Page 15 of Before We're More Than Friends
“Guys, cut it out,” Arielle hissed. “We’re not going down this road.”
“She didn’t have to snap at me,” I muttered.
“It’s just hurtful that you’d think I’d stand you guys up just because of what is happening with our families,” Gracelynn said, crossing her arms over her chest.
“YouknowI didn’t mean it that way. You don’t have to get defensive about it.”
“Stop it!” Arielle shouted, causing a few heads to turn toward us. “We’re not doing this!”
“Here we go again,” Sienna muttered, shaking her head. “I feel like I’m in the middle of a fight between Adam and Emma.” Adam and Emma were her ten-year-old cousins she babysat all the time, and yeah, I had to agree we were acting like them.
Gracelynn huffed. “I wasn’t trying to start a fight.”
“Well, you did,” Arielle said, hands on her hips.
“I’m going to use the bathroom,” I said before sliding out of the row and running up the stairs. The anxiety was building up in my chest, on the verge of bursting.
When I got to the bathroom, I went into the biggest stall and looked into the mirror. My makeup was perfectly intact—glittery purple eyeshadow, black eyeliner, long mascara, light purple highlighter, and glittery purple lip gloss—but the frustrated tears in the back of my eyes threatened to escape and ruin it.Please stop freaking out over everything.
“Raina!”
I let out a small huff but ignored my name.
“Raina, I know you’re in here.” Footsteps charged down the bathroom, passing the stall. “Don’t make me start checking feet.”
I surrendered, opening the stall door. “I was just freshening up.”
“Yeah, right, powdering your nose and crap.” Gracelynn crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m sorry I got defensive. I got in a fight with my parents earlier, which got me stuck in traffic for leaving late. And no, the fight had nothing to do with your family.”
A wave of guilt washed over me, and then another one for being relieved that she hadn’t been fighting with her parents about me. “I’m sorry. I was just worried like I usually am about everything.”
“I know. I shouldn’t have made it about me.” She gave me a sad smile.
“It’s okay.” I pulled her into a tight hug.
After a few seconds, she laughed and broke away from me. “All right, that’s enough.” She never liked hugging for more than a few seconds, even though her tall frame and long arms made her perfect for them. “Ready to go back?”
“No, I actually have to pee now.”
“Me too.” She laughed before she went into the stall next to mine.
I went back into my stall, and when I finished using the bathroom, I studied myself in the mirror one more time.Be careful, I told myself.Before something happens that you can’t reverse.
CHAPTER 5
Dallas
The sun slowly set behind the clouds, the sky different shades of yellow, orange, and pink, with beautiful purple that welcomed the night. Houston and Buster, Toby’s dog, looked up at it from below the Tree, sitting peacefully with their tongues sticking out. They were much happier than we were right now.
Toby squeezed my hand. “Let me know if I’m crushing your hand.”
“Given that this is the last time we’ll do this for a while, I’ll let you crush it anyway.” A tear fell from my cheek.
“Please don’t cry.” Toby sniffled and wiped his nose with his sleeve. “You’re going to make me cry.”
“Then you’re going to cry.” More tears streamed down my face, and I let out a small sob. “This . . . I . . . I can’t leave.”
“You have to. Having my family adopt you will be a longer process than the move itself.” He wiped a tear from my cheek, the way my mom or Kami did when I was upset. They had done it many times the past three and a half weeks that had led to this moment. “Just go. Live your new life.” He wiped a tear that trickled down his own cheek. “We’ll meet again.”
