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We didn’t usually say goodnight to each other, but what else was there to say?
“Goodnight, Lark,” I said as she slammed her door shut.
* * *
I hadto work a few hours on Saturday at the shop for my mom, and when I came back upstairs to the apartment, Lark was laughing with someone I didn’t know.
“Hey,” I said, closing the door and taking off my boots.
“Hey, this is Mia,” Lark said as the woman with curly red hair and a face full of freckles waved at me. It took a few seconds to place her as the awkward teen I had seen in the halls in school.
“Right yeah, you were a few years behind me. Nice to see you,” I said, shocked that Clem hadn’t run over to yell at me. It wasn’t until I saw him sleeping in Lark’s lap that I relaxed.
“I think I was a freshman when you were a senior. Feels like a million years ago. Nice to see you again too,” Mia said, smiling. She was terribly cute, and I wondered if she had a crush on Lark. Or if Lark had a crush on her.
The idea of either of those made me feel sick.
“We’re going to go over to Nick’s and have pizza if you wanted to come,” Mia said, and I didn’t think it was my imagination that Lark shot her a quick glare.
“Oh, I was just going to have leftovers,” I said. Mia nudged Lark.
“Pizza is better than leftovers,” Lark said. “Come with us.”
“Okay,” I said immediately before I could even think about it.
“Great!” Mia said. She reminded me a little bit of Joy. Bright and enthusiastic. She hopped up from the couch and skipped to the bathroom.
“You don’t have to come with us,” Lark said in a low voice.
“Do you not want me to come?” I asked.
“No, I do,” she said, and then sighed. “Please, come, Sydney.”
Fuck. Those words didn’t mean anything dirty, but that didn’t stop me from thinking very, very dirty thoughts.
“I just have to grab a different jacket,” I said in a strangled voice as I ran to my room. “Be back in a sec.”
I closed the door of my room and shut my eyes to try and get a little composure. Normally I always had a bit of a filthy mind, but around Lark? It was every other thought. I had to get a hold of myself. Trying to function while constantly horny was not easy.
I did my best to think of all the unsexy things I could as I went to my closet and grabbed the jacket that I’d come in here to get so I didn’t look like a liar.
Lark and Mia were waiting for me when I came out. Mia had a smile on her face as she bounced on her toes.
“Ready?” Lark asked me.
“Yup. Let’s go.”
* * *
Since Nick’swas so close, we walked since it was a little ridiculous to drive. It was fucking freezing outside, and I’d forgotten to bring gloves, so I shoved my hands in the pockets of my warmest winter jacket.
Mia kept up a light chatter, asking me questions about myself that I tried to give her friendly answers for. She was nothing but nice, but my focus was on a strangely silent Lark.
I held the door for them, and Lark brushed by me to walk in, refusing to meet my eyes.
Nick greeted us with a warm smile and told us the specials. I ate there so much that I knew immediately what I wanted, but Lark and Mia needed time, so they both took menus and stood to the side as they decided. The warmth of the restaurant had started to thaw my frozen fingers by the time everyone had placed their orders and we went to grab a table.
Mia inhaled deeply. “I love the smell of pizza places.”
