25. Be aware

[Diana]

Janus ran his tongue over his inner cheek.

“I… was telling Zeph that I wanted to ask Vera to be my date for the prom,” Janus said.

“What? And WHAT?” I yelled.

“You don’t have to double-what me. I knew you would react like this, so I thought maybe your sunshine could be of some help because he is too good at talking. Talking to girls especially,” Janus said, sneaking glances at Vera.

“Ok. Ok. I am trying to wrap my head around all this. You met my bodyguard without my knowledge when he mostly is with me when I am with you. Then you became such close friends in a few weeks and you call him by his nickname — Zeph? I bet he calls you by some nickname, too?”

“Yeah, I call him Jan,” Zephyr said proudly.

“See!”

Janus took a deep breath and said, “look, you don’t have to be jealous, ok?”

“I am not jealous! But we have been best friends for years and how is it we don’t have nicknames for each other?” I said.

“That’s what you are concerned about? I literally said I wanted Vera