Page 21 of True Blue

I shake my head. “It’s not like that. She just doesn’t see anything past her job. She hasn’t since we moved to Georgia.”Since Dad died, I add in my head.

Layla reaches across the table, taking my hand in hers and squeezing. “I’m so glad I can finally comfort you in person. I always wanted to jump through my screen and hug you. Or shake some sense into Aunt Sandy.”

I laugh, my chest twinging when I hear her call Mom that again. “Yeah, I think you’ve said that a few times in the last few years. Either that or telling me I should just run away and move in with you and Uncle Jack.”

“That would have been a flawless plan if you had just bought the tickets.” She rolls her eyes then squeezes my hand. “But you should be able to date who you want.Whoeveryou want,” she waggles her eyebrows at me, a sly smile slowly forming on her face. “Even if it is my dumbass brother.”

I chuckle again, squeezing her hand back before letting go. “You do realize you’re suggesting I make a mess of your brother’s life? They’re roommates. No matter which way I lean, I’ll cause a rift. It’s too messy. Especially with us all being in this group project for the whole semester. I’m just not going to do anything to rock the boat.” I lean back from the table, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Yeah, that’s probably smart,” Layla says with another sip of her smoothie. “I’m sure it will be super easy to keep your hands to yourself with Bentley Marshall looking like a god and my brother practically drooling over you beside him.” She chuckles when I grimace.

“Stop saying Bentley’s name like that.” I point at her and try to look stern, but she just puts her hands up, still smiling. “I don’t think he’ll be a problem. Pretty sure he dislikes me from our first encounter. And your brother will probably annoy me after a few weeks.”

“No, he won’t. You always laughed at him when he was pissing me off. You’re going to fall way too hard for him if he actually tries for you.” My stomach clenches, realizing she’sprobably right. “And just because he called you a snob doesn’t mean he dislikes you.” I roll my eyes at her, going back to my iced tea. She pulls her straw out mid-stir and points it at me. “You said you were acting weird because Chris was around. I’m sure Bentley will figure out how amazing you are now that you guys have to spend quality time together all semester.” She waggles her eyebrows again, knowing smirk back in place.

“Ugh,” I say, putting my forehead down on the table again. I thought going to the Coast would solve all my problems, having space from Mom and Chris while also getting Layla back, but I’m two weeks in and things feel more complicated than they ever were in Georgia.

Layla pats my shoulder. “It’ll be fine, J. You just need a distraction to get your mind off the two six-foot Adonis’s vying for your affections.”

I lift my head up an inch to glare at her. She smiles back, teeth on display. I study the look, not sure why it sets the hairs on the back of my neck off. “What are you up to?”

“I’m not up to anything. I just think you should take a night to get out of your head. Have some fun.” She shrugs, eyes quickly glancing away from me to look around the coffee shop.

“Lay,” I say, drawing out the vowel. “Just spit it out.”

“Okay, okay.” She slams her smoothie down and I pick myself up, facing her fully. “There’s a party tonight at the Raven’s mansion and I need you to come along. Gwen is dragging me with her, probably thinks if she shows up with me, they won’t kick her out. But she’s going to run off and snoop the second she gets inside, and I’ll be all on my own!” She grabs my hand again and bats her eyelashes. “If you come with us, then we can have a little fun while we’re there, get your mind off things, destress.” She smiles wide at the end, eyes pleading with me to go.

I furrow my brows. “The Ravens?” Our mascot is a fox, and we don’t even really have any good sports teams. The only one that ever wins is our hockey team and they’re called the Arctic Foxes. I don’t even know if they have a house together and there aren’t any other schools nearby so it can’t be a rival team’s house either.

Layla waves her hand. “Gwen always calls them that because they were all high school athletes together and their high school’s mascot was a raven. She acts like they’re some secret society or something.” She rolls her eyes. “They’re just a group of guys who live together off campus. Mira’s brother, Ramsey, is one of them and I’ve heard they throw killer parties.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. “I have an eight a.m. tomorrow, Lay.”

She leans forward, grabbing both of my hands this time. “I know, but we don’t have to drink a lot or stay late. Just go in, have a drink and a look around, maybe talk to some cute boys.” I glare at her. “Or not,” she says, pulling her hands free to hold them up in surrender. “Please, J! I really don’t want to have to sit in the corner by myself and wait for Gwen to get bored or kicked out.”

I sigh. “Fine, I'll go.” Layla claps, grabbing her smoothie again and taking a big sip. “But I want to be back home by midnight, Lay. And I’m only having one drink. Maybe just a soda.”

She nods, trying to keep her face serious. “Of course, of course.” I lean back and she smiles. “But we’re still going to have a good time.”

I roll my eyes, grabbing my bag from the floor next to me. “Then, I better head back to my room and figure out what I'm going to wear tonight.”

Layla grabs her stuff and jumps up as well. “I’ll come help,” she says, locking our arms together. We head out of the coffeeshop and turn toward West Tower while the knots in the pit of my stomach writhe.

10

Iglare at Layla standing in the doorway of my bathroom. She smiles sheepishly, trying to apologize with her eyes, but I know Axel is here because she invited him. He stands behind her, Gwen at his side, and grins at me over Layla’s head.

“Hey, guys,” I say to Axel and Gwen. “I’ll be ready in a minute.” Gwen nods, going over to the couch and sitting down. She pulls out her phone, thumbs swiping over the surface immediately.

“No problem. Mind if I steal a water?” I shake my head at Axel, and he walks off to the kitchen to go hunt one down.

“Sorry, sorry, sorry,” Layla says, walking into the bathroom and standing next to me facing the mirror while I brush mascara over my lashes. I glare at her again before switching to the other side. “I know you were supposed to be getting him out of your head, but he asked what I was up to tonight and I knew he’d bug Gwen next if I didn’t tell him. He probably won’t even stick with us once we get there. He’s just bored since Bentley’s hanging out with Mira tonight.”

I grunt, finishing my makeup and fluffing my hair a bit. “It’s fine, Lay.” I pull the edge of my crop top down a bit and do onelast check in the mirror. It’s a party, but I mostly want to be comfortable, so I paired the white crop top with a pair of frayed jean shorts and topped the whole thing off with an oversized turquoise cardigan. Dressing it up with some silver necklaces and makeup, I left my natural curls down around my shoulders.

“You look hot.” Layla stands beside me in an off the shoulder long sleeve grey shirt that zips up the middle with a silver hoop adorning the black zipper at the center of her chest. It’s tucked into high waisted black leather pants, and she wears a cute pair of open toed sandals on her feet. Her brassy red hair swings behind her head in a high ponytail, long brown shadow roots slicked back, so that it provides a colorful accent to her look.

“I was going for comfortably cute but thank you.” I follow her out of the bathroom, walking over to the shoe rack by the door and pulling a pair of black suede ankle boots on. Gwen stands from the couch, eyes still on her phone screen and Axel comes over to the door, chugging a water.

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