Chapter 2: Goodnight and Go

Sydni ran her flat iron through her bangs several times, being careful not to burn herself (as she'd done thrice before). She watched as the brown, curly shrinkage became bone-straight and fell against her forehead, warming her skin. After running her fingers through her hair and inspecting it in the mirror perched above her sink—making sure it was straightened and detangled everywhere—she turned the flatiron off and placed it on a towel on the sink counter.

Feeling confident that she wouldn't burn the house down by accidentally leaving it on, she went back into her bedroom. She opened her closet door, inspecting each item of clothing that hung upon the rack, trying to decide which would be best for the night.

The one little black dress she owned caught her eye momentarily. She found it cute and enticing without revealing too much. She then imagined herself playing the game in it, crouching down and leaning over to roll the bowling ball, only to inadvertently flash the entire bowling alley with her choice of underwear.

Um, no thanks. We're going bowling, not hooking. Plus, that's the last thing I need.

Instead, she found her favorite pair of jeans. Black, high-waisted, form-fitting, and no chances of accidental flashing.

I can definitely play in these… and they make my booty look right.

Shortly afterwards—once she found a black crop top to match and fumbled around her room while putting on her jeans—she adorned her lips with brown lipstick and her eyes with mascara and a subtle winged-liner look. She was no expert at applying makeup, unlike her best friend Danielle. The girl could make anyone's makeup look impeccable. (Hell, she could even make a man look like the baddest bitch around.)

Sydni, however, didn't want to waste time doing anything more than her eyes and lips, lest she walk around downtown looking like a clown.

I'm not in the mood to look like Booboo the Fool.

Once she looked in the mirror and decided that she looked far from foolish—she felt cute, in fact—she realized she hadn't longed to make a strong first impression like this on a guy in ages.

Her mind wandered back a couple years. She once more assumed the role of a giddy fifteen-year-old, preparing to go on a movie date with her closest guy friend, with whom she'd felt sparks around whenever he was near. She relived the sweatiness of her palms, the palpitations of her heart, and even the jolting of the nerves in her lips when she received her first kiss…

Her phone's vibration beckoned her attention. She walked towards her bed, grabbing it off the top of her comforter and reading the text she'd received.

I'm outside, Alejandro texted.

Her lips curled into a grin. Omw, she replied.

After slipping on her sneakers, she grabbed her purse and made her way downstairs.

"Don't you look pretty," she heard her father say as soon as she set foot in the living room.

She smiled. "Thanks, dad." She briefly scanned the vicinity and asked, "Where's mom?"

"Out working late again, but she wanted me to tell you to have fun on your date. I'd tell you, 'Not too much fun,' but I know you'll be fine. I've never had to worry much about you."

She chuckled. "You know me so well."

"I wouldn't be your dad if I didn't." He pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the forehead. Once he let go, he said, "Have a good time, sweet pea. Call me if you need anything."

"I will, dad. Love you," she said before making her way to the front door.

"Love you, too."

After walking outside her house, Sydni found Alejandro leaning against a luxury car as he waited for her.

"Wow," she said as she approached him. She didn't know much about cars, but she could tell from the flawless exterior that it cost more than her life. "Should I have worn something nicer? 'Cause I don't think I should sit in a car like this with these old jeans on."

He chuckled as he opened the door for her. "Nonsense. You look great as is. No need to change."

She felt heat rise in her cheeks as she stepped into the vehicle. He was just as much of a gentleman as he appeared to be during their prior interactions.

Her heartbeat went thump thump once more.

Opulence surrounded Jen.

While small, ornate crystal chandeliers hung around the room, one ginormous one dangled in the center, providing the restaurant with dim lighting and warm ambiance. Larger-than-life windows with rounded arches adorned one wall, allowing the setting summer sun to bathe the place in a soft, orange glow. Signed artwork in gilded frames (that appeared to be from various auctions) adorned all the other walls.

The sets of glasses, plates, and silverware were all neatly arranged and spotless at their table for seven, much to her delight. (If fingerprints and smudges were allowed at an establishment as high-level as this, she would've had a word with the manager.)

She thanked the heavens that she chose to wear her best updo, dress, jewelry, and heels to this outing with Caitlin and her parents, who were tastefully dressed. (Her friend's affinity for the finer things in life certainly came from them.)

