Page 35 of Cloudless
Her head barely reaches Dax’s chin as he sulks next to her, his controller abandoned in his lap as his car remains in the grass.
Jasper and Mace cross the finish line in quick succession as the final scores scroll across the screen, showing Posey won by over three-hundred points. A small smile plays on Wyatt’s lips as he watches my sister celebrate her victory.
Dax’s mouth hangs open as he watches my sister celebrate her win. “You hustled me.” His eyes flick to a smiling Mace next to him. “I got hustled by a seven-year-old.”
Posey continues her celebration even as a beeping starts from farther in the house. Mace jumps up from his seat and steps over his roommates’ legs, creating a maze as they stretch out on the coffee table. His voice booms through the open room. “Lunch is ready!”
His eyes swivel in my direction before he disappears down a small hallway I assume leads to the kitchen. “Hey, Sullivan!”
I manage a small wave as I struggle to take in the scene in front of me. Kam chuckles as Jasper pops his head up over the back of the couch. His crystal blue eyes lock with mine and flash with disappointment. “You’re back already?”
Posey’s celebratory dance halts mid-sway as she swings toward me. “No! You can’t be back already!”
I quickly bury the flash of pain that comes with the realization they aren’t happy to see me in favor of a smile I’m sure doesn’t reach my eyes. “You guys ready to go?”
A chorus of protest erupts as five sets of eyes focus on me. The words flow so quickly I hardly keep up.
“They can’t go! I deserve a rematch!”
“We can’t go! Kam said he would play the winners after lunch.”
“I won’t go until Ellie gets back. She said she would only be gone a few minutes.”
Even Mace pops his head out of the kitchen, a red SSU apron tied around his waist. “They can’t go! They’ve not had lunch yet!”
My mouth opens to protests when I feel Kam’s warmth flood into my back as he steps close to whisper, “Stay.” The hairs on the back of my neck stand in delight at his proximity.
I look over my shoulder to find Kam relaxed in a way I’ve not seen before. His hands stay tucked in his pockets while his eyes shine with happiness. A smile never leaves his face as he watches the chaos unfold around him without a care in the world.
Only Wyatt holds his tongue as he leans back on the couch. His all-seeing eyes peer into me until I’m convinced he can see the effects of Kam’s attention from across the room.
The front door opening silences the chorus of voices as Ellie’s voice rings through the space. “Alright, Posey-Pop! I’ve got chicken nuggets!” I turn in time to watch her face twist in confusion at the scene she just walked in on. “Uh, is everything okay in here?”
Kam strolls over to his sister and plucks the fast food bag from her hands. “It’s perfect. You’re right on time. We were just about to sit down and eat.” He walks by my frozen form and disappears into the kitchen without another word. The smell of chicken nuggets remains even after he disappears.
My eyes swivel back to Ellie as the rest of the group follows Kam into the kitchen. A muffled debate between Dax and Posey fades as they disappear around the corner.
My heart warms with Ellie’s consideration. “You didn’t have to go to the trouble of getting her anything else to eat.”
She dumps her bag on the lone table in the entryway and kicks her sandals under it with a familiarity that suggests she’s done it a hundred times. “It’s no problem. We want her to be comfortable here. That includes being happy with what she eats.” She pats my shoulder and carries on by me like she didn’t just melt another layer of the ice around my heart. “Come on, Lila. Let's go eat.”
CHAPTER 16
KETCHUP
KAM
My phone vibrates in my pocket. I reluctantly shift my attention away from Lila, stiffly loading her plate with the chicken enchilada casserole that Mace made this morning.
Dax’s fingers fly across his phone screen from his seat across from me. My phone vibrates once again as his blue-grey eyes lift to mine. He smirks like the jackass he is as I pull my phone from my pocket.
THE BENCH WARMERS GROUP CHAT
Dax
I like her
Mace
