Page 53 of False Start
“Yeah, yeah.” I elbow her, forcing her to stand and then giving her my good hand to help me the rest of the way up.
“Party at Harvey’s!” Nancy shouts coming out of the doors.
I’m guessing at this point, even the losing team has left, but I was out for most of it. I reach into my bag to make sure my wallet is still in there. Not like anyone would be stealing much anyway.
“Are you coming, K?” Dread asks. They’re the only other person who seems comfortable communicating with Kade in a familiar way here.
“Come on, K, you practically won us the bout. Come celebrate,” StarScream encourages.
Their face is uneasy, and I’m about to open my mouth to shoot off whatever random excuse I can come up with to get them out of this when Kade locks eyes with me and answers, “I will if Antônia comes.”
Fucking traitor.
“Well,of courseNia is coming.” Star links her arms with mine, and suddenly, my entire ability to speak and fight for myself is gone.
I search for Harvey in the pack and find her pretending like she’s not listening while she fumbles with her keys at her car door. Her face is pure amusement. Her eyes find mine, and I’m so fucking obvious, ithurts.
“S-sure,” I answer, looking back at Star. “Why not?”
Everyone cheers, but it’s my roommate I’m blasting with a dirty look. “Fucking evil,” I hum to Kade, pushing them with my shoulder.
“If I’m suffering, so are you, bitch.” They laugh, shoving me back.
I guess we’re doing this.
You can’t grow if you don’t leave your comfort zone. That’s what Lonnie used to say, and though the words feel more like salt on a wound, they still attempt their intended job. Lonnie would say the pain is necessary; hell, they’d even find a way to make it sound poetic somehow.
Except Lonnie’s in a casket under some dirt and I don’t quite like poetry the way I used to.
I’m tired of leaving my comfort zone. I want to get wrapped up in it and never outgrow it ever again. That no longer seems to be an option. Skaters are packing into vehicles, most of them cramming and carpooling with each other, since everyone will likely be too drunk to drive. Instinctually, my feet follow K, but my eyes search for Harvey again, who’s getting into her driver seat.
We lock stares, and she reaches over the empty passenger seat to get the door from the inside.
In some way, it’s the same invitation I've been giving her all week.
My feet shift in her direction, and I take the first step, but then Bae hops over to Harvey’s car and grabs the slightly open door, taking the passenger seat and buckling in. My face burns with embarrassment, and I dash to Kade’s side as fast as I possibly can.
Fuck. I’m a goddamn tragedy in three parts.
23
HARVEY
Iblare my music and don’t say a word to Bae the entire ride back to my place. Clitblocking on the most oblivious level, and it is one hundred percent her style. She sits there, little rainbow pigtails not even three inches long hanging from the top of her head while she bops along toCrayon the radio.
The song is catchy, but it doesn’t take away my annoyance.
We aren’t the first to get to my place, and the door is already unlocked. It looks like Mo’s turned my dining room table into a poker setup, and DreadPool is trying to organize some sort of social media dance move to film on their phone with Nancy and Electric. I’m not trying to findthem, though. No, my eyes are darting back and forth across my living space for the girl with the braid.
There’s still no braid, though, just a knotted clump of hair above her head that’s so wild and unkempt, it reminds me of Helena Bonham Carter. She’s leaning against a window, talking to K with a forced smile on her face. I’m finding myself walking in their direction, hoping that,along the way, I’ll stumble into an excuse, or someone else to talk to who won’t make me feel or seem so desperate for her.
Venice slides in ahead of me, handing both her and K a beer. Nia gives Venice a grin when she says thanks, but K-Otic frowns. “Should you be drinking?”
“What do you mean?” Nia pops the tab anyway and takes a swig.
“You’re on pain pills.” K takes the can from her hand and, for some reason, that irks me.
“I’m a big girl, Kade.” She tries to snatch it back, but they don’t let go and the beer spills all over Nia’s chest.
