“Yea, of course.Is everything okay?”It’s a push.We’re not exactly besties, but the way she’s scanning the crowd makes me think something is wrong.Her eyes drop to mine and there’s definitely some worry there.I feel my pulse start to trot before it goes into a full sprint.Get all the facts.Don’t react.Maybe it’s about her.Something she needs to talk to him about.
“He just sounded really off,” she finally admits after a full exhale.“When we spoke this morning—” She stops.“Never mind, just let me know if you find him.Excuse me.”She brushes past us into the crowd we just came from.Okay.So what?They talked this morning.I’m unbothered.
“Okay, that was weird.What’s her obsession with your man?”
“G, he’s not my man, and I think they’re friends.”I bite at my lip.I think.
“I don’t know, girl...something is not right with that whole situation.Do you think they hooked up?”
“Not recently.”The words fall from my mouth, and I instantly want to eat them back up.Gabriella’s face lights up like a Fourth-of-July firework.
“Spill!Now!”Her eyes are demanding.
I separate my bracelets before pushing them back together.“On opening day, I kind of walked in on them hooking up in the pantry.”I look up to the sky, preparing myself for the avalanche of questions that are going to surely be the death of me, but it’s strangely quiet.I look back down, and Gabriella’s eyes are the size of donuts, mouth stuck open.I broke her.I fed her too much tea all at the same time and broke her.The weird thing is, it’s almost scarier when she’s not talking than when she is.
“G!Where’d you go?”I snap my fingers in front of her.
She shakes her head rapidly, like a dog who just got out of a bath.“I’m sorry, I thought you just told me my best friend has been hiding a very juicy secret from me for weeks now.”
“Gabriella, it wasn’t mine to tell.”It’s a weak argument, but also true.She takes a long sip from her cup before bringing it back down and crushing it between her fingers.Absolutely terrifying.
“We will deal with this later.Right now, I need another drink, and you need to find Levi before Blondie does.”I nod.Yes.“You start on the far end by the barbecue, and I’ll get a drink and circle the pool area.And if that fails, we can always check the pantry...”Gabriella says teasingly, and I don’t fight the smile that slices into my cheeks.
I walk along the border of the outdoor area, checking faces as they pass.Not there.I bite at my bottom lip.Maybe he went back to his room?Just as I’m about to circle back and find Gabriella, I see Levi.He’s got his back against the wall, head between his knees.Panic attack.I make my way to him, shouting his name, but he doesn’t look up and he doesn’t answer.I crouch down next to him, the pavement hot under my feet.
“Levi...”I watch as he looks up, unwinding his mass, the muscles along his chest and shoulders contracting as he straightens.He looks at me, but I’m not sure he sees me.There’s something distant about his stare.
“Look, Tate...”He pauses.His eyes skate down the length of me, and this time, I know he sees me.The trail he leaves behind his glance births goose bumps.A part of me wants to hide, but the better half appreciates the glance.I need to tell him how I feel, why I have been avoiding him.Midway through a panic attack might not be the best time, but I don’t want to lose my nerve.
“Levi...”I reach out, my fingers landing on the ball of his shoulder.His heated skin burns into the pads of my fingers.I start drawing circles with my palm—big, big, small—working my way down his back.He pulls away from the wall and into my touch.I hit something in my next round, and he winces.I look from his eyes to his back where I find angry red scrapes from about his midback to just above his tailbone.
“Levi, your whole back is cut up.We have to clean you up.Can you walk?”I watch as he squeezes his eyes shut and opens them again.
“I’m fine,” he says, pulling himself to a stand.
I follow, straightening myself but only reaching to about his chest.“No, you are not.You’re bleeding.”
“I’m going to get in the pool.It will disinfect it.”He runs a hand through his hair.
I nod, even though it’s quite possibly the dumbest thing I’ve heard in a while, but I let it go.
“Look, Levi.”I exhale.“I’m sorry I haven’t returned your calls or texts.I was processing.”I tip my head sideways, just to make sure he’s listening before continuing.“I want you to know that I feel the same.I do like you like that, but...”
“Hey!There you are!”a voice calls from behind me, and in an instant, Kim comes up, parking herself next to me.She smells like citrus and coconut, like she’s applied some kind of body oil since the last time I saw her.“What happened to you?I thought you said you wanted to get drunk and make out?”Something heavy pulls at my stomach.I look back up at him and wish I hadn’t.
“I did say that, didn’t I?Let’s go.”
He brushes past me, hooking her arm in the process, and I’m alone.I blow out a couple of stabilizing breaths.Do not cry, Tate.Whatever you do, do not cry.
“Girl,” Gabriella yells from behind me.“I just saw Levi, and he is arm in arm—”
“I know.Turns out I was right about him.”
She’s quiet next to me.Her brows scrunch together before she slams whatever was left in her cup.“Okay, it’s time for plan C.”
I look over at her.“What is plan C?Ice cream in bed with The Notebook playing in the background?”I wanted it to come out light, but it came out how I feel instead.Depressing.She grabs the sides of my shoulders, forcing me to look at her.
“No, we’re going to make a big boy cry today, but I need you to put your feelings away for a couple hours.Can you do that, Tate?”
