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“He’s playing downtown tonight, so he had to go meet up with the band.”
“He didn’t say much while we shopped.”
“He was a little overwhelmed, I think.” Or rather, I know. It may have been the first thing he said when we got in the car to head from the first store to the second.
“Or maybe he came to act as a buffer and wasn’t really interested at all.”
“Why would he need to be a buffer between us?”
“Maybe you’re avoiding being alone with me. Avoiding talking about what we need to talk about away from the rest of the girls.”
“I’m not avoiding talking about anything. We both swore not to discuss the situation, and I think we owe it to Gia to respect her wishes.”
The girl in front of us walks off, and Cleo steps up to the counter, ordering her coffee. After ordering mine, I stand next to her as we wait for our drinks, giving her a chance to explain herself, but her lips remain pressed together. Once we’re seated, I finally break the silence.
“Cleo, you can be upset all you want, but I’m not going to discuss the situation with you. I made a promise to my best friend, and I don’t intend to break it.”
“She broke the cardinal rule. She’s lucky I don’t ban her from the house.”
“Seriously?”
“What is she doing with Max anyway? She knows he’s an asshole. She knows he’s not welcome in our house. Now she’s dating him? Even if it is just for show, people think it’s real.”
Do they, though? Do people think it’s real? Since the truth came out, I’ve only seen them together a handful of times. Max did seem more … boyfriend-ish, if that’s even a way to describe how he was acting. He was somewhat more convincing of the lie anyway.
Because that’s what it is. A lie.
I’m fairly certain everyone can tell.
Everyone except Kora.
Though, the topic of her potentially being the reason Max punched Beau hasn’t been discussed since that first night. We could be wrong, but I don’t think we are. It makes perfect sense.
“I don’t know exactly why she’s doing what she’s doing with him, but it’s none of my business anyway. It’s no one’s business but theirs. Unless you can give her a reason not to continue whatever is going on...”
She knows what I’m alluding to.
“Doesn’t the fact he’s an ass count for anything? He uses women. This is a prime example. He lies to them. Treats them like garbage. Does no one see this but me?”
Her anger is rising by the second, the same way it always does when Max’s name is brought up. One day, her secret will be revealed, and I have a feeling it’s going to rock a few worlds.
Not mine. I have no stake in that game, and I don’t want one.
But whatever it is, I hope no one is caught in the crossfire.
“Let’s talk about something else, okay?” Taking a sip of my coffee, I wait for Cleo to nod. “We need to decide on the color scheme. I was originally thinking red and pink, since it’s Valentine’s day, but now I’m torn. What about…”
For the next hour Cleo and I plan the final details of the event. What the tables will look like and how we’d like to place them in the space. How we’re going to decorate the entrance. Finally, we go through the schedule to ensure the event goes off without any issues.
For the first time in weeks, Cleo smiles. It’s genuine and real, and it makes me wish I saw that look on her face more often. She’s beautiful when she’s happy. And, deep down, a great person who cares too much sometimes.
Whatever happened between her and Max was a long time ago. I wish she’d let it go, but I know she won’t. She holds onto grudges longer than most people. Clings to them like a lifeline.
One day she’ll move past it. One day I’ll see her smile set free again.
That day won’t be today, though. Of all the people who could walk into the coffee shop as we’re packing up our notes, it would have to be Max. And of course Gia is on his arm.
Cleo storms out without saying a word to either of them. All three of us watch her go, lips pressed together in anger as she stomps down the snow-covered sidewalk.
