“And she usually only reserves that for baristas when they remember her complicated latte order,” Casey said, sounding impressed.
Natalie scoffed. “This is so much bigger than good coffee, Casey. She’s the freaking tiger! That might even beat out Nerds Gummies!”
Riley and Casey both gasped like that was the boldest thing she’d ever said.
I stared at them. I was sure there was a goofy smile on my face as I did it.
And I kept thinking…they don’t ever need to know.
They didn’t need to know that I hadn’t become the mascot because I loved the Tigers. Or because I wanted to dance. Or even because I wanted to be part of something bigger.
They didn’t need to know that the only reason I put on that sweaty tiger head in the first place was because it got me within twenty yards of Matty Adler.
“Lunch,” Natalie announced, snapping me out of my thoughts. She pointed at me with all the force of a drill sergeant assigning orders. “Today. You, me, Casey, Riley. No excuses.”
Casey’s mouth curved, a quick grin breaking through before she nodded. Riley followed instantly, her hair shining in the light as she nodded along, too, eyes bright. It was like they’d just collectively decided this was the best idea in the world, and somehow, I was part of it.
“Today,” I echoed, my voice small but hopeful.
Natalie beamed like I’d just agreed to a blood pact. “Good. It’s settled.” She tugged Riley forward, already launching intoa ramble about where they should eat, and Casey trailed after them, shaking her head but not objecting.
I stayed there for a second, watching them go.
And then?—
A smile stretched across my face, wide and real, the kind I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt. My chest felt light, almost giddy, like I’d been carrying a boulder around my whole life and Matty had finally shown me what it felt like to set it down—like he’d given me a world where I didn’t have to keep holding my breath.
Friends.
I had lunch plans.
As we parted ways, the echo of Natalie’s laughter still hanging in the air, I hugged the feeling close like it was the most fragile, precious thing in the world.
Maybe this was what normal felt like.
And maybe, just maybe, I could hold on to it.
They don’t need to know…
The professor’s voice droned on at the front of the room, words blurring into background noise as I stared blankly at my notebook. I hadn’t written anything in twenty minutes. My pen just hovered uselessly over the page while my stomach tied itself into tighter and tighter knots.
Lunch.
With them.
I’d started off thrilled, obviously. But the closer it got, the more my excitement started to unravel into panic. Because what if once they got to know me, really know me, they didn’t like me?
And if they didn’t like me…what if they told Matty?
The thought made my pulse flutter. Maybe I should text Natalie and cancel. Say I wasn’t feeling well. That would be true enough—my nerves were practically making me nauseated.
I slipped my phone out from under the desk, thumb hovering over her contact.
And then the door opened.
Every head in the room turned as someone stepped into the doorway.
Matty.
