AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Maggs places the final brownie on a platter she’s putting together for the counter display. “Aw, are you scared of the big football jocks, Silas? Don’t worry, I’ll stick up for you if they try to give you a wedgie.”
Silas flips her off with one hand and tears off a large chunk of brownie with the other. He stuffs it into his mouth. “Bite me,” he says, through a mouthful of chocolate.
“Gross. Keep your fingers out of there. You’ll contaminate the food.” Maggs tosses the other half of the brownie he massacred into his hand. “Finish that, Squidward. We can’t leave it on the platter now.”
He shoves that piece into his mouth, too, while Maggie leans over the counter to peer at the group that just walked in.
“Candyland, for sure!” she calls when she spots them.
“Nope. My bet’s on Cards Against Humanity.” Hayden says, strolling up from the table he was at.
And then I hear them: the booming male voices, the high-pitched female giggles, rough-housing jeers… glaringly confident cool kids.
“Dude, do you think we can play Twister?”
I step to the side a bit, beside Maggie, so I can peer over the counter at… Yup. Backwards baseball cap, honey waves curling out the back, Abercrombie chiseled jaw and full, pink lips.
What is he doing here?I honestly thought this would be the last place Sebastian and his friends would ever hang out.
I duck back because I’m not exactly sure how I feel about this.
Okay, honestly? I do know how I feel. I’m kind of excited—and I know this because I have that butterfly feeling in my stomach again. But I’m also embarrassed, when I think about that clip of Sebastian holding Scarlett against his body and ushering her into his Jeep just minutes after he’d been hanging out with me.
“Just what we need on a busy Saturday afternoon,” Maggs groans. “A bunch of rich jock assholes.”
Even though Sebastian may have bruised my ego, I know I should say something. I should stick up for him, at least. Because I used to assume he was a rich jock asshole, too. Before I got to know him.
Not that I’m saying I really know Sebastian. But I know enough to say he’s definitely not an asshole. Rich? Yes. Jock? Yes. But not an asshole.
I hold back, though. Not just because of my mixed feelings about him right now, but also because I’m a little self-conscious about admitting I know the ringleader of the rowdy group Maggs and Silas, and even Hayden, are currently griping about. And Maggs isn’t wrong: they probablywillbe loud and disruptive and a lot of work. I mean, Sebastian might be a nice guy, but he is known for causing trouble wherever he goes. That’s kind of his trademark, actually.
God, I really hope I’m not the one serving their table.
“Oh my gosh! Seb!” a girl’s voice calls from the far corner of the café, interrupting my thoughts. Only, wait—I’m pretty sure it’s Jackie.
I didn’t realize she knew Sebastian. But I guess it makes sense. They both go to SH Prep. They’re both popular. And yeah, she’s the smart, over-achiever kind of popular, but also, she’s friends with everyone. And so is he.
I watch Jackie do a running jump into his arms, just as he’s approaching her table with a wide grin on his face.
Silas is clearly watching, too. “Jesus Christ…” he mutters under his breath, as Sebastian wraps his arms around his girlfriend and spins her a couple of times before putting her down.
A second later, Xavier’s there, too, and Jax hugs him as well. Yeesh, this girl knowseverybody…
The three of them talk for a while as the rest of Sebastian’s crew gets settled at one of the larger tables. Hayden goes over to the group and helps them get set up. He also wins our game-choice bet, because the group asks right away if we have Cards Against Humanity in stock. And I’m still trying to work up the nerve to go over and acknowledge Sebastian, when he takes the leap for me.
“Caroline?” he calls. “No way! You work here?” He strides over, Xavier close behind, hands tucked casually in his back pockets. “You never told me you worked here,” he says once he’s just a couple of feet away.
I shrug. “Well, uh, I guess it never came up… I didn’t think you would even know about this place.”
Sebastian glances around the space. “I didn’t. We just wandered by and thought it would be fun to come in.” He takes in the rows of games. “Holy shit. I never knew this many board games even existed.”
“Yeah. There are a lot.”
Sebastian introduces me to Xavier, even though I already know who he is. But I guess him shutting down Maddie Jarvik’s hazing the other day doesn’t really count as an introduction. Then he introduces himself to Maggs, whose eyes are bouncing between the three of us. When Sebastian goes to introduce her to Xavier, she gives him a tight-lipped smile.
“We’ve already met. Thanks.”
Wow. I’m sensing tension. Not just from her, but from Xavier, too. There’s definitely some kind of history there. Silas has already taken off at this point, so it’s just the four of us now, hanging out on opposite sides of the counter.
