Diya hated it, but she loved me.
“There you go,” Ruby said, grabbing the hair spray.“Now just …”
Once she sprayed way too much hair spray on my head, I swiped my hand through the air, coughing, and moved closer to the mirror.
“You don’t think this is going to fall out tonight?It’s kinda?—”
“With the amount of chemicals that I put on your head, no.But if it does, you’ll look hot.”
I listened to the sound of Diya’s garage door opening and shot up from my seat in front of the vanity.Calix is leaving already?!It is only seven o’clock.Where is he going at an hour like this, looking how he does?
“I have to get home,” I half lied.“Frasier is going to be picking me up soon.”
Ruby gathered all her makeup supplies and shoved them into her bag.I grabbed my backpack and headed toward Diya’s door, heart racing.I didn’t knowwhyI was reacting as I was, especially not after feeling all those things with Frasier earlier.
Diya followed us into the hall and through the kitchen, where her stepfather was drinking some whiskey and reading something on his phone.He peered up when we passed, his eyes lingering long on Diya.
“You sure you don’t wanna come, D?”Ruby asked, stepping out.
Diya played with the doorknob and peered to the side.“No, I’m busy tonight.”
“Well, your loss,” Ruby hummed, looping her arm around mine.“No hot boys for you.”
When her stepfather cleared his throat, Ruby tugged me down the front steps toward our cars.If there was one thing that I loved about Ruby, it was that she loved making guys jealous—of her, of her friends, it didn’t matter.
And I had a feeling that tonight would be no different.
CHAPTERTWENTY-NINE
CALIX
Engines roared throughout the night,rumbling beneath my feet.I leaned against Rush’s car with my arms crossed over my chest and scanned the crowd.There must’ve been hundreds of people here, drinking and mingling before the race.
And yet I couldn’t find Astrid.
Rush played around on the inside of the car, double-checking everything.I cleared my throat and tapped my shoe on the concrete.
Where is she?
She had left right after I did.I’d watched her peel out of my driveway through the rearview mirror.
Is she actually dating Frasier?I didn’t believe it.She was smarter than that.
I loved the dude, but …
“What’re you so nervous for?”Rush asked.
“I’m not nervous.”
“Your eyes are darting around like you’re looking for someone.”
“No, no one,” I said.“Just tryna find some pretty girl to take home tonight.”
Rush scoffed, still adjusting something inside the car.“Yeah, right.”
After a low growl, I drew my tongue across my teeth and peered into the crowd once more.I wasn’t nervous about Astrid showing up.I waspissedthat she might potentially show up with that dickhead.
If she showed up with him, I wasn’t going to stand and watch.I knew that she liked me.
