A tall and thin brunette with stunning emerald eyes and a skin tight mini-dress came from behind him, pulling his face to hers. My body went cold, and my face paled when her lips pressed against his lips—mylips.
“I missed you, Emmy,” she said lovingly, like a person would to their cat. “Who’s your friend?” she asked, pointing her attention to me, as if she hadn’t noticed me before.
E answered for me. “This is Sydney. Remember the girl I was telling you about?” I silently reveled in the fact that he’d told his girlfriend about me despite not speaking for a year, the same way I had told Jake about him.
“Ohh,” she sang with recognition. “Enzo’s Sydney! I remember.”
I threw up in my mouth and forcefully swallowed it down.Enzo’s Sydney? What a disgusting connection to make. It dawned on me then that maybe she was trying to insult me. Or maybe she was trying to separate me from ‘her man.’ I didn’t appreciate it, but I respected it.
“Hi,” she held out her hand. “I’m Emma.”You’ve got to be kidding me,I thought.
But I didn’t say that. I simply smiled and shook her hand while I said, “It’s nice to meet you.”
She dismissed herself after that, seemingly pleased with the mark she’d made on her territory. She ran off to find friends, and once again, it was just me and E.
His cautious smile told me he was waiting for it—waiting for my vibrant response. And I gave it to him.
“Emmy?” I said with disbelief and a smile. “She calls youEmmy?” I repeated, completely repulsed.
“I know,” he closed his eyes, smiling hard. “It’s bad, huh?”
“Bad? It’s the worst thing I’ve ever heard!” He laughed then, and I was thankful to joke with him at that moment, to make light of the heartbreak I was drowning in.
We both took a deep breath and walked to the railing, leaning over it silently. “Emma and Emmy,” I said after a while. “How fitting.” I scrunched my face at him, and he chuckled.
“Yeah…” he said with a breath, looking down as he gently tapped the banister with his foot. “Not better than ‘Syd n’ E’ though.”
He looked at me through the corner of his eyes with that crooked grin I loved so much, and I let my heart swell with him, even though I knew I shouldn’t. Even though I knew I should protect myself now more than ever, I didn’t. Because it felt good to be with him, even if he belonged to someone else.
And he was right—it wasn’t better than ‘Syd ’n’ E’. Nothing ever would be. But maybe there wasn’t any harm in pretending something else could be enough.
“Who’s next for pong?” a guy I didn’t know shouted from a long white table behind us. Both our heads turned as he grabbed a piece of paper and read off the list.
“E and…” The guy looked up at E. “E, who’s your partner?”
“Syd,” E answered automatically. My head snapped to him.
“No, I’m not playing. I’m not even good.” His eyes met mine, a playful twinkle in them.
“You’re great. Come on. For the old days.” He gave me that crooked grin as he gestured his head to the table.
I hesitated, remembering the sweet moment that followed our last game of beer pong together. “What about your girlfriend?”
He didn’t break my gaze. “She doesn’t want to play.”
“Aren’t you gonna ask her first?”
“Nope.” He smirked. “She doesn’t drink beer.”
My mouth curled into a half-grin as I arched a brow at him, mentally teasing his choice of company. It was a look that said,really? You’re dating a prima donna?And he read it perfectly.
“Yeah…” his brows rose and he grinned wider. “I know.” He grabbed my hand then and tugged me toward the game. “Come on.”
We found our place at the end of the table. E formed our six solo cups into a perfect triangle as he gave me a pep talk.
“Remember what I taught you?” I nodded as I grabbed the small white ball from a cup of water. I held up the ball and extended my arm as I aimed for my first shot. E’s voice was low and calm. “Eye on the cup. Bend at the elbow.” He brought his face close to mine as he inspected my line up. His arm mirrored mine and his hand hovered my wrist. “Straight as an arrow. When you feel like you’re ready, you just… let go,” he breathed.
I took a breath in, deep and slow, my body stinging at the closeness of E. I bent my elbow, and did exactly as E instructed. With a smooth and steady exhale, I extended my hand and released the ball, and watched as it sank right into our opponent’s cup.
