Page 74 of Broken Dream
“You know you can trust me.”
I shake my head. “I can’t say any more. Please understand.”
She scoffs. “I thought we were friends.”
Friends? We hardly said two words to each other before we became lab partners.
“You remind me a lot of my sister,” I say, smiling.
She cocks her head. “I hope that’s a good thing.”
“Yeah, it’s a good thing. We’re twins. Not identical, but we look a lot alike. But she’s way more outgoing than I am. Always wants to pounce on the latest gossip. Becomes besties with people within about five minutes. You’re just like her, Tab.”
“See?” She pokes me in the shoulder. “We’re friends. You’re using a nickname.”
“I can’t possibly be the first person to call you Tab.”
“No, but most people—my family—call me Tabby. Which I hate. My dad calls me Tibs, which I would hate from anyone else, but from my dad I don’t mind.”
“Well, I’m happy to call you Tab. But you need to give me a few more days. I’m not like Sage.”
“Sage?”
“Yeah, that’s my sister.”
She nods. “That’s a really pretty name.”
“Yeah. She was named after a friend of my grandmother’s who died when she was young. My mother really liked the name.”
“Who were you named after?”
“My mother. Her first name is Angela, but she goes by her middle name, Marjorie.”
“Sage and Angela are both beautiful names.” She wrinkles her nose. “So much better than Tabitha.”
“Tabitha’s a great name.”
“Yeah, if you like being named after a character in an old TV sitcom.”
I raise my eyebrows. “You were seriously named after an old TV show?”
“Yeah. From an old sitcom called Bewitched. My sister’s name is Samantha.”
“Oh, that’s a gorgeous name.”
“Yes. Much better than Tabitha.” She shrugs. “But I’m used to it. You want some more coffee?”
“No, I’m good. But I can get you a cup.”
“No.” She sighs. “I should get going. I have so much studying to do.”
“You can study here if you want. We can help each other.”
She smiles. “I’d like that. If we spend more time together, maybe you’ll start to trust me.”
“It’s not that?—”
She gestures me to quiet. “It’s okay, Angie. It takes you time to make friends. I get it. Once you get to know me, you’re going to love me.”
