Page 100 of Whistle

There once was a time that I could say anything to Rush. And now, every single word felt weighted with the potential to explode in my face.

We said nothing else the rest of the short drive, and then he pulled into the lot of someplace off campus that looked like a coffee house.

“Food isn’t as good as Shirley’s, but the coffee’s better,” Rush said, turning off the ignition and getting out of the sports car without any hesitation.

I followed after him, wishing I’d grabbed a hoodie this morning for over the T-shirt I had on. But I’d been distracted and preoccupied by Emmett. I was used to Malibu weather, not this East Coast stuff that was already hinting at approaching fall. The air was cool, prickling my arms, so I folded them across my middle to shield them from the breeze.

The place was warmer inside, the scent of coffee overtaking everything else and the sound of music playing through speakers. It was busy, as most coffee places were in the morning, and there was a line at the counter, stretching in front of a case of pastries.

Rush was already halfway there when someone called out, “Rush, bro! What’s up?”

He looked up and smiled. A genuine smile, one I hadn’t seen in a long time. “Bro,” he called back. “How’s it going?”

Instead of getting in the back of the line, he smoothly cut through, winking at a girl who let him pass, and leaned over the counter to fist bump one of the baristas.

The guy making the coffee called out behind him, and a few other people came out of the back, all of them greeting Rush as though he were some sort of celebrity. I hung back, not sure what to do, and shuffled from foot to foot.

“Ready for the new season?” one of the girls behind the counter asked him.

“I was born ready.”

Her eyes went past him. “Where’s Landry?” Her gaze drifted to me and then kept going. “Lars?”

I told myself it didn’t bother me that she could disregard me so fast as if I couldn’t possibly be the one with him. How, at one time, it was me people asked about whenever he showed up to places alone.

“They’re at Shirley’s with Elite,” he explained easily. “I’m sure Lars will be around plenty, though. You know he needs his espresso.”

My teeth clamped together, shooting sparks of pain into my jaws.

“I brought my other bro in this a.m.” Rush went on, glancing back at me and waving me forward. “This is Bodhi. He’s new to Elite, so I wanted to show him the best place to get coffee.”

I shuffled forward, thinking of how he’d just introduced me as his friend.

“Bodhi’s from Cali like me.”

“What’s up?” I said, gesturing with my chin.

“Bodhi, hey.” The male barista greeted me. “Welcome to Elite. Any friend of Rush’s is a friend of ours.”

I nodded, not sure what to say.

“I’ll let you get back to it,” Rush said, gesturing to the coffee machines. “I’ll be in line.”

“You just getting your usual?” one of the girls asked.

“Yeah.” He nodded, then glanced at me. “He’ll have the same.”

I bristled.

“We’ll bring it over when it’s ready,” she said, not finding it odd that he ordered for me.

He probably ordered for Lars too. Gag me.

He started away from the counter, cuffing me on the shoulder so I would go too.

“Oh, Rush?”

He turned back.

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