Page 58 of Burning Embers

He flashes me a large grin and reaches across the table to grab at one of my pepperonis. I half-heartedly swat at his hand, but my eyes are fixed to his mouth as he brings the stolen food to it. The piercing cutting through his bottom lip commandeers my attention.

I swallow.

“I’ve known Ethan since the womb days,” he says lightly and bites down on the pepperoni. He chews quickly, swallows, and then says, “And I feel like I’ve known Ashton and Reid just as long.”

“Not the same womb,” Ethan interjects, fiddling with his glasses. He blushes when I turn to stare at him but continues babbling. “Obviously.” He gestures between his own pale skin tone and Ashton’s darker coloring. The red in his cheeks intensifies. “But we’ve been best friends since we were little kids. Our parents used to say that we share the same mind.”

A fond, almost wistful smile touches the edges of his lips at whatever memory he just slipped into.

And I feel…

Jealous.

Not necessarily because of what he just said, but because I’ve never had anyone in my life who I could call my own. Not even Grayson could truly be described as mine. I don’t have a “best friend” or a “soulmate” or anything as ridiculous as that. I’m that second-place friend. The people in my life always have someone they’ll put above me.

Even Gray.

A leaden, miserable feeling settles in my gut at the reminder.

“And you have a fourth friend in this little bromance?” I tease, forcing myself out of my despondent state.

“Yeah, Reid.” Emery nods, though the smile on his face gradually begins to dim.

Ashton, who has his phone out, quickly types something into it and then places it face down on the table.

“You’ll meet him today.” His voice holds a no-nonsense quality that leaves no room for argument.

“I will?”

“I just texted him and told him to come to school,” he replies cryptically. “He should be here by fifth period.”

Ashton told this Reid person to come to school?

And helistened?

“Why isn’t he at school already?” I volley my attention between the four men, including even Jake in my stare-down.

“He skips a lot.” Emery smiles brightly, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

I don’t know how I can tell, only that I do. His green eyes are dimmer than usual.

“Yeah, he’s been different since the incident last year,” Jake pipes in. “He doesn’t even play football anymore.”

Ashton looks annoyed by Jake’s interruption, though I have no idea why. Yet again, it feels as if I’m missing something, something important…

“Let’s not talk about Reid,” Emery chirps, his pierced lips stretching into another forced smile. “I might develop a complex ifallof the attention isn’t on me.”

I snort before I can stop myself, and Ashton doesn’t even bother to look away from me as he hits Emery on the back of the head.

The five of us spend the rest of the lunch period chatting about everything…and nothing. The conversations are entirely inconsequential, but I still feel a strange flutter in my chest just hearing Emery, Ethan, and Ashton talk.

I don’t know why Emery hates Ethan, but I know that Emery has been playing football since he was in first grade, and Ashton and Reid joined a few years later.

I don’t know why Ashton stares at me like I’m an insect he yearns to dissect, but I know he’s taking only advanced placement classes. He could be in college right now if he didn’t choose to remain at high school with his best friends.

I don’t know why Ethan’s eyes sometimes flash with melancholy, but I know he’s a tech wizard and has half a dozen computers in his bedroom. He’s also obsessed with video games, and the two of us spent almost ten minutes just discussing the newestZelda.

It’s not enough.

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