Page 3 of One More Round

"Oh, that's the reason? I thought it would have been because you missed seeing my panty-melting smile and devilishly good looks at all hours of the day," Dex scoffs. I round the corner with a chuckle when I hear a deep, familiar laugh in front of me.

I miss Morgan's reply but distantly hear lips smacking and I'm suddenly aware that Simon is sitting on the couch.

He’s all lean and muscular. Not at all the gangly teenager I used to know. His crew cut, dirty-blond hair is still thick, it looks more like an Ivy League cut. He’s wearing his black, plastic-rimmed glasses today, which does nothing to mask his dark, inquisitive eyes. I’m instinctively drawn to him and my traitorous fingers itch to run through his hair, much like they used to when we were younger.

I quickly realize that I've stopped walking, so I continue with caution and flop into the recliner next to the couch.

We make eye contact briefly before his gaze slides back to Dex and Morgan. A shiver runs down my back and I quickly focus on my can of pop.

We don't talk to each other. Ever. The eye contact? It’s brief but it’s a recent development. I like it, but it always makes things a tad awkward for a while after. I know Simon is still mad at me, after all these years. I would guess that he doesn't even like me. I just don't understand why he continues to tag along with Dex—and sometimes Link—when they come to our apartment. It's not like he doesn’t know I’m here.

We've only been back in each other's lives for about a year now, and at the beginning, you could cut the tension in the room with a butter knife. We've said very little to each other. I can count on one hand the number of verbal interactions we've had.

He’s around me so often now, throwing me the occasional stink eye, maintaining his air of distance … but what makes this all worse is that I miss him even more now than I did when he wasn't in my life.

"Gia! Earth to Gia." I shake the thoughts from my head and look over to Morgan who is crossing the room to sit next to Dex on the couch.

"Yeah, sorry. Brain fog. Too many margaritas last night," I say, trying to focus on her and not the steely gaze coming from Simon.

"We were thinking about going out tonight. I want to do something fun. I haven't really been out on the town since before the accident," Morgan says wishfully.

"Ah, I think I have a date tonight," I say. I’m trying really hard not to be distracted.

Morgan pouts.

"How do you not know?" Simon scoffs.

I wouldn't call his tone malicious, but as my eyes shoot to him, I see his jaw ticking. I wonder if he meant to ask that question out loud or not.

"Well, I set up the date a week ago and I haven't heard from him since. I just realized that we haven't confirmed. Therefore," I draw out slowly, "I think I have a date tonight, Simon."

I don't mean to be snippy, but he has no right to question me about my personal life when he seems disinterested in me 95% of the time.

He rolls his eyes. "You’re right. Forget I asked." His gaze falls back on the phone I hadn't noticed in his hand.

"Damn. It's always a treat to witness actual verbal exchanges between the two of you," Dex says, looking from me to Simon. Morgan elbows him.

This was not the distraction I was hoping for.

I stand and head to the kitchen, noticing that the dishes I told Morgan I'd clean are still there. Ah, cleaning should do it!

It’s a bonus that the running water from the sink should drown out Simon's voice as he becomes the nice, funny, and interesting person that he is with everyone else. His bitter side is only for me, it seems.

Chapter Four

Gia

Then

I'm sitting on my bed doing homework. Math homework to be exact. I hate math. It's around 5:30 in the evening and I'm the only one home. Usually, Todd is home as well. He'd be doing homework, or God-knows-what on the computer. But not today. He skipped out on school sometime before lunch. Again, nothing new. However, 5:30 turns into six, and my texts to Mom are going unanswered.

By 6:30, I am getting hungry. Typically, both my parents are home and my mom is making dinner by now. It wouldn't have bothered me that no one else was home, but I don't see anything on the calendar to explain where everyone is. I call my mom. No answer. I call my dad. No answer. I even call Todd, and the call goes right to voicemail.

While I'm not surprised that Todd sent me right to voicemail, I'm starting to be concerned that Mom and Dad aren't picking up. I pad down the hall to my room and sit at my desk. I open my chat and send Simon a message.

Me:So … not one person is home yet, and no one is answering their phone.

Simon:Really?

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