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“Come on, don’t be so stiff,” Cole says, leaning into the crook of my collarbone. To anyone else, it most likely looks like he’s kissing my neck, but I know the truth.
He’s scolding me and I want to deck him. Whose side is he on?
As if sensing my strain, he does nip at my pulse point with a soft chuckle. Taking another bite of his food only after he rights himself.
That chewing slows. I’m still gaping. Humor ever present as it sits, stuck, in his expression.
Bite me, I wordlessly mouth in protest.
I know I need to relax, not be so snappy, but my lips flatten into a line anyway. Being ganged up on not something Ieverappreciate. Circumstances be damned.
Everyone’s head turns in Eli’s direction at the scraping sound of his tray being shoved away.
“Wow, guys, as much as I love being the fifth wheel, I actuallyhavesomething to share.” Sarcasm drips, clinging to his every word. He says this as he sends a special caustic look in Hailey’s direction.
His comment catches me off guard, I was positive he hadn’t been paying attention.
“Yeah, well I was going to ask if you all heard about Sammie Davidson losing her scholarship,” she miffs, peeved.
“That’s it? That’s the whole reason why you came in here all guns-a-blazing?” I ask at the same time Cole says, “Who the fuck is Sammie Davidson?”
Hailey cowers, scurrying farther underneath Finn’s arm at our quick reactions. We have polar opposite tones but we’re a force, nonetheless.
“I thought it was interesting, is all,” Hailey notes. Her usually big voice now small.
“Anyhoo, Eli, you had news?” Finn mentions, trying to shift the topic off her. It’s admirable how quickly he is to come to her defense now that they’re together.
Also, their being together seems to be helping them both. Hailey hasn’t been as reclusive and shut down with the divorce, and Finn? He can at least stand to be in the same room as Abram again.
“No, wait—” Hailey cuts in again. “I wanted to bring that up because it reminded me that I never got the chance to ask. What are everyone’s plans for college?”
I grip Cole’s thigh under the table. My hold a warning to keep his mouth shut.
Much to my surprise, he does, but with the unwarranted way in which he tosses down the last of his burger, his ire doesn’t go unnoticed.
“You know what? Never mind,” Eli mutters, charging from our table.
I’ve never seen him act so impatient. Rash.
It takes a few minutes of awkward silence, but Hailey surprisingly doesn’t take anything from my tray. Scooting the more than half-full one Eli abandoned her way instead.
That’s another good thing in all this. Hailey’s appetite has seemed to reappear since getting together with Finn.
She isn’t all the way back to her old self. More like when the sun starts to peek out on an overcast day, but I’ll take it.
We finish the last of lunch without Eli. Hailey had somehow trapped a reclusive Cole into the topic of college, so much so that she doesn’t notice how standoffish Finn’s gotten.
Eventually, and itdoestake a while, I catch his stare. Immediately he retracts, laughing at something I’m sure he didn’t hear.
Did Hailey know Finn’s been offered a scholarship? Does anyone?
thirty
Rory
“Stopdraggingyourfeet,you'll scuff the floor.”
“It’s tile,” Finn says, grunting. “I’m sure it’ll find a way to manage.” Gravely, he stares ahead, showing me exactly how happy he is to be here after I’d coerced him to come along.
