13
NORA
BOTH ANYA AND CAMIhave returned from their trips, making the past week feel like a weird fever dream – the cyclone, staying with Zayden, all the things we got up to …
I haven’t seen Zayden all day and nerves are accumulating in my gut at the thought of his return.What happened in the last few days seems like an alternate reality and now that regular life has resumed, things are going to go back to how they were: Zayden being my friend’s older brother who I occasionally see when I’m over here.Agreement disregarded, no feelings attached, all done and dusted.
A part of me knows it’s not going to be like that.Zayden asked me to stay, but it feels different now that everyone is back.Like we won’t be protected by our little bubble anymore, now that it’s burst.
‘I’m going to kill that bitch,’ Cami gripes, lips turned down into a scowl as she shakes her head.We’re sitting in Anya’s lounge room, and I can feel Cami’s fury from across the coffee table.‘I’m going to lose it when I see her.’
‘It’s done, honestly, don’t worry about it.’I exhale, shrugging.‘I’ve barely been back there, I’m hoping they’re going to leave me alone.’
‘It’s done when I say it’s done,’ Cami states, tossing her glossyblack hair over her shoulders and running her tongue across her teeth.‘She will feel my wrath.’
Warmth radiates through me.I’ve never had two friends so fiercely protective and loyal to me before.It’s so damn refreshing.These are my true best friends.I’ve had good friends before, but this feels different.These girls feel like family.
Anya giggles.‘Have mercy on their souls.’
‘Anyway,’ I say, directing the topic to something else.‘How was your trip, Anya?’
‘It was great!The weather was perfect …’ she trails off, wincing.‘Sorry to rub that in.Didn’t need to mention it.’
‘I don’t care.’I laugh.‘We were lucky, it wasn’t so bad.’
‘It was such a fun trip.I feel like the more time I spend with Mason, the more in love with him I fall.He just makes everything so much better.Even the simple things.’
‘That’s so sweet,’ Cami says.‘Sort of makes me want to barf.’
I snicker.‘Cami.’
‘What?’She shrugs.‘I’m single and alone, I’m allowed to be bitter.’
‘Alone by choice,’ I point out.‘You have loads of people begging for your attention.’
‘No one I want.’
‘Oh, the luxury of being so choosy,’ I tease.
‘There’s plenty of good-looking, nice guys on the team,’ Anya supplies.
‘There’s only one player who has caught my attention and he is literally a ghost.I can’t find him on any social media, never see him around campus … but he is so hot.Like in a mysterious, bad boy kind of way.Sometimes I notice him looking over at me when we practise outside.’
‘Who?’Anya gasps, eyes widening.
‘Parker Evans.’
‘Oh!’she replies, nodding as if she understands.‘You’re totally right.Very good looking, but super mysterious.I don’t know a thing about him.’
‘No one does, that’s the weird thing.’Cami throws her hands up in frustration, as if this very thing has been on her mind far longer than she cares to admit.‘Anyway, I don’t care for boys.They’re losers.’
Anya snorts.
‘And you have no leg to stand on, missy.’She pointedly looks at me.‘You and Zayden, shacked up here, all alone …’ She wriggles her eyebrows and makes a growling sound that makes me snort with laughter.
I stay silent, reaching for my lemonade.
‘Oh come on,’ Anya groans.‘Zayden wouldn’t tell me anything.Don’t let me down here.’