As the waiter filled their pristine glasses with water, he took everyone's order; Jen ordered the most inexpensive item on the menu, despite Mr. Cooke's insistence that she order whatever she desired. After the waiter left for the kitchen, Caitlin looked over at Jen, appearing giddy.

"Isn't this place gorgeous?" she asked.

"That's an understatement," Jen replied, still in awe of her surroundings. The ambiance greatly wooed her, and she wasn't even the person Caitlin's father was supposed to be swaying. "So, what exactly is this meeting for again?"

Behind her hand, Caitlin leaned over and lowered the volume of her voice. "The guy daddy's talking to is apparently super big on family, which is why my mom and I are here, 'cause we usually don't go to his meetings. If he lands this guy, he's one step closer to a promotion," Caitlin said, sing-songing that last word.

"Didn't your dad work in product testing for some tech company?" Jen asked, recalling that one time her father gave the gang new cell phones from his company to try out.

"Oh, he did, but he found a way better job at this ad agency a few months ago."

"Oh, okay," she said with a nod. She saw Caitlin's gaze wander, noticing it fell upon the boy sitting across the table from them.

He flashed Caitlin a timid smile when the two locked eyes; she giggled and waved her fingers at him. (Jen longed for her own boyfriend to be there so she could lock eyes with him, too.)

"Shy guys are the cutest," Caitlin gushed to Jen while swooning a bit. "They're just so nice and super friendly, and it's totally adorable."

She had to admit: Caitlin was right. Plus, the client's son wasn't bad on the eyes either. Thick, wavy hair. Pretty brown skin. Even his braces made his smile more earnest. Totally someone Caitlin would be interested in.

"So," she started, nudging her best friend with her elbow, "are you gonna go for him?"

"Oh, I don't know. He's cute and all, but I'm still not really over Benj, and I don't want to string him along or anything."

"Fair enough. Need to talk about it, though?"

"No, I'm fine. I just need another week and then I'll be good."

Jen suddenly remembered the "breakup equation" Caitlin had read about in the latest edition of Teen Fever. You were supposed to take however long you and your ex dated and divide it by two. In magazine logic, that should equal the time needed to get over that person. Since Caitlin dated Benj for about a month and a half, Jen supposed it would take her… three weeks? But one week just passed and she could've sworn Caitlin just said—

Never mind, she thought, wondering why she would concern herself with the advice of a dying medium (that her friend would support until the end of time… or the end of its time—whichever came first).

"So, any luck on setting Wyatt up on a date this week?" she asked, remembering it as Caitlin's project to further distance herself from Benj.

Instantly, her expression transformed into bewilderment. "No. All the friends I tried setting him up with said he flaked on them." Her millennial-pink lower lip poked out, leaving her with a pout. "I really thought he'd come through for me. Like, if he didn't want to be set up, he could've just told me no! I would've understood."

"Um, you kinda pressured him to say yes last weekend," Jen reminded.

"Oh. My bad." She fell hush for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "Still, why wouldn't he want a little fling for the summer? It's not like I'm friends with any uggos… not that less attractive people don't deserve love, but I'm just saying. It's just unlike him."

Suddenly, when neglecting the part about "uggos," it was a question Jen needed an answer to. She found it odd that Wyatt never expressed any interest in any girls this summer. Not even Serena could hold his attention anymore. He rejected Caitlin's friends by not showing up for dates. Not to mention he still made random disappearances, albeit less frequently. Typically, he lamented being single and dateless, but, as of lately, not a peep had fallen from his lips about his love life.

Jen placed a hand on her chin. "Hmm, you're right."

She would've overthought the issue into oblivion if her fettuccine alfredo hadn't arrived and captured her attention. It looked divine and she wanted to feast… once she put her napkin in her lap. The atmosphere demanded it.

If Sydni felt flushed and fifteen when thinking of her first date, then she definitely felt shy and seventeen in the passenger seat of Alejandro's whip. She admired his coolness as he steered with one hand on the wheel and the other lax on the armrest. She also admired the rate at which he drove. Not too fast, not too slow. Thus far, she liked his speed and his vibe far more than she anticipated.

"Is the car yours?" she asked, breaking the surprisingly serene silence that fell upon them after he pulled off.

"It's my dad's," he replied, not taking his green eyes off the road. "He let me use it for the night, though."

"Oh, wow," she said as she absentmindedly ran her hand over the premium leather on the door. "I guess it pays to be a diplomat, huh?"

