Jordan’s thumb paused on his phone screen. He didn’t look up. "Why?"
"Just curious."
"Uh huh."
"I am. Kumiko asked about it. In the bathroom."
"And you care because?"
"I don’t care." Alexis pulled the henley sleeves over her hands. Bunched the fabric in her fists. "I’m just making conversation."
"You hate making conversation."
"How would you know?"
"Because you’ve spent the last two hours glaring at your phone and looking miserable."
Alexis’s jaw dropped. "I was not miserable."
"You looked like you wanted to escape through the ceiling."
"That’s just my face."
"That’s a terrible face for karaoke."
"Karaoke is stupid."
"You’re the one who agreed to co."
"Kumiko guilted into it."
Jordan finally looked up from his phone. His eyes caught the streetlight. Made them look more gold than brown. "She’s good at that."
"She’s good at a lot of things." The words tasted bitter. "Sweet. Talented. Genuinely nice."
"Sure."
"She likes you."
"I noticed."
"And?"
"And what?"
"Are you going to do sothing about it?"
Jordan’s expression stayed neutral. Unreadable. "Why do you care?"
"I already said I don’t care."
"Then why do you keep asking?"
"Because." Alexis huffed. Looked away. "Because she’s my friend. And I don’t want her getting hurt."
"By ?"
"By anyone."
"Uh huh."
The skepticism in his voice made her want to hit him. With her clutch. Hard.
"I’m serious." She turned back. t his eyes. "Kumiko falls for people fast. Gets attached. Then crashes hard when it doesn’t work out."
"Sounds exhausting."
"It is. For her and everyone around her."
Jordan nodded slowly. "So you’re warning off?"
"I’m telling you to be careful."
"Noted."
"That’s it? Just noted?"
"What do you want to say?"
"I don’t know." Alexis’s hands twisted in the henley fabric. "Sothing more than noted."
"I like Kumiko fine. She’s nice. Good singer."
"But?"
"But nothing. She’s nice. That’s it."
Relief flooded Alexis’s chest. Fast. Overwhelming.
She squashed it down imdiately. Buried it. No reason to feel relieved. Jordan’s dating life had nothing to do with her.
"And Chloe?" The question slipped out. "You didn’t answer about Chloe."
Jordan’s jaw tightened. Just slightly. "That’s complicated."
"Complicated how?"
"Just complicated."
"That’s not an answer."
"It’s the answer you’re getting."
Alexis bristled. "I’m trying to have a conversation."
"No. You’re interrogating ."
"I am not."
"You are. You’ve asked four questions in two minutes."
"So?"
"So maybe I don’t want to talk about my relationship status with soone who called a pay pig five minutes ago."
Heat rushed to Alexis’s face. "I didn’t say that."
"You started to."
"I stopped myself."
"Barely."
The words sat between them. Heavy. Uncomfortable.
Alexis looked down. Studied her shoes. "I’m sorry."
"What?"
"I said I’m sorry." She forced herself to look up. et his eyes. "That was shitty. I shouldn’t have said it."
Jordan’s expression softened. Just a fraction. "No. You shouldn’t have."
"I know."
"Do you?"
The question hit harder than it should. Because the truth was she didn’t know. Not really. Her brain still catalogued Jordan as the boy who bought the Prada bag. Who simped for Eliza Hartwell. Who everyone laughed at.
But that boy didn’t exist anymore.
This Jordan. The one standing in front of her. He didn’t simp. Didn’t beg. Didn’t perform.
He just was.
"Black SUV pulling up." Jordan nodded toward the street.
A sleek Escalade rolled to a stop at the curb. The driver’s window lowered. A middle-aged man with graying hair looked out.
"Alexis?"
"That’s ."
Jordan walked to the car. Opened the back door. Gestured for her to get in.
Alexis climbed inside. The leather seats felt cool through her skirt. The car slled like new car and pine air freshener.
Jordan leaned down. One hand on the door fra. "Text when you get ho."
"I don’t have your number."
"Yes you do. Kumiko added everyone to a group chat."
Oh. Right. The group chat she’d muted imdiately.
"Fine." Alexis pulled her clutch onto her lap. "I’ll text."
"Good."
He started to close the door.
"Wait."
Jordan paused. "Yeah?"
"Your shirt." Alexis grabbed the hem of the henley. Started to pull it up.
"Keep it."
"What?"
"Keep it. For now. You can give it back later."
"I’m not going to steal your shirt."
"I’m not worried about you stealing it. I’m worried about you freezing to death before you get ho."
Alexis wanted to argue. Wanted to insist she didn’t need his shirt or his help or anything from him.
But the henley was so warm. And her apartnt was a twenty minute drive. And she really didn’t want to be cold again.
"Fine." She settled back into the seat. "I’ll return it later."
"Whenever."
Jordan closed the door. Stepped back from the curb.
The driver shifted into drive. Started pulling away.
Alexis turned. Looked out the back window.
Jordan stood on the sidewalk. His phone in his hand. His white undershirt bright against the dark street.
He lifted one hand. Waved.
Alexis faced forward. Pulled the henley tighter around herself.
The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "Boyfriend?"
"No."
"Friend?"
"I don’t know."
The driver nodded. Turned his eyes back to the road. "Those are always the most complicated ones."
Alexis didn’t respond. Just stared out the window as Koreatown blurred past.
Her phone buzzed in her clutch. She pulled it out.
The group chat. Kumiko had sent a string of heart emojis and a selfie with Chloe.
Kumiko:best night ever!!! we should do this every week!!!
Leo:hell yeah im down
Kyle:only if jordan sings again
Kumiko:YESSSSS jordan you have to sing more
Alexis scrolled past the ssages. Opened Twitter instead.
Her burner account still showed the tweet from earlier. The one about finding a hot guy who used to be pathetic.
Fifty-three replies now. All variations of the sa garbage.
She deleted the tweet. Closed the app.
Her fingers curled in the soft fabric.
Stupid Jordan McKnight. With his stupid singing voice and his stupid protective instincts and his stupid ability to not take any of her shit.
When did he get like this?
When did he stop being the boy everyone laughed at?
Alexis closed her eyes. Leaned her head against the window.
She wasn’t going to think about this. Wasn’t going to analyze or overthink or wonder.
She was going to go ho. Take off this henley. Shower. Sleep.
Tomorrow Jordan would go back to being complicated. Chloe would go back to being secretive. Kumiko would go back to being oblivious.
And Alexis would go back to being fine.
Totally fine.
Completely fine.
The car turned onto her street. Palm trees lined both sides. Mansions sat behind gates and hedges.
The driver pulled up to her family’s house. White columns. Perfectly manicured lawn. Her mother’s rcedes in the circular driveway.
"Here we are."
"Thanks." Alexis climbed out. The cold hit her again but the henley blocked most of it.
She walked up the driveway. Used her key on the front door. Stepped into the foyer.
Dark. Quiet. Her parents were already asleep.
She climbed the stairs to her room. Closed the door. Locked it.
Her phone buzzed.
Jordan:you ho?
Alexis stared at the ssage. At the simple question with no expectations attached.
Alexis:yes
Jordan:good
Alexis set her phone on her nightstand. Started to peel off the henley.
Her phone buzzed again.
She paused. Looked at the screen.
Apple Cash: Jordan McKnight requests $75.00
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