I click my tongue and grin. “He is, but if it’s too slow or doesn’t do what he wants, there’s a good chance his fist will hit the keys or the screen.” I motion to the older ladies. “I’m guessing you don’t want your mother to see that side of him.”
Tabitha scoffs. “I don’t thinkIwant to see that side of him.”
I move over to the booth and the twins both have a mouthful of burger.
“Sorry to interrupt,” I say. “Milo, I keep losing the signal with Maddy. Can you take a look?”
He swallows and wipes his mouth. “Sure,” he says, sliding out of the booth.
Kai drops his burger. “Why didn’t you ask me?”
“Because Milo won’t take it as a personal attack when it doesn’t work.”
Kai smirks. “You have so much more faith in my brother than me.”
Milo moves over to the counter, and I stop Kai from following. I cross my arms and look him up and down. “Why didn’t you tell me you’re with Tabitha to protect her?”
He looks at me with confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“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 searches for Tabitha. “What did she tell you?”
“That Camila is angry and unreasonable.”
Kai angles his face down and says, “Camila says messed up things to people at school, even Tabitha. But what she says to her isn’t public. You think their lives are perfect because they’re beautiful. You don’t know the hard time Tabby’s having at school. She’s told me a lot of stuff in secret.”
“Really?”
“I’ll just say, she’s trying to distance herself from Camila, but any chances she takes backfire.” Kai strains against his irate frown. “I don’t like seeing anyone I’m close to get upset.”
Involuntarily, jealousy bubbles up inside me. “Do you say more comforting things to her than ‘buck up?’”
He gives me side-eye. “Huh?”
“This whole time, you’ve acted like you didn’t notice Tabitha was part of the clique that torments me.”
“You can handle yourself. You always put Tyler and the other guys in their place. I haven’t seen Tabitha handle herself the way you do. You two could actually help each other out.”
I groan. “Because it’s always my fault how I interact with other girls.”
Kai rolls his eyes. “Why isyourconversation with Tabitha causingusto argue?”
“Because she’syourgirlfriend.”
“And you’re supposed to be my best friend.”
I stare at him hard. “I am.”
“Then can you just trust I’m with a nice girl and stop bugging me about it?”
“As long as you remember, friendship is a two-way street.”
“You really hate that I’m with her, don’t you?” He steps away, putting distance between us. “I already told you I’m trying to balance my time between you and her.”
