Page 48 of We Shouldn't Be Together
“This is where everybody goes.” I gawk at him like its common knowledge. “IftheVanessa Ashworth goes somewhere, then you go to that place.”
Kai sits taller, and his gaze wanders the scattered tables. “Does her brother come here too?”
“Her brother isn’t the trendsetter,” I reply. “That guy is such an enigma. Like, a party will be awesome if he shows, but you can never guess if he will or won't.”
Kai slouches. “I know. It’s impossible to hang out with the guy. He’s barely in classes, and their estate is way too far out of town.”
I smirk. “Are you fanboying over Thomas Ashworth the third?”
“I wouldn’t use all those names. I’d call him Ash like everybody else does.” Kai scoffs. “I just think he’s an all right dude. Like, he plays the same video games as me. We should be friends. I just never seem to log-on at the right time to play alongside him.”
“He’s an Ashworth. He probably has his own private server that’s all encrypted. Or, better yet, he probably has the game companies make a different version that only the super elite can play.”
Kai sighs, thrumming with the napkin dispenser on our table. “No, it’s a regular server anyone can access. I’ve heard guys at school talking about it. I was close once. I’m pretty sure I was, anyway.”
I sit back, taking him in as his eyes stay downcast in quiet reflection. “Huh.”
His gaze flicks up at me. “Huh, what?”
“I just didn’t take you as someone who cares about getting someone else’s approval.”
He flinches. “I don’t.”
“Oh, please. Your head’s obviously in overdrive about how to hang out with the billionaire’s son.”
“Only because I think we’d actually be good friends.” He leans forward, anger transforming his expression. “I wouldn’t spread a rumor or say something nasty to his face.”
My stomach twists, and I grasp my elbows. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Kai looks away, swatting a hand. “Don’t for a second liken me to you.”
“I wasn’t. I just—for the tiniest of seconds—thought that maybe, just maybe, you were a regular human being.”
At that, his gaze wanders back to me.
I shrug. “Idolizing someone is normal.”
He rolls his eyes. “The Ashworths aren’t my idols.”
“You want to be friends with Ash?”
“Stop trying to analyze me. Man, why did I even open my mouth in front of you? You twist anything into something toxic.”
I quirk at the icky memory of Cammy and Yvie, implying Kai hurts women. Deep down, I know he was protecting his friend, who happens to be a girl. But my outer shell won’t let me empathize with him. He’s an abrasive alt boy, lacking an ounce of charm.
As my face burns hotter than it has all day, the server comes back around, placing my peppermint mocha in front of me. I mumble a thank you, and busy myself with swirling a spoon through the whipped cream.
“That looks freakishly sweet,” Kai comments.
“Drink your coke.”
Kai flips open his textbook. “I noticed you didn’t bring your textbook with you.”
My teaspoon clangs against the side of my cup as I eye my notebook and pen case.Seriously, Tabitha.
“That’s why you put the itz in ditz.”
“Very funny.” My eyes slit at him. “Did you notice when we were still near Freddy’s car?”