She watched his eyebrow quirk upward. "You remembered?"

"It's kinda hard to forget, especially when you said he's the reason you lived abroad for a bit."

"I suppose that's true. I'm just so used to it that I don't see it as something shocking."

"I get that. I guess if it's the only life you've ever known, you wouldn't think of your situation as being out of the ordinary."

"Exactly."

"So, what made you and your family come to Toronto?"

His lips turned up into a smirk. He glanced over at her, making her feel hot under his gaze. Although brief, it was intense. "I should be asking you that question, Miss I'm-from-Baltimore."

She giggled (and wondered if she sounded ugly in the process). "Well, my mom's originally from here, but she moved down to Maryland for college and stuff. Then she fell in love with the area and met my dad and moved to Baltimore. Then I came along or whatever. Fast forward a whole bunch of years, and we decided to move up here so she could start her own law firm with some colleagues… Okay, I just realized that I just told her whole life story. You probably didn't ask for all that."

"I don't mind, hermosa. I like the way you talk."

After coyly tucking a section of hair behind her ear, revealing one of the golden hoops she wore, she replied, "Thanks… So, do you like bowling?"

She cringed at herself. "Do you like bowling?" Great follow-up, Syd.

"Honestly? I do, but I haven't done it in years."

"I haven't done it in a while myself, but it's not really something you can forget… At least, it's not something I forgot how to do."

"Believe me, I can definitely roll a ball at some pins. Easy."

"So can I." She glanced away momentarily, then fixed her gaze upon him again. "Wait a second, is this a bet?"

"It's whatever you want it to be." He smirked as he looked ahead.

On the contrary, she couldn't take her eyes off him. She had no idea where they were right now. From her peripheral vision, she saw them approaching the high-rises, bright lights, and beautiful skylines downtown Toronto offered. (It reminded her of the three major cities she'd visited in her lifetime: New York City, DC, and the city of Baltimore itself.) However, his side profile transfixed her. She liked to watch how he interacted with both her and the road.

"Hmm," she said. "I've got a feeling you're gonna be really good at it, so I'm not gonna bet anything. I'm not in the mood to be embarrassed in public."

"Alright," he said, looking self-assured. "Maybe some other time, then."

Her heart almost galloped. "Some other time?" she parroted.

"Yeah. I mean, this is already going well, so I figured we'd give it another go."

Then her heart fluttered. It's already going well.

"Oh… yeah, definitely!" she said, hoping she didn't sound overly eager (even though she was certain she did).

Reel it in, she reminded herself.

"Great," he said. If she sounded too zealous, then his tone and appearance didn't reveal it. Unlike her, he remained cool. Then again, he was likely used to girls fawning over him.

As soon as they reached their destination and he circled the streets in search of a parking space, she felt disappointed. If she was honest with herself, she liked their aimless car conversation. Earlier, she wanted to go from point A to point B as fast as possible, thinking the car ride to the bowling alley would be as awkward as her what ifs made it seem. Now, upon realizing how relaxed everything was, she realized she wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere. She wanted to sit and make lazy conversation with him all night.

However, she reminded herself that the change of pace and energy with Jonesy and Nikki would be good. It would be different and refreshing.

Once he found a space, he got out of the car and, despite her insistence that she could open her own door, he opened the door for her anyways. She grabbed her purse, slung it over her shoulder, and got out, thanking him with heat in her cheeks. (With the amount of times he'd made her blush so far this summer, she was grateful her melanin never betrayed any flushes of pink.)

They walked across the street together, headed towards the bowling alley in question.

In large neon letters, the word PINSTRIKE illuminated the front of the building. Other sleek neon lights decorated the building, leading Sydni to realize that Jonesy had a point in wanting to come here.

If the outside is this nice, then it must be beautiful on the inside.

"You roller-skate, don't you?" Alejandro asked her as they killed time, waiting for Jonesy and Nikki to arrive.

"Yeah, I do, actually. I used to go damn near every weekend. I've only been twice since coming here, though."

"What made you stop?"

Heartbreak. "Moving. Things changed after coming here with my parents."

"Ah, okay. Maybe we can go alone sometime. I'll let you show me your moves."

She stammered, "Oh, wow. Okay, sure. So—"

"Who's ready to get their asses handed to them?" a familiar voice cut in.

