Page 68 of Pucking Grey

Instead of going to my house, I head to the auditorium. I need to release some stress because there’s no way I can fucking sleep.

Chapter 20

“Are you helping your brother prep for the party?” Crew walks into the kitchen just as I take a sip of Sydney’s lovely coffee. I’ve missed my little handmade mug and their company in the morning. I nod, breathing in the smell of her heavenly blend.

“Yes, I am.”

He smacks the counter with enthusiasm. “Great. We can drive together.”

I shake my head. “I want to take my car.”

Crew says, “That’s no problem. You’ll drive me.”

I look at Sydney, wondering if she’s noticing that Crew is acting weird. Weird — as in he’s staring at me like there’s something on my face and he doesn’t want to tell me.

“I’m going to leave soon,” I warn.

He nods. “I’ll get ready.”

As soon as he leaves, I whisper to Sydney, “Did you notice that he wouldn’t stop giving me weird looks.”

She touches her eyebrows reminding me of my own.

“Shit,” I mutter, mortified as I cover them. “I totally forgot. You had me all distracted over your new coffee blend!”

She laughs, lifting her mug. “So good right?”

I nod. “You really need to go to Baddie Addie’s. You know Addison. Yeah, from before. She needs to take you. You guys can talk all about coffee.”

“Yes, the one who just opened her own coffee shop? I really would like to try some of her specialty drinks.”

“Yeah, Ryan’s best friend. You need to try Gone Mads.” I smile because a coffee is named after me. When Addison asked if she could do that, I felt so honored. “Okay. It’s a few hours to drive. Are you ready?”

She nods.

I cover my eyebrows. “Don’t let me forget about these two blackbelts.”

Sydney laughs, covering her mouth to not spit out her drink.

Crew comes around the corner with a bag. “I’m ready.”

The road trip starts off fairly quiet. I’m keeping my eyes on the road, Sydney is reading a book in the passenger seat, and Crew is in the back enjoying the ride. But for the past five minutes, I can tell that he wants to say something. I wonder if it’s my thick dark eyebrows.

“What is it?” I ask, looking in the mirror at him. We lock eyes for a moment and then Sydney looks up from her book, confused. “I can tell you want to say something, Crew. Is it my eyebrows? Because I have a very valid story for why they look this way.”

He laughs. “So, you didn’t do it on purpose?”

I scoff, deeply offended. “I totally did it on purpose, Crew. I booked a brow appointment and saidhey please make my eyebrows as black as the road, like two tire mark skids above my eyes.”

He chuckles. “No… uh… all of it is contrasting, which makes me wonder what you would look like with dark hair. Not black hair, but not blonde either.”

I am pleasantly surprised that he’s that thoughtful of a guy. I nod. “Yeah, you know what, I actually want to dye my hair a dark brown or maybe a red-brown.” I look at myself in the mirror. “I think you’re right. I’ve been so busy embarrassed by the brow lady’s mistake, but maybe I look good. Do I look good?”

Crew tilts his head a little, not answering the question, so I glance at Sydney. But she’s reading her book, ignoring me. I don’t know how she doesn’t get car sick.

“Syd,” I say. “Should I dye my hair before the party?”

She glances over at me, confused.

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