"Who's the cutie pie?"
Tonya's words catch the attention of the entire group, and I suddenly feel like the new kid in school again, having to stand infront of the class and string together a coherent introduction.
"Guys, this is Sophie," Callum says warmly with that insanely endearing grin of his. "Our newest member."
"Hi," I smile and wave shyly, trying to be brave.
This was part of it, that letter I wrote to myself. I'm not going to waste this year, I'm going to make more friends—my own friends—not Paul's friends.
Making friends means stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things, even when it's scary.
Growth is derived from a place of discomfort.
"I'm Parker," says the man Tonya pelted with the stirrer, raising a hand in greeting. He's got deep brown eyes, black hair shaved on the sides and short on top, and fawn colored skin.
Parker has the kind of bone structure that makes me think he could walk into a modelling agency and be hired on the spot. He's in a faded band t-shirt and jeans so ripped they're essentially just threads held together by hope.
"Atticus," the man sitting next to Tonya says in a deep, almost hoarse voice.
Even sitting, I can clearly see that he's tall—maybe around Callum's height—but stockier. Honestly, it looks like he could bench press a truck without breaking a sweat. His dark hair matches his beard, and he's got a crooked grin that softens his whole face. His white T-shirt has grease stains across the chest, and his bottom half is covered in blue mechanic’s overalls, tied at the waist.
The woman sitting next to him looks to be around my age. Her eyes look at Atticus, pink flushing at her cheeks, but she looks away before he can meet her hazel eyes.
However, it's clear as day from the look on his face that he'sextremely fondof her.
He smiles and gestures to her, "This is Jane."
Jane is very pretty, black hair contrasting with her very paleskin. She's dressed in fitted black slacks, a soft-looking green blouse, and black loafers.
She won't—or can't, I suspect—meet my eyes, and her posture is tight in her seat, hands wringing together in her lap. I catch a quick look of relief she gives to Atticus for the introduction, before she looks over my right shoulder and gives me a quick nod.
"Hello," her voice is soft and husky.
Atticus beams at the sound of it.
"I'm Bailey!"
The insanely gorgeous woman next to Jane chirps, wearing a megawatt smile. She looks like a perfectly decorated cupcake—her deep brown skin is flawless and practically glowing, her black corkscrew curls are pulled back with a bubblegum pink ribbon. Her voice is bubbly and bright as she says, "So nice to meet you!"
To her right, a girl waves with one hand before returning to the crochet project in her lap.
"April," she says, not looking up from the yarn.
She looks the youngest—maybe twenty—with a dusting of freckles across her cheeks and a head of wild ginger curls.
Her brown t-shirt readsRise N' Grindwith the local coffee house's logo beneath it, and her dark jeans are ripped at the knees. She's got scuffed Vans on her feet and a massive canvas tote bag on the ground next to her, half-spilling over with tangled yarn.
The whole room is mismatched and chaotic in the best possible way, and something tugs in my chest.
Hope, I think.
"Welcome toEver After Always," Tonya raises her mug to me.
"It’s nice to meet you guys," I say, smiling in a way that I hope doesn't look timid. My eyes flick over to Callum’s, and I freezeslightly when I realize his eyes are already on me, warm and searching.
My face heats instantly, a rush of embarrassed awareness blooming across my cheeks.
He blinks suddenly, like he didn't realize he was staring, and quickly clears his throat, looking away with a sheepish twist of his mouth.
