moved to a table and sat down. I carried the tray for her and placed it across from me.
She kept her braid over one shoulder while she sat down. Her back didn’t touch the chair because she sat straight. She was always poised and refined. I watched her pick up her fork and slowly eat her salad.
For the time I’d known her, I’d never seen her hang out with anyone. It seemed like she was friendless. I wondered why she chose to spend the majority of her time in solitude. We were closer friends but I didn’t think it would be right to ask. “Have you seen your parents lately?”
“No.” She sighed deeply. “But I’m supposed to have dinner with them tonight. Not looking forward to it…”
“Why do you bother to see them at all?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know…they’re my parents. This is the first time I’ve seen them since they decided to stop paying my tuition. I’m not sure how that will go.”
“They don’t deserve your compassion,” I blurted.
“Probably not. But Ash always has my back. I’m not going in alone.”
At least her brother wasn’t a dick. I liked him. He was a cool guy that looked after his sister. He reminded me of myself from time to time. “Well, if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”
“Sure.” She picked at a strawberry and ate it.
I looked past her and noticed Liam and Keira eating lunch together along with Bran and Tony. They were both smirking at me, noticing my company. Liam winked at me and Keira gave me a thumbs up. Bran placed his hands out and acted like he was groping a huge rack. And Tony was acting like he was jerking off.
Thank god Livia couldn’t see them.
I rolled my eyes then returned my focus to her. “The gang is having a BBQ this weekend. You’re invited.”
“I am?”
“Yeah.”
“Your friends are nice. I like them. Well, except for Bran.”
“He comes off strong but he’s a good guy.”
“I’m sure he is.”
I finished my sandwich then looked out the window. If I looked at Livia too much, she would know how obsessed I was. Sometimes I wish she were my girlfriend just so I could look at her whenever I wanted. “Do you have any plans after dinner?”
“With my family?”
“Just in general.”
“No. I’ll probably go home and break all my dishes.”
I smirked. “Well, if you want to come over and watch a movie or something, I’ll be awake.” She had never come to my house before, and she never invited me inside of hers. But I didn’t directly ask her, just gave her an open invitation. We’d never been alone together in private. I was hoping some privacy might make her trust me, see me as something more than a friend.
“We’ll see…”
That was a definite no. Oh well, I tried.
She looked at her watch. “I should get to my next class.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later.” Don’t go.
She grabbed her bag and shouldered it. “Thanks for lunch.”
“Anytime. If you need someone to vent to about your parents, you have my number.”
“Thanks.” She smiled then walked away.
As soon as she was gone, I felt gloomy.
Once she was out of the building, the gang rushed over.
“Getting serious?” Tony asked.
“We’re just friends,” I said miserably.
“Friends who fuck?” Bran asked.
“No.” I shot him a glare. “We’re friends. Real friends. Not friends with benefits.”
“Well, that sounds lame,” Bran said.
“You are not just friends,” Keira insisted. “She likes you.”
“You think?” My heart picked up in joy.
“She has to. She spends all her time with you.” Keira seemed confident.
“I hope you’re right,” I said. “Because I’m falling for her and she has the power to crush me like a bug.”
“Ask her why she’s so withdrawn,” Keira said.
I shook my head. “I don’t think she’d tell me. She’s very selective on what she reveals to me. When she trusts me enough, she’ll open up.”
“True,” Liam said.
“Is she coming to the BBQ?” Keira
She kept her braid over one shoulder while she sat down. Her back didn’t touch the chair because she sat straight. She was always poised and refined. I watched her pick up her fork and slowly eat her salad.
For the time I’d known her, I’d never seen her hang out with anyone. It seemed like she was friendless. I wondered why she chose to spend the majority of her time in solitude. We were closer friends but I didn’t think it would be right to ask. “Have you seen your parents lately?”
“No.” She sighed deeply. “But I’m supposed to have dinner with them tonight. Not looking forward to it…”
“Why do you bother to see them at all?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know…they’re my parents. This is the first time I’ve seen them since they decided to stop paying my tuition. I’m not sure how that will go.”
“They don’t deserve your compassion,” I blurted.
“Probably not. But Ash always has my back. I’m not going in alone.”
At least her brother wasn’t a dick. I liked him. He was a cool guy that looked after his sister. He reminded me of myself from time to time. “Well, if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”
“Sure.” She picked at a strawberry and ate it.
I looked past her and noticed Liam and Keira eating lunch together along with Bran and Tony. They were both smirking at me, noticing my company. Liam winked at me and Keira gave me a thumbs up. Bran placed his hands out and acted like he was groping a huge rack. And Tony was acting like he was jerking off.
Thank god Livia couldn’t see them.
I rolled my eyes then returned my focus to her. “The gang is having a BBQ this weekend. You’re invited.”
“I am?”
“Yeah.”
“Your friends are nice. I like them. Well, except for Bran.”
“He comes off strong but he’s a good guy.”
“I’m sure he is.”
I finished my sandwich then looked out the window. If I looked at Livia too much, she would know how obsessed I was. Sometimes I wish she were my girlfriend just so I could look at her whenever I wanted. “Do you have any plans after dinner?”
“With my family?”
“Just in general.”
“No. I’ll probably go home and break all my dishes.”
I smirked. “Well, if you want to come over and watch a movie or something, I’ll be awake.” She had never come to my house before, and she never invited me inside of hers. But I didn’t directly ask her, just gave her an open invitation. We’d never been alone together in private. I was hoping some privacy might make her trust me, see me as something more than a friend.
“We’ll see…”
That was a definite no. Oh well, I tried.
She looked at her watch. “I should get to my next class.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later.” Don’t go.
She grabbed her bag and shouldered it. “Thanks for lunch.”
“Anytime. If you need someone to vent to about your parents, you have my number.”
“Thanks.” She smiled then walked away.
As soon as she was gone, I felt gloomy.
Once she was out of the building, the gang rushed over.
“Getting serious?” Tony asked.
“We’re just friends,” I said miserably.
“Friends who fuck?” Bran asked.
“No.” I shot him a glare. “We’re friends. Real friends. Not friends with benefits.”
“Well, that sounds lame,” Bran said.
“You are not just friends,” Keira insisted. “She likes you.”
“You think?” My heart picked up in joy.
“She has to. She spends all her time with you.” Keira seemed confident.
“I hope you’re right,” I said. “Because I’m falling for her and she has the power to crush me like a bug.”
“Ask her why she’s so withdrawn,” Keira said.
I shook my head. “I don’t think she’d tell me. She’s very selective on what she reveals to me. When she trusts me enough, she’ll open up.”
“True,” Liam said.
“Is she coming to the BBQ?” Keira
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