She grew thankful for Jonesy's ever-present bravado as she turned around to find him and Nikki approaching.

"Only person being handed an L is you," Alejandro joked.

"We'll see about that, bro," Jonesy said with a smirk.

As the guys playfully bantered with one another, Nikki rolled her eyes and told Sydni, "If I didn't know any better, I'd think they're the ones on a date."

She laughed behind her hand. "Yeah, 'cause I can feel the chemistry rolling off of them."

Nikki snorted before switching subjects. "So, how's it been with him so far?"

"Honestly, it's been pleasant. Like, normally, I don't use that word, but that's how I'm feeling about everything: pleasant."

"Good to hear. Hopefully me and the lunkhead don't ruin the atmosphere."

"Don't be silly. I think we could use the energy switchup."

"So, ladies," Alejandro said, grabbing their attention, "ready to go in?"

"Definitely," Sydni replied.

When Jonesy walked over to Nikki and took her hand, Sydni swore she saw the ghost of a grin on Nikki's lips. No matter how many times she called him a "lunkhead" or something similar, it was evident that electrified her, even with the little things.

Of course—when Alejandro extended his arm so Sydni could link arms with him—she felt electrified by her date, too.

Thus, already enjoying the change in energy, they all walked into the bowling alley together, ready for what the night would bring them.

"So, how are we gonna do this?" Jonesy asked once the four of them went to their assigned lane. After he laced his bowling shoes, he continued, "Couple versus couple, or girls versus men?"

"First of all, that's women versus men, and we should probably do it that way to just deflate your oversized male egos," Nikki said.

Alejandro glanced over at Jonesy, commenting, "Hmm, she's feisty."

Jonesy smirked. "Yep, that's my girl—always ready to castrate someone."

Nikki mirrored her boyfriend's smug expression. "You love the way I don't take anyone's shit."

"I do. It's part of your charm, babe."

"So," Sydni said, answering Jonesy's original question, "I guess we're going battle-of-the-sexes style, huh?"

"Looks that way. Guess we get to play against each other after all," Alejandro said, winking and reminding her of their almost-bet.

She shyly met his gaze before looking away and tucking her hair behind her ear. "May the best person win," she said with a small smile.

A half-hour into the game, the scores from both teams were closely tied, confirming Sydni's suspicion that Alejandro was a formidable competitor after all. Yet, despite the competitive spirit that overtook the night, tension didn't overtake either couple.

In fact, while Jonesy took his turn for the guys, Sydni and Alejandro found a commonality between them.

"…Hey, if I'm being honest, I can speak a little Spanish," she told him.

"Really?"

"Yeah. One of my best friends is, like, half-Puerto Rican, and I've been around her for so long that I've picked up on some things."

"How many things?"

She twirled a lock of her hair around and around her finger. "Not enough to be fluent, but enough to hold some conversations."

"Well, in that case…" He smirked before proceeding to enthrall her in another language.

She appreciated that he kept his words at a beginners' pace so he wouldn't completely lose her. Nevertheless, she enjoyed the challenge of having to keep up and use a part of her brain she hadn't used in a while.

"Hey, if you two are done over there, it's your turn, Syd," Jonesy said, walking to his seat.

"Oh, okay." She sent a parting smile Alejandro's way before taking her turn for the girls' team.

"Y'know, Nik, I can finesse you en español, too," she heard Jonesy say as her ball rolled on the hardwood floor, chasing the pins at the end of the lane.

"Oh, really now?" Nikki asked.

"Yeah: Te amo su culo, mami… Ow!"

Sydni didn't need to turn around to know that his girlfriend whacked him upside the head.

"Idiota," Nikki muttered as she walked towards the lane with her ball of choice.

By the night's end, Sydni couldn't believe the date was a success. The girls won the game—with Jonesy demanding a rematch (despite the alley closing within ten minutes of the guys' loss).

"You've got skill," Alejandro said to Sydni after returning his bowling shoes near the building's entrance. "You were really impressive."

Despite his compliments, she remained coy and looked away. "I mean, I had help. It was a half-and-half effort."

His fingers brushed against her chin as he coaxed her into making eye contact. His gentle fingertips spawned goosebumps along her skin.

"Don't downplay yourself, hermosa," he said in a calm, hypnotic voice. "You did great."

She realized this was the closest they'd been so far. Conversations via text and flirting from afar paled in comparison to this kind of proximity. The people passing them by remained in her peripheral vision. He had her focus.

