“Cadence,” Toby said, pointing a finger at me.“Settle this.Which one of us is the worst at cooking?Justin or me?”
“Hey,” Justin protested.“You literally set toast on fire last week.”
“That was the toaster’s fault!”
I laughed, shaking my head.“Pretty sure it’s a tie.”
The table erupted in groans and mock arguments, their voices climbing over one another until the noise filled every corner of my head.For a moment, it was almost enough to drown out the ache in my chest.
Almost.
I risked a glance down the table.
Paxon simply sat there.He wasn’t arguing or laughing.Just sitting, quiet and withdrawn.Our eyes managed to meet and they softened.
But only for a second.
Then his jaw clenched, and he looked away.
The weight in my chest pressed down harder.
This was the boy who used to lend me his beanies, who texted me about Calvin as if his little brother was his entire world.The boy who once made me believe I belonged.
And now he was just far enough away to remind me that maybe I didn’t anymore.
I turned back to Toby and Justin, forcing a laugh at their bickering.
The first bell rang, cutting through the cafeteria.Voices rose as everyone in the room got up and shuffled out the doors to get to their classes.
I stood, slinging my backpack onto my shoulder.Bryan fell into step beside me, his tall frame easy to spot even in the crowd.He towered over most of the other students, broad shoulders filling the space.His black hair was neatly brushed back, though a few strands kept falling into his face.
“You look miserable,” he said bluntly, adjusting his glasses.
“Wow,” I muttered.“Thanks for the pep talk.”
“Just calling it like I see it.”His dark brown eyes flicked toward me, sharp but not unkind.He smelled faintly of something rich and spicy.“I’m guessing Paxon?”
I didn’t answer.They all knew at this point what was going on, but I guessed they were leaving it to the two of us to figure out.Though there wasn’t much figuring out happening currently.And how long were they going to give us before they were forced to take sides.I knew it wouldn’t be in my favor.They had known each other forever, and I was just the girl who came into their lives only at the beginning of this school year.
“You don’t have to say anything.”Bryan sighed and rested his hand on my lower back, staying at my side as the other students pressed against us the closer we got to the doors.The other guys were already gone in the crowd, heading to their own classes.“He’s been off.We all see it.”
My chest tightened.“I don’t want to talk about it.”At this point, I didn’t even know what there was to talk about.
“Then don’t.”He shrugged.“You’re still one of us.Don’t forget that.Paxon’s insecurities don’t mean we all feel the same.”
I nearly froze and only Bryan and the moving crowd kept me walking.“Since when do you say nice things like that?”
“Now that I know half my playlist are songs written by you, now those songs have a different meaning.You ruined my playlist.”
A laugh slipped out before I could stop it.“I didn’t ruin them.I elevated them.”
“Please.You absolutely ruined them.Now I can’t listen to half of those tracks without thinking about you.”
Heat crept into my face.I ducked my head as we reached homeroom.
“I guess I’m trying to say I know you’re hurting.Paxon’s being a dick.He’s been told as much.Even I don’t know what to do to get him to pull his head out of his ass and see what a dick he’s being, and I hate what it’s doing to you.We all care about you, Cadence.Even Paxon.”
Emotions clogged my throat.The conversation was beginning to spiral into territory I wasn’t ready to touch.
