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When I saw her ahead of me at her locker, I stomped forward, but it was like she sensed me coming or something. She looked over, eyes flaring when our gazes locked, and then she slammed the locker closed, turned in the opposite direction, and hurried off, getting so caught in the foot traffic that I wasn’t able to catch up with her.
We didn’t share any classes or even the same lunch break, so it was fairly easy for her to avoid me the rest of the day.
That night, I visited her place again but was told she’d gone over to see Chloe.
Well, I guess that meant I needed to visit my very good friend, Trick—Chloe’s brother. But when I got to the Ryan house, I learned Chloe and Bentley had gone to the mall to shop.
For over a week, she successfully steered clear of me. I caught glimpses of her from a distance at school, but that was about it. And it wasn’t nearly enough. I was going crazy. She hadn’t touched me in nine days, hadn’t glared at me, hadn’t let me hear her voice by even calling me a pig or an asshole. I couldn’t take much more of this. I could feel myself internally falling apart.
So the next night, I told my mom, “Hey, we should invite the Parkers over for supper.”
Felicity was my mom’s best friend, and it had been a while since they’d gotten together and chatted. This could be a good evening for everyone.
Mom looked up and blinked in surprise before saying, “Um. Okay.”
I beamed at her. “Great! Thank you.” Then I slapped a grateful kiss to her cheek and hurried to my room to change into something nice. I put on some extra deodorant and ran a comb through my hair before returning to the kitchen to assist with supper, so we’d serve our guests the perfect meal.
By the time the Parkers arrived nearly two hours later, I was a quivering mess of anticipation.
“Hello?” Felicity called, tapping on the front door even as she pulled it open. “We’re here.”
“Hey,” I greeted brightly, popping into the living room to play host before anyone else in my house could. “Come on in.”
“We brought dessert,” she announced, holding up a plate full of her famous brownies when she stepped inside, followed by Knox. “I knew they were your favorite.”
“Oh, God bless you,” I said, taking them from her. “I do love these things. They smell so good, too.” All the while, my gaze shot past her husband, only to land on Fox when he entered next.
Which would leave Bentley to bring up the rear.
But Fox shut the door behind him like he was the last to come inside. I blinked in confusion, wondering what was happening here. Bentley couldn't just skip a family dinner out with her freaking family.
Except no one else opened the door and crossed the threshold. Mom entered the room to greet everyone, followed by Dad, and then my sister.
I stood there and held the plate of brownies like a dumbass while the other six chatted and laughed, not a single one of them asking where Bentley was or making excuses as to why she hadn’t come or maybe even say she was only running late. It was like she simply did not exist.
The problem was, I couldn’t be the one to ask. Then they’d all know this whole night had been arranged simply because I’d wanted to see her again.
I mean, I’m sure they all basically knew that anyway. But no way in hell was I actually going to announce it and affirm my stupid longing for her by asking where she was.
So I kicked my sister in the ankle.
“Oww.” Lucy Olivia whirled away from Fox who she’d been talking to and sent me a scowl.
I widened my eyes at her significantly as Mom began to herd us toward the dining room.
“What?” she hissed.
I sighed and rolled my eyes before giving he
r a death glare.
“Geez, fine,” she grumbled and finally had mercy on me by asking Felicity, “So where’s Bentley tonight, anyway?” as seven people gathered around a long table set for eight.
“Oh, she had a paper she said she had to write,” her mom announced, her gaze moving sympathetically to me as she said it.
I swallowed, trying not to react.
But really? She wasn’t coming at all? Did she hate me that much that she’d avoid something like this just so she wouldn’t have to see me?