Then, as he removed his hand from her chin, Jonesy and Nikki approached, having rid themselves of their bowling shoes, too.

"You know, this was actually pretty fun," Nikki said as she looked around the group.

"Yeah, I had a good time. We should do this again or something, but you and me"—Jonesy gestured at Alejandro—"gotta come up with a strategy first."

"I don't know, man. As much as I like victory, I think women deserve to come out on top, too," he replied, wrapping his arm around Sydni and pulling her into a half-embrace.

She barely heard the witty retort Nikki made about getting Jonesy to adopt such a mindset, for she reveled in the warmth of her date's body as he embraced her. Her slightly exposed skin burned where his arm held her.

While a minor gesture for others, she thought she'd pass out from it.

Given his body language and the ways in which he touched her towards the end of this date, she realized it was a success. All those vultures feasting on her fears the other day were dead on the roadside of her mind. She no longer had worries for them to devour—at least, no more worries for tonight.

"Ready to go?" Alejandro asked, retrieving Sydni from her mind.

"Hmm?" she asked, before recalling where she was. "Oh, yeah. I am."

The four of them set foot outside the building, greeted by the balmy air of early July. Cars rushed through the streets, especially those with the names of rideshare services plastered in their windows. People walked in groups up and down the sidewalk, wearing their best nightlife apparel. Bass reverberated through the air from a nearby nightclub. All of it reminded Sydni that, despite it being late, the night had just begun for most.

"I guess this is where we all part ways for the night," Alejandro said to Jonesy and Nikki as he slipped Sydni's hand into his.

"Yep. It's been real, amigos," Jonesy said as he threw his arm around Nikki's waist and threw up a peace sign with his free hand.

"Later," Nikki said to them before walking off with her boyfriend.

"See ya," Sydni said as the two left.

She and Alejandro walked back to his car hand-in-hand. She chastised herself for the way her palm began to sweat, hoping he wouldn't notice the humidity of it. She hoped he'd blame it on the balminess of the weather and not the hyperdrive her body went into every time he touched her.

"So, what now?" she asked, unsure of how to proceed.

He grinned softly. "Now, here's the thing I wanted to do all night."

Before she could realize what was happening, his lips pressed against hers, as comfortable as the gentle breeze that blew past them. She tensed, still rendered unprepared by his actions. However, when his hands slithered to her waist, the nervous tension within her body died.

Though she was not one for kissing in public—not fond of strangers watching her exchange affection with someone else—she couldn't resist caving in the dead of night. As he parted her lips with his tongue and she let out a pleasured sigh, he had her under arrest.

Once he parted from her, she breathed in a ragged manner. She was all-too-aware of the dazed expression that overtook her features.

"Wow, that was… that was…"

"Wonderful," he responded.

"Uh huh."

"Well, we don't have to stop," he said in an alluring tone. He traced his fingertips along her side and said, "My parents are on a business trip, so we could take this to my room."

Sydni suddenly felt naked under his smoldering stare, as if he'd stripped her in his mind before he could strip her in his bedroom.

"Oh… Oh." She swore she had her first heart palpitation, or, at least, something adjacent to it. Her eyes widened in shock. She now found the concrete to be more interesting than his face. "Um, about that…"—she cleared her constricted throat—"I'm a whole-ass virgin."

Even Alejandro, who knew what to do in any situation, couldn't refrain from scratching his head and remaining speechless. "Oh."

"Yeah." The air now suffocated her. "Um, I'm gonna go see if Jonesy and Nikki are still around. Maybe they can take me home."

"It's fine; I can still take you back to your house."

"No, no. That's okay. I'm just… I'm gonna go find them. If not, I can just… get a Lyft or something. I'll… I'll see you around."

She wanted to leave in a hurry and never turn back. So she did.

As she turned around and walked away from him, headed in the direction she saw Jonesy and Nikki disappear into, she lamented how quickly everything went to shit.

She really thought he wanted to be with her just for her. Of course there was something ulterior about this date. Her concept of a summerboy was nothing like his concept of a summergirl, and she should have known better. Worst of all, this was a "what if?" she wasn't prepared for.

Oh my GOD, I'm really Booboo the Fool.

