“He ain’t doing something right if you can stay up and wait for me,” I mutter, but of course it doesn’t pass unnoticed by Callie. She starts toward me, but I lift my hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. I’ll shut up.”
She gives me a warning glare. “You better.”
“So if your life’s so good,” I start carefully, “what’s with this sudden obsession to meddle in mine?”
“Can’t a friend be interested in you?”
“Sure can.”
“Then why are you avoiding my questions?”
“I—” I stop in my tracks when I see the familiar window and the sign hanging on the side of the door. A group of students is just coming out of Cup It Up, all of them carrying the familiar cup with their logo on it as they chat away.
“C’mon, I need my fix.” Callie tugs at my hand, startling me, but I snap out of it and follow after her.
“God, is there a thing like coffeeholic? Because if there isn’t I’ll demand they add it to the dictionary, along with your photo just below the definition.”
“The word you’re looking for is cofftastic. You know, once I get my fix, that is.”
The bell over the door rings as Callie pushes open the door and enters, me in tow. Yasmin lifts her head and looks toward the door. I suck in a breath as our eyes meet, gazes hold. It feels like I haven’t seen her in weeks, although it’s just been a few days.
Then she blinks, and the moment is gone.
“What are you two doing here?” Yasmin asks, her attention on Callie. The tip of her tongue slides out and over her lower lip. Transfixed, I follow the movement. Her full lips are bare; no lip gloss or anything for Yasmin. There is a natural pout to them, and they just beg to be kissed.
“I found him at the administration building and forced him to buy me coffee. You know, before he sneaks off and disappears on us once again.” Callie gives a pointed look to Yasmin. “It seems like it’s a trend around here or something.”
Yasmin’s eyes meet mine, a guilty look crossing her face before she turns away, avoiding both me and Callie.
“Or something,” Yasmin mutters.
I have a feeling I know what sneaking around Callie is referring to when it comes to Yasmin. Doesn’t she know? Is the fact that Coach is Yasmin’s father such a big secret she didn’t even share it with Callie? What the hell does she think she’ll do, go around and announce it to the whole school?
Then again, who am I to judge? I have my own secrets safely stashed away.
Yasmin’s gaze returns to me. I’m not sure if she can see the questions on my face or not. Most likely, she just chooses to ignore it.
“So… what can I get you two?”
Callie mutters something under her breath, but I’m too transfixed by her friend to pay her any attention. She places her order, and then I do the same.
Yasmin nods and goes straight to business. I think I even see her shoulders rise as she exhales before getting to work.
Callie stands in front of the glass display, looking at all the goodies.
“You wanna order something?”
“Well, now that you’re asking…”
She places an order for some kind of cupcake just as Yasmin comes back with our coffees, plain black for me, some kind of bubbly frappe or something for Callie. I hand her a twenty, waving off the change.
Callie is just about to say something when the bell chimes again, drawing Yasmin’s attention to the new customers.
“Talk later,” Yasmin offers apologetically, although she doesn’t seem sorry. Not in the slightest. Saved by the bell. If only I were that lucky.
Callie drags me toward a table all the way in the back.
“You and Yas seem to be getting along better,” Callie comments as she sits down. She takes the lid off the cup, adds another packet of sugar, and stirs the contents of her cup.
“I know what you’re trying to do, and it won’t work.”
Callie looks at me through her eyelashes and bats them innocently. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Turn that angel’s face to Hayden because he’s the only one who’s buying it, love.”
“Fine,” she huffs, giving up on all pretense. “You like her, and she seems to be warming up to you.”
“And you concluded all that from less than five minutes of us being civil to one another without actually talking about anything?”
She puts her elbows on the table and leans toward me. “I concluded that after the game night at the house.”
Game night, of course. I guess it was just a matter of time before she brought it up.
“And then you say I’m never home.”
“You’re evading,” she sing-songs, a smug smile curling her lips.
“I’m not—” The look in her eyes has me lifting my arms in surrender. “Fine. We might have found…” I stop, choosing my next words carefully. “Some common ground, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say she’s warming up to me. Yasmin’s just not biting my head off every chance she gets.”
There, hopefully that will shut her up. My hands fall by my sides, and I lean back into my chair.
“You didn’t say you don’t like her.”
“What?”
“You didn’t say you don’t like her,” Callie repeats, a smug smile spreading over her lips.
Huh… Did I? No, I guess I didn’t.
I run my hand over my face. “Things are complicated.”
Do I find her attractive? Hell, yes, I do. Something about her calls to me, but there is so much more to her, to me, than anybody knows. So while a part of me would be totally game if Yasmin wanted something, I know it has ‘bad idea’ written all over it.
“They don’t have to be.”
I chuckle, but the sound lacks humor. “But they are.”
Her hand covers mine on the table. I look down at her pale, way smaller hand enveloping mine. To an innocent onlooker, we’d look like a couple, immersed in some kind of private discussion, but it’s never been like that between the two of us. Callie is a friend, an annoying little sister nobody actually wants, but you have to love her regardless. Nothing less is an option.
“What’s going on, Nix? You’ve been acting off. And don’t even start with that evading bullshit. Because we both know there is something going on.”
“There is,” I say, my tone tight.
Callie waits for me to continue, but when she realizes I’m not planning to, she sighs. “Fine. I can respect you not wanting to talk about it, as long as you know you can talk to me about it. Whatever it might be. Not just me, the guys are there too. Whatever is going on, you’re not alone.”
“Thanks, Cals. I appreciate it.”
And I really do, but there’s no way I’m sharing this with anyone. Not even my friends. Especially not my friends.
Needing to lighten the mood, I ask, “So what were you doing at the administrative office?”
A smile spreads over Callie’s face. “Since you’re asking…”
Chapter Fourteen
YASMIN
“You’re still here?”