Page 263 of We Shouldn't Be Together
Milo slides out of the booth, dusting burger crumbs from his mouth. “Sure.”
Kai drops his burger, insulted. “Why didn’t you ask me?”
Jamie sniggers. “Because Milo won’t take it as a personal attack when it doesn’t work.”
“You have so much more faith in my brother than me,” Kai complains.
Milo moves over to the counter, but Jamie hangs back. “Why didn’t you tell me you’re with Tabitha to protect her?”
He flinches. “What are you talking about?”
I stop dead. Did Jamie not expect me to follow? I certainly didn’t expect her to talk about me.
“Tabitha said she sits at our lunch table for protection from her friends.”
“Oh, yeah, that. Well, it’s kinda true. Mostly, I just want her around.”
“Is she with you because she’s running away from her friends?”
Kai looks around as if searching for me. I swiftly turn and move away, overhearing, “What did she tell you?”
I make my way back to the meeting table and sit between Mom and Penelope, subtly watching my boyfriend whisper harshly at his friend. No doubt defending me. I just hope it doesn’t blow up in his face. Heck, Jamie and I were actually getting somewhere. I want to go over there and tell him everything’s okay. But something tells me I don’t want to overhear more than I already did.
“Did Jamie get the computer working?” Mom asks.
“Kai’s brother is taking a look at it.”
My attention goes to Milo at the counter. Christie Klein is talking to him, trying to convince him of something. My gaze flicks back to Jamie, who has also clocked the encounter. She’s intense as she watches them, as if she wants to shoo Christie away from him.
I knew it!
I knew there was something behind her eyes when I asked her about having a crush.
It’s Milo!
Kai’s twin brother.
The guy she’s been spending so much time with.
I gasp and turn to Penelope.
“What?” Penelope asks with concern.
The enthusiasm buzzing inside me dwindles. What am I doing? Am I really about to blurt that something is going on between Jamie and Milo? Have I learned nothing? I literally just told Jamie, I hope I stop acting like Camila. I mean, just the other night, I was called out for spreading a false rumor about my own brother.
Gosh, I’ve gotta stop. I’ve gotta stop saying things just because it might make a good story. Might make someone like me for a couple of minutes. Might make me seem interesting.
“Nothing,” I say to Penelope. “Thought I saw something, but it was my imagination.”
I find Kai at his booth and smile at him. I’m no longer going to hurt people with stories I make up. Yeah, it could be true, but it’s not my story to tell.
I look back at Jamie and Milo and find them talking in hushed tones.
Dang, he looks just as into her.
But, if it’s true, they’ll let us know.
Kai’s important to both of them, and he should hear the truth from them.
