Page 9 of One Little Kiss
I feel like a traitor just thinking it, and I would never say it aloud.
But I hesitate too long and Noelle…who knows me better than anyone… pinches her lips into a thin line.
A flicker of hurt passes through her eyes, and I feel like an ass.
Suddenly, I’m desperate to rewind and say the right thing. I start to stand, “Noelle—”
Her phone dings. She casts a quick glance at her screen, and then her face is transforming into that wide model-like smile that knocks most guys on their butts. All hints of any negative emotion are wiped away as she beams at Leah and me. “That’s Heath. I gotta go.” She pauses on her way out and calls back to me. “Movie night on Sunday?”
Some of that tension in me releases as we quickly return to normal. “You know it.”
“It’s a date,” she calls out.
The door swings shut behind her, and I know what Leah’s going to say before I even turn to face her.
“A date, huh?” My cousin’s eyes have an amused glint to them, and then she bursts out laughing when I look to the ceiling with a groan, shake my head, and walk right out of the kitchen.
THREE
Noelle
Pep rallies aren’t exactlymy thing.
But calculus is kicking my butt, so I’m not gonna complain if cheering on the football team before the next playoff game means escaping one of Mrs. Mallonick’s lethal pop quizzes.
Celia waves me over to where she and Heath are sitting, all cuddled up on a bleacher seat in a way that’s so adorable, it kinda hurts to look at them.
I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m not all that into the idea of a boyfriend. I have yet to meet a guy who makes me smile, let alone who I want to cuddle up with on a bleacher seat, whispering and giggling like I’m back in middle school.
And that’s exactly what Celia and Heath are doing, although they try their best to make me feel welcome.
I don’t think Mara even realizes that I’ve joined them. She’s in the row ahead of the happy couple and she’s grinning and clapping like a lunatic as Ryan takes the stage with his fellow team leaders.
Elijah’s not up there, but he’s not one of the starting lineup. He probably could’ve been if he wanted to be, but he’s never taken any sport that seriously. Actually, Elijah’s never taken anything seriously. Except maybe his games and parties.
No one in the entire auditorium misses the way Ryan seeks Mara out in the crowd and gives her a wink that’s anything but subtle.
Gah! All these couple vibes are gonna be the death of me.
I’m not jealous. I’m really not. It’s just kinda hard not to feel a little like a permanent third wheel. Or fifth wheel, as the case may be.
But what makes it even worse is that Celia, Mara, Leah, and even our friend Addie have become obsessed with spreading their joy like they’ve gone and joined some love cult when I wasn’t looking. It feels like every time I turn around they’re trying to figure out who would be a good match for me—not a high school boy, that much I’ve made clear—and who they can set up with Elijah.
Celia straightens beside me and waves to someone in the aisle. I turn, half expecting it to be Elijah, but it’s one of the new kids who just transferred to our school this year.
Sadie, I think her name is. She’s a junior, super cute in a petite, adorbs kinda way. And she must be pretty smart because she’s in my calculus class and she always knows the answers.
Celia waves and I flash the girl a smile. She gives us a shy little wave in return but makes no move to join us, instead walking to the back of the bleachers to sit by herself.
Celia turns to me with a little frown. My type-A, preppy friend looks worried. “Should I go ask her if she wants to join us?”
I glance back at the girl who looks absorbed in her book. “I’m not sure she wants to make friends right now…” Wrinkling my nose, I can’t quite fight my smile. “Who brings a book to a prep rally?”
Celia grins. “I think it’s cute.”
“Totally cute,” I have to admit.
But then Celia sighs. “I can’t help but worry about all the new kids after watching what Addie went through.”
