strolled into the room "Back froo?"

"Apparently, I need glasses for reading and watching the TV" She wrinkled her nose "I don’t really suit glasses"

I doubted that Ellie could wear a trash bag and still look cute "When do you pick therinned suddenly "So? Hoas dinner?"

"Your brother tricked me It was just us two"

Ellie snorted "Typical Braden Did you have fun though?"

"Other than irlfriend of Braden’s, who seemed perfectly pleasant if a little clueless as she inadvertently told ed nonchalantly "We had fun"

Ellie gasped, drawing aze back to her Anxiety clouded her pale eyes as she stood up and walked over cautiously to sit next to me "I would have told you, Jocelyn, but Braden wanted to tell you himself And it’s personal for him I wish I could explain but it really is his business"

I waved her off "It’s okay He told me about Analise How she cheated on hiether "He told you?"

Was he not supposed to? "Yeah"

She sat there for ain her eyes softened as she s rorew huge with pretend innocence

I made a face "You knohat"

Before Ellie could respond our front door opened and slammed shut Heavy footsteps tread down the hall towards us

"Oh crap," Ieyes

The door to the sitting rooainst the doorjareeted weakly, sensing the sudden danger in the air

"Afternoon, Els" He nodded at her and then pinned aze "Bedrooaped open-mouthed

"What did you do?" Ellie whispered worriedly

I shot her a look "I snuck out of his place thisinexplicably guilty, er "Because that’s what fuck buddies do," I snapped, ju me around" I stomped--yes, stomped--intowith indignation "You need stop ordering er at hi as he stood at the bottom ofit nicely He was pissed "You need to stop acting like a fucking headcase"

I drew in a sharp breath "What the hell did I do?"

He looked incredulous, throwing his hands up in disbelief "You snuck out of my flat like I was some drunken lay you were asha I crossed my arms over my chest, a protective aze

"You want to disabuse ot out of the shower this ered off?"

"I-I had stuff to do"

Braden grew scarily quiet "You had stuff to do?"

"Yup"