Page 72 of Writing On The Wall

“Hmm, it’s…interesting.” Ember hums, her eyes narrowing while she swirls a bite in her mouth. “I don’t hate it. But I’m not sure I’d want it for a wedding cake. What do you think, Vee?”

“I don’t think I’m adventurous enough for a flavor like this.” Ivy mumbles, her eyes flashing to mine for a second before returning to the piece of cake she’s shifting around on her plate.

Another soft chuckle escapes me, and I shake my head. Her words echo our last few conversations, when she fed me all kinds of excuses about not wanting to clip my wings and me being destined for more adventurous things. Little does she know, I’m more than eager to embark on the grandest adventure of my life, and I want her right there beside me. I realize blurting that out would make me seem like a total weirdo right now. But I can’t ignore this feeling in my gut that’s telling me she’s the one I want to share every twist and turn with. So here I am, seated across from her, pining over her and watching helplessly as she repeatedly takes out her frustration on a poor piece of cake.

Although, I did come here with the intention of getting a rise out of her. So if she’s going to pretend I’m invisible or sit there sulking while she attempts to convince herself we’re still not a good idea, then I’m going back to the basics, back to where it all started between us—I’m going to push her buttons. And she’s revealed some new ones in the last few minutes that my fingers are just itching to press.

Jesycca returns, smiling sweetly while she expertly whisks away our plates, replacing them with new slices of heaven. She explains the flavor, a chocolate one, thank God, becauseI’mnot adventurous enough for that mango concoction.

“Thanks, Jess,” I smile as she sets a plate down in front of me.

Ember and Colton are holed up in their own cozy bubble, huddled together on one side of the table. Ivy and I sit acrossfrom them, the silence almost palpable and threatening to make the moment awkward. But Jesycca, oh Jesycca, seems utterly content to flirt with me throughout the next couple of courses. I’m barely even making an effort to flirt back at this point, but Jessyca’s attention is clearly having an effect on Ivy. We’re on our third slice of cake now, and she’s only gotten grumpier, glaring at her plate, exhaling short, humorless chuckles each time Jesycca’s hand grazes my shoulder.

Ember finally pulls herself from her bubble long enough to notice little miss sulky-pants huffing and mumbling under her breath, and she calls Ivy over to the side. Then Colton becomes aware of his surroundings again, giving me the ‘What’s going on?’head shake. I return one with a smile, but I’m fighting so hard to hide the laugh that’s bursting to escape.

Time to hit that last button. I’m hoping it’ll finally prompt Ivy to stomp away, giving me the chance to nab a moment alone with her. Over in the corner, Ember and Ivy are locked in some kind of whispered exchange—mostly Ivy’s attempts to reassure her friend that everything’s fine, from the looks of it. I lean back in my chair, idly toying with the napkin holder.

Ivy and Ember return to their seats, and Ivy stares at her plate, curling her lips in before lifting her head and frowning at something behind me.

Ivy

I roll my eyes, slouching back against my chair, sulking and digging my hands into my pockets. My hand latches onto something in my pocket, feeling its shape to determine what it is when a delightful giddiness begins to bloom inside me. It’s thefake spider I confiscated from one of my students last week. I kept it, remembering Ethan’s spider aversion and saving it for the perfect time. Oh man, this is brilliant.

Sir Flirts a Lot thinks he’s so smooth. While, yes, he does look torturously good in those jeans, his pompous head needs to be yanked back down to earth. There’s a ball of frustration in the pit of my stomach, one he and Miss ‘Jessyca with aY’have stirred up. No—not jealousy. It’s more like nausea or a fit of rage, but I can’t stop to process that response. I so badly want to throw a shoe at his head. However, that would require removing a shoe, and we know how I feel about that.

Preparing to enact my revenge, I point behind him, squinting my eyes in thought. “That wall over there, it’s rather minimalist. You seem to be interested in simple things, tonight, Ethan. Can you expound on that?”

He frowns, doing a slow turn to peer over his shoulder, and that’s when I slip the fake spider out of my pocket and slide it under the rim of his plate. Colton narrows his eyes at the wall, trying to force some meaning out of my awkward segue, but Ember tracks my move, bugging her eyes in question. I give her the death stare, silently commanding her tozip it. I deserve this.

Then Ethan turns back to the table, frowning like I’ve gone crazy, and I plaster on my most innocent smile, blinking like I’m eager for his reply.

“It’s a wall,” he replies dryly.

“Oh. Well, that proves my point then. Isn’t this cake divine?” I smile sweetly at Colton and Ember, picking up my fork.

Ethan’s eyes ping around the table, trying to figure out what he’s missing. Colton gives him a shoulder lift before eating another bite of cake. Ember, bless her heart, is biting the corner of her lip while her gaze bounces between Ethan and me. Thedelicious silence grows while we all chew, and I fight to suppress an evil cackle when Jessyca struts over. Of course she goes to Ethan’s side first, batting her fake eyelashes as she lifts his plate.

She continues to flirt with him as she walks around the table, collecting the empty dishes. Ember’s eyes are saucers as they dart down to my little prop in front of Ethan. Somehow they get even wider as she glares back at me. It’s all I can manage to stop myself from giggling.

Jessyca walks away, leaving the table empty, aside from my unfinished slice of cake, and Colton finally notices what’s in front of his brother.

“Uh…Eth…” He arches his brows with a grimace at the spider. Ethan looks down, prompting a moment I wish I could replay in slow motion.

He yelps, and within two seconds, he’s standing ten feet away from the table, jerkily rubbing a hand back and forth over his hair. He’s panting like he’s just finished a sprint, while Ember and I double over, laughing so hard we’re wiping tears. Colton’s shoulders shake as he attempts to stifle his own laughter. He picks up the rubber spider and throws it at Ethan, who dodges it with a few extra flinches, like there are bugs crawling all over him.

Jessyca comes trotting out of the kitchen, concern on her brow. “Is everything okay? I heard a child scream.” She pouts, scanning the room.

Ethan picks up the fake spider, his head falling back as he runs his tongue over his teeth. I watch his chest rise with a deep inhale before he clears his throat, sauntering over to Jessyca with that charming smile.

They share a hushed conversation, the sound of Jessyca’s giggles scratching my skin as it floats over to our table.

Ugh.Well that blip of joy was rather brief. I shove my seatforward, my lips forming a flat line as I resume stabbing the cake with my fork.

Ethan

Well played, Ivy June. Well played.

The little minx somehow knew my weakness. Yeah, I’m not a fan of spiders. I wouldn’t say it’s a phobia, rather an extreme desire to avoid occupying the same space as one. Tiny ones I’ll squish or spray, but the chunky, hairy black ones—they make me want to hurl.

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