Page 15 of When Our Stars Aligned

I’m certain I’ve never encountered Aly before. I would’ve noticed her in the parking lot or in a store, and she’s not the type of girl I pick up at the bar. The type of girls I pick up at the bar have a harder look; they wear too much makeup and too little clothes that leave nothing to the imagination. Aly is not that type of girl; she’s the type of girl you proudly bring home to your parents.

As I reach across the table for more spaghetti, the long sleeve of my shirt lifts. I purposely covered up because I didn’t want tobe a spectacle for the new girl. I hate when people stare at me, or worse, take pity on my attempt to hide my scars. Too late. I watch Aly’s eyes go wide as she catches a glimpse of my tattoos. They’re probably too rough-looking for this good girl.

I contemplate saying something to her about the staring, but before I get the chance, she jumps a little in her seat and blurts out, “Angry Butterfly Guy!”

Everyone at the table stops what they’re doing and shifts their focus towards us.What the hell is she talking about?

“You’re Angry Butterfly Guy!” She repeats like this time I will magically understand, but then I put it all together. The butterfly—she’s talking about my stroke.

“You’re the one who’s been stealing my lane?” I nearly yell.

“Seriously?” She scrunches up her nose. “I don’t steal your lane. I’m always there first.”

“But it’s my lane. It’s been my lane since this place opened,” I argue. I can’t believe I’m sitting across the table from the girl who has been disrupting my daily routine for weeks now. Why didn’t I put it together sooner? I mean, sure, I can’t really tell what she looks like while we’re swimming, but I should’ve made the connection between the timing of the girls getting a new roommate and a new girl in the pool.

“Well, good for you, but I’m here now and I’m pretty sure the pool is open to anyone who lives here so…” She makes a shrugging motion.

“No, I’ve been here since the beginning; everyone knows that’s my lane.”

She throws her head back with a cackle. “Everyone? Who? I’ve never seen anyone else there and you, sir”—she points a finger at me—“are a royal pain in the ass!”

The rest of the table remains silent as they watch us volley back and forth. I hate the attention from them.

“Excuse me?” I cross my arms over my chest, hoping that my attempt to show dominance will make her back down… It doesn’t.

“You have the most aggressive butterfly I have ever seen. Every time you get near me, you send a mini tsunami into my face. I swear you’re trying to drown me on purpose. You really need to work on being more delicate.”

“In case you didn’t notice, sweetheart, there’s nothing delicate about me.” My tone is harsher than intended. Aly’s cheeks begin to flush.

“Soooo… I take it you know each other?” Alex asks, breaking the tension.

“Apparently, we’ve been swimming next to each other every morning,” I grumble.

“Wait!” Michelle chimes in. “Aly has been here for like two weeks. You’ve been swimming with each other the whole time and didn’t know it?”

“Never saw a face,” we say at the same time, causing an eruption of laughter from everyone at the table. Well, almost everyone. Aly remains stoic, but the light flush of her cheeks persists.

“Your flip turns suck,” I finally say.

“Really, Captain Obvious, or excuse me, Angry Butterfly Guy, the pool is too short with no markings. I can’t get my timing right. At least I’m not on a homicide mission every morning. Do you just wake up and think to yourself, today I’m going to choose violence?”

Muffled laughter erupts from around the table.

“I’m not a violent guy,” I grit out.

“Well, your butterfly suggests otherwise.” She gives a snarky little chin lift that makes me want to reach across the table and kiss that smirk right off her face. Wait. What?! This girl has me all bent out of shape.

11

Aly

“So, that was hot,” Michelle says as she sits down on the couch with a caddy of nail polish.

“What was?” I ask innocently, although I have a feeling she’s referring to my go-around with a certain dinner guest.

“That little exchange you had with Jax at dinner. You seriously didn’t know who he was?”

I shake my head. “I’m in the water before him and I leave before he does. Our faces are always in the water. I can see some features, but not smaller details. It wasn’t until I saw his tattoos that I put two and two together. I mean, what are the odds that the guy who’s been swimming next to me lives across the hall?”

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