Page 19 of Torn Mate
“So, it was a hard choice, but we went with the masquerade ball. But only because I was thinking about you when the time came to vote.” I bounced on the balls of my feet. I was so excited for this. I was hoping Huxley would ask me. He…hell,I needed to get his number back again and let him know what happened. Stupid asshole Saint.
“Oh, wow. Thanks?” Lexi seemed a little puzzled by what I said. I didn’t think it was confusing, it made perfect sense to me.
“For Galen? This way, everyone is hidden, mysterious. Well, I’m pretty sure you’ll still be able to tell most, but I thought he could wear a mask, and that way, all your mates can come. You can celebrate together without worrying about the one left behind.”
Meaning Galen would have been left behind, especially since he was still a teacher here like two weeks or so ago. He only just quit so he could be with Lexi. Plus, he was nice, I liked him. He was good for her. Lexi’s mouth opened and words didn’t exactly come out. I didn’t know what was wrong with her. Didn’t she like my idea? Shit, it was a bad idea, I knew it. But when she wrapped her arms around me, I relaxed. I knew I did good. I laughed and hugged her back.
“You’re truly the best friend ever.”
I almost cried. She called me “the best friend ever.” She was mine, too. Oh shit, keep it together. This was the best. All I did was choose to have a masquerade ball for prom so that she could bring Galen. Oh wow, maybe I should ask her over to my house… I did promise my parents they could meet her.
“Okay well, if I’m the bestest friend, would you come to dinner at my house tonight? Mom and Dad keep asking about you and when you’re gonna come over to meet them. I can drive you home after.”
I kept my fingers crossed behind my back. Please say yes. She had never been to my house before and I was excited to show her.
“Of course I will. I’ll tell the guys.”
I almost did a happy dance but I kept all the giddy excitement inside. I would do the happy dance later. She hugged me again. She was really huggy today. And I loved it.
Noah didn’t buyme lunch today, I lined up with Lexi and we both grabbed some pizza. It smelled amazing, but not as amazing as Huxley’s pizza. I looked to his table and he was sitting there with his friends, chatting with them like it was just a normal day at school. Well, it was, normal that was. Not for me though, I needed to speak to him.
River kept looking at me. I wasn’t sure if he was wondering why I didn’t message his friend or if he just was randomly staring at me. He was hard to understand. But then… what Kiara said about dating the three of them, I wasn’t so sure… Did River want me to pick him and Mason too? Is that why he was staring? Did he know that I spoke to her? Oh god… I hurried to the Kiba table and took my seat beside Noah. I wasn’t even thinking about him and how he acted earlier.
I heard someone saying my name as I internalized why River was looking at me all weird. I looked back to Rawlins’ table. Was Huxley talking to me? I could see his back was still to me and Mason was now looking at me. I swallowed my pizza slice and just froze in his gaze.
“Ada?” I turned from the Rawlins table and looked up at Noah, he smiled. My heart was racing at why Mason and River were looking at me. Was it because I was looking at them? I shook my head a little to clear my mind. Noah was still smiling at me.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his hand going to my shoulder. I took a sip of water and nodded.
“Ah, yep?” I think I was, just confused by boys… as always. Luca looked at me now, his brow puzzled, but this time he didn’t give me a death glare. That was something at least. Most of the Kiba boys had accepted me… except Luca.
“Ah…” Noah rubbed the back of his head and looked all bashful. “My birthday dinner, just wanted to see if you would still come? That is, if you still want to.”
Oh…oh. I forgot about that. He had asked me when everything was going to shit at the Lovell’s. I said yes when I thought he might die. I guess the fear of death puts things into perspective. Still does.
“Yes, I still want to go.” He let out a deep breath and dropped his hand from my shoulder.
“Thanks, um. Did you want me to text you the details? You could meet at my house and my parents can drive us there. It’s in Port Angeles.”
I nodded, that sounded good to me. I would prefer not to drive alone there late at night. I pulled my phone out and let him enter his details. I quickly messaged him using only emojis. It was hard to hold the smile in as his phone went off to my message. He pulled it out of his pocket and chuckled at what I sent.
I thought “just in case” it was best he had my number now, too. Hopefully, Saint didn’t go deleting it from mine, or his, phone. I was gonna give Huxley mine, as soon as I gained the courage to walk over there to his table.
When the bell rang, I told Lexi I would meet her later, I had something to do. I knew where Huxley’s locker was so I rushed to meet him there. I didn’t want to walk away today without giving him my number. I just didn’t want to do it in front of everyone. Nerves were messing with me, but I stood there beside his locker with my phone in my hand.
He looked up at me as he turned the corner. River and Mason were with him. They smiled at me, then playfully pushed Huxley’s shoulders as they bounced off towards their lockers. He walked over to me, a cute little smile on his face. It made me smile back.
“Hey, so a funny thing happened.” I didn’t think it was funny, but I didn’t know how else to start that. I didn’t want to go straight in with, “You know Saint Wood, he seems to hate me and deleted your number from my phone.” Because I didn’t want to sound crazy… and that sounded crazy.
“You lost my number?” He had this little smirk on his face. My mouth dropped open and I nodded.Wow.
“How did you… ah, never mind. So, I was hoping to get it again, then text you so you had mine straightaway. Then we will both have each other’s number, and we can text whenever and stuff. And you then won’t think I was ignoring you, because I wasn’t, I was going to text, just that…”
Oh crap, was that a lot of words? I needed to shut up.
He just smiled, his lip pulling up in the corner where his scar was, and I had the urge to kiss it. He held his hand out and I just stared at the beauty of his smile. It lit up his whole face. He had me smiling too. Hell, if I could glow I would.
“Did you want me to give mine or I could get yours?” I looked down to his hand and where I held my phone in mine. I laughed and jumped a little. I placed it in his hand and I watched his fingers again as he put his number in for the second time. Then I heard a ding from his pocket.
“I messaged myself. Now we both can text… or call. I don’t mind. Either one is good. I stay up late.” He looked towards Mason and River who were waiting for him at the end of the hall and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Ah, so… I’ll text you later?” he asked.
I nodded and, with a silly grin on my face, I rushed off to my locker before I said anything dumb.
