Page 43 of The Fate Of Us

Nine Years Ago

“Explain to me again why he’s here?”

A sigh escapes Addy’s mouth, one that brushes my face like another gust of thenighttime breeze, her eyes darting to the window before looking back up at me.“He’s new in the city, Nate. He doesn’t know anyone. He told me earlier that his parents run his schedule, and he doesn’t have the time to really make friends. And the friends hedoeshave are all the way back in… one of the Carolinas.”

She shakes her head, a smirk creeping up my face at my best friend, watching how far she was willing to go to make another person happy.“The fact he’s even here is a good thing, Nate. And doesn’t that sound like someoneyou know? Maybe the girl standing in front of you?”

Her eyes do that thing where they go all round and doe-like, the colour that swam inthem completely overshadowed by the fluorescent blue glow from the restaurant sign that hung above us. I feel the nerves start to drip from me, like the way the raindrops slide off a car window when you drive down the highway, getting lost and making you forget they were ever there.

I didn’t question how she did it. How she made me feel normal… like I hadn’t knownwhat it was to second guess every move I made, or known the pain of an anxiety attack and the way it would stab at my heart. I was scared if I did that whatever powers she had would stop working—

“Nate?”

I blink down at her, the strands of hair that I’d pushed back falling past my foreheadas I shake it. But before I could utter a word, my eyes fell to my hand as she grabbed it, before I met her stare again.

She was right. If we weren’t neighbours, if she hadn’t thrown that balloon in my facewhile her parents didn’t control every second of her life, we wouldn’t have the relationship that we do. We’re lucky to have these nights at our favourite taco place as it was, especially since Addy started working on this movie.

So yeah, I understand all too well why she invited him.

“Yeah, I know.”My head falls forward, the honks from passing cars jolting my headback up, catching her smirk as I stretch out my shoulders, readying myself for the night.“Okay, fine. Let’s go in.”

Her body arched back as she took a step away, studying me for a moment, and herbottom lip sinking between her teeth.“You’re so easy to crack.”she laughed, before a smile that could have lit up the city beamed on her face.

“Don’t make me change my mind.”I eyed her, licking away the smirk that wasbeginning to show, before ushering her under my arm and heading into the restaurant.

With a grunt, I push open the door to the taco place, keeping it open for Addy to glideon in. Her high-topped feet tap on the black and white checkered floor while she scans the room, the quiet hums of the mariachi band playing over the speakers filling the empty spaces of the room.

“Oh, there he is!”she calls from in front of me, before zigzagging her way past thetables to make it to the one Asher was sitting at.

My eyes ditch Addy, locking onto the boy who was clearly older than me, his mop ofblonde hair sweeping over his forehead, his attention solely on the one-player thumb war he was having with himself… like he was nervous.

Huh, maybe he’s more like me than I thought.

And I suppose there are worse things than having Hollywood’s up-and-comingheartthrob as a friend; the leading lady of teen romcoms and young adult dramas is my best friend, after all. Maybe he’ll be—

I watch on as his head bounces up, clocking Addy, and his eyes eating up every part ofher.“Adaline… hey.”he mumbles before his gaze shifts to me. That charming glow faded in an instant.“You didn’t tell me you were bringing your… oh, I was gonna say bodyguard, but he doesn’t look strong enough.”

Right… well, it looks like I’m going to spend the rest of this evening plotting thedownfall of this guy’s career.

Addy’s head whips to me, scanning me to make sure I’d just heard that too, beforelocking her gaze back on Asher.“Oh, um, no. This is Nate, my best friend.”Her nervous chuckle watered down the silence before it thickened.“The guy I told you about.”

Asher eyes me up from his seat, a shit-eating grin invading his face.“Yeah, my bad.”

His face is anything but sympathetic. No wonder this guy doesn’t have any friends.“Pleasure to meet you, Nate.”he says with not an ounce of enthusiasm, before sliding out of the likely sticky booth and pulling Addy in for a hug without warning.

“Oh,” is all that Addy could manage while smushed up against Asher’s chest.

I haveto drag my eyes to the floor, counting the uneven checkered tiles and trying to pick out the vihuelas from the guitars in the music. It was either that or focusing on the way my chest felt tighter and tighter the longer this went on.

Once their second too-long embrace was over, Asher guided Addy into his side of thebooth before sliding in after her, like he was scared that if he was any slower, I’d steal his place.

“So, Nate, been in anything I would have seen?”He asks, settling next to my bestfriend and leaning his annoying muscles and forearms on the table.

“Excuse me?”I shoot back, my eyes darting to Addy, who looks just as confused.

Asher leans back in his seat.“Have you been in any movies I would have watched?TV shows? Mini-series?—”

“Oh, Asher,”Addy interrupts, sitting forward and shuffling to face him.“Nate’s not anactor.”She looks at me and smiles, which slows my heart rate down just enough for me to relax slightly.“We’re neighbours; that’s how we’re friends.”

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