I genuinely would not be surprised by anything at this point.
“I need a trim. We should go get our hair done soon. I’m sick of being cooped up with all these people,” Juniper says, and I really want to know what her life growing up was like if she finds a place like St. Killian stifling.
Miranda rolls her eyes dramatically and leans in conspiratorially. “Anyway, I only know his name because I asked Nathan,” she says. “Apparently the guy barely talks to anyone. He just shows up for rugby matches and then disappears.”
“To be fair, Kalen and Jeremy do whatever the hell they want on that team. What’s the coach going to do? Deal with their fathers because they skipped practice. I’m sure that would go over so well,” Juniper says with a little laugh, and I know some people would probably think she’s spoiled or even bratty, but I really admire that she’s not afraid of anything. I’ve spent a lot of my life trying to avoid getting in trouble, and she knows no one can touch her.
Miranda points a finger at me as if to make sure I’m paying attention. I don’t love how slowly she’s speaking because it’s coming off condescending. I’m new, of course I don’t know who all of these people are. “Nathan is the guy Sebastian beat up during the game.” I nod because I’m not really sure what this has to do with me.
“Nathan said all he said was that you’re pretty and Sebastian just started wailing on him,” she continues.
I feel my face flush at the compliment. I also know that Miranda exaggerates sometimes, so who knows what actuallyhappened. All I know is that out of all the other jocks on campus, the rugby team walks around like they own the place.
Which… to be fair… they kind of do, I guess.
Our waitress pops up seemingly out of nowhere. She has long black hair pulled into a low ponytail and soft features that make her look younger than she probably is. Her nametag reads Soph in bright pink with a little heart drawn next to it. She seems frazzled, but like she’s used to being overwhelmed, if that even makes sense.
“What can I get you?” she asks casually.
Miranda perks up immediately and starts rattling off a bunch of fried food that sounds really good right about now. I’m too tired to even chime in, and Juniper seems to have no interest either because she’s twisting around looking at the door again. She doesn’t seem to notice, but Ronan is standing over to the side with some students I don’t recognize and my stomach sinks when I realize that he’s watching Juniper. He doesn’t seem like the type that would hurt her, but something feels really creepy about the way he is with her.
“Of course,” Soph says brightly, but her smile feels forced and it doesn’t reach her eyes.
“Are you a student at St. Killian? Were you able to go to the rugby game, or did you miss it because of work?”
Soph’s expression shifts for half a second. Just a tiny wrinkle of irritation that I can tell she’s used to shoving down.
If I didn’t spend most of my life watching people closely for signs that they’re about to snap on me, I might have missed it.
Miranda doesn’t notice it at all because before Soph can answer her first question, she asks another. “Oh,” she says, leaning forward slightly. “What’s that face for? You don’t like the rugby team or just the game?”
Soph straightens, still polite.
“Knock it off Miranda, no one likes the rugby team. It’s just something to do that isn’t school. The rugby team doesn’t even like the rugby team,” Juniper says, tilting her head back in the booth. She smiles at Soph, and I wonder how Juniper and Miranda ended up being roommates. I assumed they picked to live with each other, but I suppose it could be more along the lines of my situation. They just happened to be placed together.
Miranda tilts her head.
“Did one of them dump you?”
Juniper gasps and says, “Miranda, you can’t just ask people if they’ve been dumped.”
Soph laughs softly under her breath. “I would never give any of those rats the opportunity to be in the same room as me,” she says calmly.
Miranda gives a slow, exaggerated blink. “You sound like Livy here. Two of them are obsessed with her, and she’s not going to do anything about it.”
I want to crawl under the table and wait for the dirty pub floor to open up and swallow me whole. I guess note to self, make sure I don’t say anything to Miranda that I wouldn’t want plastered on a billboard for the world to see. She’s fun and bubbly, but something weird is going on tonight. I don’t like the way we’re all snipping at each other, and I’m not really sure why it’s happening.
I’m not ready for Juniper to spit out, “At least Livy doesn’t keep us up all night crying over guys who won’t call you back.”
Miranda gasps, but her voice is nothing but rage when she says, “That’s rich coming from someone who’s fucking their stepbrother.”
Juniper laughs, and it almost feels genuine, like she’s not actually mad. “If I was fucking Kalen McLaren, trust me, everyone would know about it.”
Soph lets out a quiet laugh as she pats Juniper on the shoulder as if to say she’s on her side in this little spat. “I’ll be back with your drinks,” she says, already disappearing into the crowd.
The pub noise is starting to get to me. Everyone is talking loudly, the TVs are loud, and either I’m having a stroke or someone is playing music also.
I take a drink of some kind of ale that Miranda ordered for me and make a face. I’m more of a tea girlie. Hot, cold, I don’t care as long as it’s sweet. I glance around the packed room and suddenly feel exhausted.
