Page 7 of The Sky Between Us

“I’m flattered.” I chuckled. “Is that because I’m the coach’s daughter or because we are Starbucks buddies?”

“Maybe both or maybe some other reason?” he lifted a shoulder with a cute half smile, that I’m sure charmed many girls before. “You’ll never know.”

“I’ll figure it out.” I winked at him. “But yeah, we can try being friends. I’m not so good at it, you know?”

“Yeah, I realized that.” He laughed and emptied his cup. “Sure, you don’t want to drink? It might warm you up.”

“I’m fine. All cold; my soul and my heart.”

“Shame.” He winked at me this time and nodded towards the kitchen. “Catch up with you later.”

I watched as he walked away and part of me felt sad to see him go. How pathetic. I quickly shook my head and smiled at Sarah who was staring after Aiden as well. I might have forgotten to mention that I worked with the most popular guy on campus. Only because she was had a huge crush on him.

“What did he say?” she demanded to know, her face all flushed from the drinks and excitement.

I lifted a shoulder and took the Coke from her hand. “Nothing interesting.”

“Is he single?” Sarah asked, lowering her voice as if we were discussing something super secretive. Aiden Hitchings’s love life was the biggest open secret ever. People knew about his hookup before the girl herself.

“Isn’t he always?” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “But I’m sure he is open for a one-night stand. You just need to find the end of the line.”

“Funny,” she snorted and took a big sip from her beer. “I think I deserve a free pass.”

“If that’s your wish, go for it.”

“Wouldn’t you mind? You particularly hang on all his words” my friend teased me with a mean smile. I punched her in the shoulder.

“This conversation is boring me. Are you going to go dance or will you just talk to me all night? We could have done that in the dorm.” I lifted a brow and shot an annoyed look at my friend.

Sarah took a deep breath and threw her hair back. “I’m going to dance. Wanna come?”

“No.”

“Bye.” She gulped down her beer and turning on her heels, she bounced off to the dance floor. I smiled, leaning more comfortably against the wall, and I watched the crowd from my safe place. The music entered my body, making all the electrons in it jump up and down, but I opposed it.

Not tonight.

“What’s with that chick?” Elliot appeared behind the two girls who were entertaining me. The blond seemed pissed that she got interrupted in her flirting session, while the redhead simply stared at my best friend as if God himself had walked into the room.

“Who?”

He motioned towards the dance floor. “The hot brunette you talked to.”

I followed his gaze and it landed on Hazel. She superiorly observed the crowd of students around her but didn’t mingle. She kept her distance, as usual. I half expected her to loosen up and dance, as she already confessed to being good at it, but obviously she didn’t do what I expected her to.

“Who is she? Saw her after practice too. Is she your new fan or what?” My friend kept talking as if it was only the two of us, ignoring the chicks.

“Coach’s daughter,” I replied dryly so he would get it. He needed to stop talking and stay away from her.

“Oh, shit. Why is she so hot?”

I couldn’t be bothered to lead that pointless conversation. “Go and ask her.”

“Ask who and what?”

Another blond girl appeared. I saw her talk to Hazel before and I concluded she must be her friend. Wow, I was actually surprised she had friends. There must have been a catch.

“Your friend,” I told her with a sweet smile. “And you are?”

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