She desperately wandered the premises for even a glimpse of Jonesy and Nikki, hoping they weren't gone yet. (She also made sure to check over her shoulder, ensuring that no madman was after her. After all, it was late, she was by herself, and she realized she kept making senseless move after senseless move.)

She reached for her phone and dialed Nikki, hoping she would pick up.

It went to voicemail after a few pointless dialtones.

Shit.

Regardless, she walked onward, hoping to receive a callback or something. She decided that if she didn't get a call or text within the next few minutes, she would just bite the bullet and request a Lyft home.

She recalled her father mentioning to call him if things went awry, but she decided that he'd be the last resort. She didn't want to burden him with the mess that just transpired. If she told him about Alejandro trying to overnight her, he would probably show up at Alejandro's doorstep with a shovel and a shotgun. After all, he nearly did that with Jake once he caught wind of him cheating on her. She had to talk her dad down from doing that.

Yikes. Yikes. Yikes.

While walking down the street, she caught sight of a familiar sedan. Her hopes briefly rose.

Upon looking through the vehicle's windshield, she didn't see anyone in the front.

Damn.

Then she saw movement through the backseat's tinted windows. Mortification overtook her as she watched Nikki sit upright in Jonesy's lap, wildly making out with him.

She turned away and facepalmed herself. On one hand, she was grateful that her friends were still around. On the other, she cringed at witnessing such an intimate moment.

Of course this is how I would find them.

She walked away and called Nikki again, pretending as though she was not near Jonesy's car and not aware of their backseat tryst.

This time, she got a response.

"Hello?"

Ignoring the way her friend sounded breathless, she asked, "Hey, Nikki… um, are you and Jonesy still around by any chance? I, uh, need a ride home."

"What happened with Alejandro?"

"It's kind of a long story."

"Alright, we'll come get you. Where are you?"

Sydni looked at the street signs and gave her the name of the intersection.

"Okay, we're not too far from there. Shit, we can just walk there and get you."

"Okay. Thanks, Nikki."

"Anytime. See you in a sec."

After feasting on her pasta, Jen found herself satiated and ready to discuss the Wyatt situation once more. "Okay, I need answers, because it's very not like Wyatt to stand girls up. This is the same guy who wrote an apology note to a girl who stood him up."

"OMG, really?"

"Yeah; it actually happened in middle school once. It was actually really sweet of him, even if she didn't deserve it. But, anyways, we're reopening the investigation into what he's up to. We're getting to the bottom of this tomorrow."

Screw exercising, she thought before deciding, Well, I should at least jog around the block in the morning. Then I'll go investigating.

"Good, because I've been meaning to talk to him about everything."

"And it sounds like he's long overdue for a chat," Jen said.

"Totally."

She still couldn't wrap her head around Wyatt's recent stunt. Between Wyatt leaving Caitlin's friends alone without an explanation and Nick cancelling two dates in a row, all she could do was roll her eyes and think, Men. (And, in the process, she felt like Nikki.)

Minutes later, after consuming too much water—she couldn't help getting a refill every time the waiter offered—she found herself having to release it all.

"Hey, Cait," she said, nudging her best friend, "mind going to the bathroom with me?"

"Not at all," Caitlin replied, standing up alongside Jen.

Once they both excused themselves from the table, they entered the restroom with no issues. However, nothing prepared them for what they saw when they left.

On their way out of the corridor that led to the bathroom, a storm of dreadlocked hair in the distance caught her attention. Her jaw dropped when she recognized both the person and his date.

"Oh my God, it's Wyatt and Marlowe," she said, just above a whisper as she grabbed Caitlin by the arm.

"I can't believe it," Caitlin said with her eyes locked on their friend and his not-ex-girlfriend. She watched as Wyatt gave the waiter a tip, helped Marlowe out her seat, and received a kiss on the cheek from her.

She and Caitlin remained frozen near the restrooms until the reunited couple left. Afterwards, after they locked widened eyes with one another, everything clicked with Jen.

His reluctance to go on the dates Caitlin arranged for him.

His rejection of Serena earlier in the summer.

His love letter possibly being from Marlowe.

Despite Wyatt insisting that he and Marlowe were through, they most certainly were not. They acted like awkward exes in public, but were lovers in secret. This confirmed it.

"I can't believe he's with her again and didn't tell us," Caitlin said.

Now that her hunger to know what he was up to had been satiated, she was left hungry for a different answer.

"But why wouldn't he tell us?" she asked.