Page 4 of I Love You, It’s Ruining My Life

“I want to go home,” Cassidy growled at me, clearly meaning our old house. The one that was already sold, and the new owners moved in.

“I know Briar Hill doesn’t feel like home yet, Cass,” I said, walking with her towards our car, “but it will someday. It’s a fresh start for both of us.”

I'd meant the words, but they lost meaning the moment I finished saying them, as liquid splashed all over my face. Cold… coffee? Ice cubes fell out of my curls, and I wiped my eyes, a sticky chill layered on my face. I was about to yell when I blinked and saw my attacker. Hair in a messy bun that barely contained her thick black hair. Golden brown eyes acting like knives cutting my very soul. The same face that'd haunted all of my memories as I'd walked through town today.

“Nalini?”

Chapter three

Nalini

Logically, I knew Kameron had a school-aged daughter. Logically, I knew it meant I'd occasionally see him around the schools. But those two facts did not explain why he was in my parking lot while I was trying to leave my school.

I’d planned on being mature and ignoring him if I ever saw him around town. I'd planned on pretending he didn’t exist. I told myself I wouldn’t make a scene in front of his daughter. And every single thing I planned went out the window the moment I saw his face.

My brain disconnected from my body as I unscrewed my freshly made coffee and threw it. Covering his stupid face, flattening his stupidly put-together curly hair, ruining his stupidly too-expensive-for-Briar-Hill clothes. It was petty and immature, and it felt absolutely amazing.

“Nalini?” Kameron asked, his voice full of shock. He blinked a few times, his eyes looking at me in confusion. And all I could think about was how Kameron had changed so much, and somehow still had the audacity to look like he’d barely aged a day. A traitorous part of me wanted to hug my former best friend, and I had to remind myself it was a lie. He'd never actually been my best friend. He threw me under the bus for fame, and I was sure he would a second time if given the chance.

“Can you do that again?” his daughter asked, looking up at me in awe. Not exactly the reaction I'd expected. I'd have thought Kameron’s mini-me would take his side, especially with how they looked almost identical, with the same dark brown curly hair, the same hazel eyes with the green ring surrounding them. It was like his genes had copied and pasted this child into existence, and her mother never had a chance of their daughter looking anything like her.

“Sorry, kid, I only had one,” I apologized to the girl, before narrowing my eyes back at her father, “What are you doing here?”

“I moved back,” Kameron said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Which, to be fair, it was; the entire town gossip train had been talking about his reappearance nonstop.

“I know. What are you doing in the teacher’s parking lot?” I asked, motioning to all the cars around us, “You’re nowhere near the designated pickup line.”

“Well, why are you here?” he asked, his eyebrows scrunched like he was trying to catch up on a conversation I thought had been rather straightforward.

“I work here,” I snapped, “Of the two of us, I’m the one who’s supposed to be here.”

“You… work… here?” Kameron asked slowly, wiping more of my coffee off his face. “I thought…”

“Really? I’m surprised you’re even capable of thinking. It’s not something you tend to do,” I interrupted, not wanting to hear any of his excuses. “It’s not like you ever thought about how your actions had consequences before, so why would you start now?”

It was slightly hypocritical to say, considering I was at my job and I was sure my coffee-throwing actions would have consequences. Which meant a meeting with the principal during my prep tomorrow. I could hear the lecture now, about not fighting with parents. Even if I knew my boss would agree he deserved it.

“I like her,” the girl said, walking up to me with a smile, “I’m Cassidy.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Cassidy,” I said, kneeling to look her in the eyes. I tried to ignore the dried tear stains on her cheeks, figuring it was better not to embarrass her if she'd a hard day. “I’m Nalini.”

“Like Uncle Jack’s song!” she exclaimed, and I did my best not to immediately scream in frustration. “Dad doesn’t let me listen to his music a lot, but Uncle Jack will. Do you know him, too?”

“I did, and your Uncle Noah,” I confirmed, “We used to be neighbors.”

“Does that mean we’re neighbors now?” Cassidy excitedly asked, as I narrowed my eyebrows in confusion. “We live in Dad’s old house!”

“Oh. No,” I said, shaking my head, relieved to know exactly what neighborhood I needed to avoid. Even if I had the feeling she was somewhat disappointed the “Nalini throws coffee on Dad” show wouldn’t be a daily occurrence. “Listen, I have to go,” I said, standing up, before glaring at Kameron one last time. “Stay out of my parking lot.”

My car was the one right next to his, and I slammed the door shut as I got in for good measure. The adrenaline rush of throwing my coffee had been worth it, but I couldn’t help but feel like Briar Hill wasn’t big enough for both of us, and he’d end up completely upending my life.

Again.

Chapter four

Kameron

“Inever thought Nalini would still be in Briar Hill,” Jack smirked the moment I answered the video call from my brothers, “Honestly, if I’d known she’d get hotter with age, I’d have tried harder with her.”