Page 36 of Cloudless
Me too
Wyatt
You hardly know her.
Dax
Don’t need to. Did you see the way Kam shot up like his ass was on fire when he heard that car door close?
Kam
I’m right here, you know.
Dax
And the way he lit up like a Christmas tree when she decided to stay for lunch?
Kam
Still right here.
Mace
Or the way he’s not stopped smiling since he sat down.
Well, until he started reading our texts, anyway.
Heads turn in my direction from my caseless phone thunking against the wooden table as I turn it face down.
Ellie shoots Dax and Mace an icy glare as their fingers wildly tap on their screens, oblivious to the danger in Ellie’s eyes. A shiver runs through me as memories fly through my mind of our childhood that make me thankful her ire isn’t directed at me. “No phones at the table, kids.”
Their phones disappear into their pockets in a flash. Their eyes stay downcast in remorse as they mumble their apologies.
My eyes gravitate to Lila without my permission. A blush creeps over her cheeks as she realizes the only seat left at the table is next to me. The smirk pulling at my lips falls when the scraps on her plate come into focus.
My brows draw down as my eyes fall to my plate. I’m pretty sure she could add her meager portions to mine, and I wouldn’t even notice.
Steam floats above my plate in a mesmerizing dance as Lila settles into her seat next to me. Her quick intake of breath when our knees touch under the table transforms my smirk into a full grin.
I can’t help but chuckle as her seat scrapes against the hardwood floor as she fidgets. I hold my breath in anticipation of an accidental contact that never comes. The strength of my disappointment is alarming.
A thunk vibrates through the table as Mace plops a ketchup bottle in front of Posey’s face. Lila turns ridged next to me as Posey reaches for the bottle. “Don’t squeeze too hard, Ladybug.”
I turn in time to watch a silent war play out on Lila’s face. She bites her lip as she watches her sister struggle to open the cap of the squeeze bottle. Her hands are clasped so tightly in her lap that her knuckles are turning white from the effort she takes to not reach out and help.
My seat between the two sisters has me volleying my head back and forth between them like I’m at a tennis match.
Posey’s brows draw down in adorable concentration as the cap finally pops open. The scene before me transforms into slow motion as she turns the bottle upside down and squeezes.
A fart-like sound erupts from the bottle as ketchup shoots like a streamer across Posey’s plate, onto my plate, and finally, up onto my shirt.
I feel a drop or two of the cool condiment on my chin as it rapidly warms from the temperature of my skin.
My eyes turn to Lila in time to watch her sink down in her seat. Her fingers massage a constant rhythm into her temples as I look down to see my new white shirt painted red.
Posey grimaces as the sound of ketchup dripping from her sticky fingers onto her plate fills the quiet room. Tears rim her eyes as she whispers so silently I almost can’t hear her, “Sorry, Kam.”
An easy smile transforms my face as I slip the ketchup covered bottle from her tiny fingers. “Hey, it’s alright. It’s nothing a little wash won't—” My words die on my lips as the slimy bottle slips from my grasp. The deafening thunk of the full bottle landing on the table fills my ears as a stream of red shoots from its top.
