Page 13 of Racing Hearts

“There you are!” a voice cried out from a few feet away.

Sierra looked over to see Teresa and her date coming toward her. Teresa was waving her arms around while her date seemed to be searching for someone—most likely his friend.

“What the hell happened?” Teresa asked. “I turned around and you were gone.”

“Turned around and I was gone?” Sierra’s blood boiled. “You had your tongue shoved downyour date’sthroat for at least five minutes before I left.”

“Where is Quinn?” Teresa’s date asked as he continued to look around.

Sierra shrugged. “I really don’t know. He stomped away when I told him this wasn’t a date.”

“What do you mean? This is a date.” Teresa’s newest man looked genuinely confused.

“I wasn’t told it was a date, so I just thought it was four friends hanging out.”

Teresa’s date looked flabbergasted that Sierra would think that. “Two guys and two girls. Of course it’s a date.”

Sierra didn’t even try to hide her eye roll. “So guys and girls can’t just be friends? That doesn’t work too well when one of the girls is alesbian.” The words were out before Sierra could stop them, and just as she had suspected, Teresa glared at her.

“You set my buddy up with a lesbian?” Teresa’s date asked her.

Teresa put her hands in the air as if she was completely innocent in all of this. “I didn’t know. She never told me that.”

“Whatever. I need to find Quinn. Get another ride home.”

Teresa watched her man of the hour leave then returned her glare to Sierra. “What the fuck was that all about?”

“Seriously, T? You brought me here under false pretenses and nowyou’remad atme?”

Teresa shrugged as if she had no clue what she could have possibly done wrong. “Quinn is a nice guy. You two get along well in class. I figured you could at least give him a chance.”

“I’m a fucking lesbian!” Sierra shouted louder than she meant to, causing herself to blush when a crowd of people looked over at her.

Teresa shrugged again. “How was I supposed to know?”

Sierra was sure her face must have been beet red, because her body was on fire with anger. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

Instead of responding, Teresa searched around them. “I can’t believe you did this tonight. Colt was really cool and a great kisser. Now I’m sure he’ll never speak to me again.”

“And that’s the kind of person you want to be with?” Sierra asked with a scoff. She knew she wasn’t perfect, but she always treated Teresa well, whether they were friends or more than friends. Even at their worst moments she never would have left Teresa somewhere without a ride.

Teresa threw her hands into the air. “I don’t know who I want to be with. All I know is I want to have a little fun. I’m not trying to find my soulmate.”

Sierra stabbed her finger into her own chest. Her tears were falling again, but she was too overcome with emotions to care. “You used to tell me I was your soulmate. Remember? It was only a few months ago. Or have you completely erased us from your mind?”

“There is nous,” Teresa spit back at her. “There never was and there never will be. Get over it.”

That one hit Sierra hard, straight to the chest. The impact of those words caused her to stumble backward slightly. Ever since ending things between them, Teresa had never denied that there had once been something between them. She said they couldn’t be together anymore and she refused to listen when Sierra tried to reason with her, but she never denied the beautiful relationship they once shared.

Sierra shook her head. The tears were draining from her eyes like a faucet now, but she was too weak to stop them. “Don’t say that. Please don’t say that. Don’t deny what we had. Don’t minimize it into nothing. I can’t handle that.”

“You know what? I was really trying to be your friend, but I don’t know if I can do this anymore.” She motioned her hand in front of Sierra. “All of this is too much. I want to have fun, not deal with your constant up and down emotions.”

“But… but you’re my best friend.” Sierra hated how weak and frail her voice sounded. She hated that Teresa had so much control over her.

“I know.” Teresa’s voice softened. She closed the space between her and Sierra and took Sierra’s hands in hers. “I would love to be your best friend, but the way you’ve been acting lately has made that impossible.”

Was it really Sierra’s fault they were in this position? Should Sierra have gone along with everything Teresa wanted so she could salvage their friendship? It didn’t feel that way, but she couldn’t stop herself from questioning everything she had done since they got to school. Pushing Teresa to talk. Breaking down every time Teresa talked about a guy. Being in a shitty mood ninety-eight percent of the time. Maybe itwasher fault they had gotten to this point.

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