tell me that I’d always be the Ashbury with the most interesting story, since I see everything from a different point of view. But I think we all knew it was bullshit. He was always the one in our family with the most interesting stories, because he could find the good in literally everything.”
Seth hesitates a moment, and he lets his fingers trail across the silver chain hanging around his neck. Sadness darkens his expression, and he says, “You know, this might sound kind of weird, and yeah, actually, it is just flat-out weird. But you remind me of my brother. His name was Parker, and he’s, uh...he passed away recently.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, wishing I could repeat the words a million times. Then a question rises to the top of the swirling guilt in my mind. “But why would I remind you of him?”
He tilts his head to the other side and bites at his lip. “Because you both let me see.”
My chest freezes, and my breathing stops, and my words cling to my throat. Silence passes between us, thick and heavy. Then I swallow hard and choke out, “I’ve got to get back to my dorm.”
That seems to snap him out of some sort of reverie, and he quickly nods and shuts his laptop. “Yeah, Brie wanted to leave soon. We should go get ready. Uh, thanks for the tutoring.”
“Yeah, no problem.”
Koda stands up from where she’s been resting at his feet and lets out a dramatic, toothy yawn. Seth ruffles her ears. “Just a second,” he says to her, and then goes back to packing up his stuff. I get the feeling I shouldn’t offer to help—he’s clearly used to handling most things without any sort of aid. As if answering my silent question, he says, “Go ahead and take off, if you want. I’ll see you in just a bit, yeah? We’re meeting back in that same spot in the parking lot, right in the corner by the flagpole.”
“Yeah,” I murmur. “See you.”
Chapter Twelve
Hardly anyone is in the pizza parlor when we get there, which only adds to the old-movie vibe of the place. Black and white tiles checker the floor, and booths with matching red seats line the walls in empty rows. Despite its aged feel, every inch of the restaurant is sparkling clean, and even the front corner stuffed with pinball machines is polished to a shine.
We shatter the quiet as soon as we step inside. After so many months spent alone in the hushed silence of my house, I’m still trying to get used to the dizzying noise Brie and her friends make, but I can’t bring myself to dislike it. Brie’s closest to her five friends she first introduced me to, and they’re the ones who came into town tonight. As we head inside, their chatter joins the humming heater to fill the restaurant with a comforting warmth.
I immediately recognize Nathan, who’s reading a culinary magazine as he leans against the counter by the front register. He wears an apron and a smudge of flour on his cheek, and his expression brightens as his gaze lands on Brie.
“Hey!” he calls, setting the magazine down. “You guys want the usual?”
“Sounds good,” Brie says, her smile suddenly doubling in size.
Cameron looks pointedly between Nathan and Brie and then starts whistling the theme song from Lady and the Tramp . Hannah cuffs him in the shoulder and drags him away toward an empty table, and he breaks off his whistling to let out a yelp of protest, followed by a burst of laughter.
Brie blushes a deep red and hurries after them, the rest of us following her. I slip into the seat next to Brie, and Seth takes the spot right next to me. I should probably be bothered by how close he is, but after spending all afternoon tutoring him, my curiosity about Seth is starting to overcome my nerves.
‘“So what’s ‘the usual?’” I ask. I take a deep breath, savoring the scent of this place. It smells amazing, the fresh-baked bread mingling with the crisp tang of herbs.
Maddie smirks as she sits across the table from us, squeezing in
Seth hesitates a moment, and he lets his fingers trail across the silver chain hanging around his neck. Sadness darkens his expression, and he says, “You know, this might sound kind of weird, and yeah, actually, it is just flat-out weird. But you remind me of my brother. His name was Parker, and he’s, uh...he passed away recently.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, wishing I could repeat the words a million times. Then a question rises to the top of the swirling guilt in my mind. “But why would I remind you of him?”
He tilts his head to the other side and bites at his lip. “Because you both let me see.”
My chest freezes, and my breathing stops, and my words cling to my throat. Silence passes between us, thick and heavy. Then I swallow hard and choke out, “I’ve got to get back to my dorm.”
That seems to snap him out of some sort of reverie, and he quickly nods and shuts his laptop. “Yeah, Brie wanted to leave soon. We should go get ready. Uh, thanks for the tutoring.”
“Yeah, no problem.”
Koda stands up from where she’s been resting at his feet and lets out a dramatic, toothy yawn. Seth ruffles her ears. “Just a second,” he says to her, and then goes back to packing up his stuff. I get the feeling I shouldn’t offer to help—he’s clearly used to handling most things without any sort of aid. As if answering my silent question, he says, “Go ahead and take off, if you want. I’ll see you in just a bit, yeah? We’re meeting back in that same spot in the parking lot, right in the corner by the flagpole.”
“Yeah,” I murmur. “See you.”
Chapter Twelve
Hardly anyone is in the pizza parlor when we get there, which only adds to the old-movie vibe of the place. Black and white tiles checker the floor, and booths with matching red seats line the walls in empty rows. Despite its aged feel, every inch of the restaurant is sparkling clean, and even the front corner stuffed with pinball machines is polished to a shine.
We shatter the quiet as soon as we step inside. After so many months spent alone in the hushed silence of my house, I’m still trying to get used to the dizzying noise Brie and her friends make, but I can’t bring myself to dislike it. Brie’s closest to her five friends she first introduced me to, and they’re the ones who came into town tonight. As we head inside, their chatter joins the humming heater to fill the restaurant with a comforting warmth.
I immediately recognize Nathan, who’s reading a culinary magazine as he leans against the counter by the front register. He wears an apron and a smudge of flour on his cheek, and his expression brightens as his gaze lands on Brie.
“Hey!” he calls, setting the magazine down. “You guys want the usual?”
“Sounds good,” Brie says, her smile suddenly doubling in size.
Cameron looks pointedly between Nathan and Brie and then starts whistling the theme song from Lady and the Tramp . Hannah cuffs him in the shoulder and drags him away toward an empty table, and he breaks off his whistling to let out a yelp of protest, followed by a burst of laughter.
Brie blushes a deep red and hurries after them, the rest of us following her. I slip into the seat next to Brie, and Seth takes the spot right next to me. I should probably be bothered by how close he is, but after spending all afternoon tutoring him, my curiosity about Seth is starting to overcome my nerves.
‘“So what’s ‘the usual?’” I ask. I take a deep breath, savoring the scent of this place. It smells amazing, the fresh-baked bread mingling with the crisp tang of herbs.
Maddie smirks as she sits across the table from us, squeezing in
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