Let's play love

13. Secret meetings and sleepy desisions

This chapter is dedicated to the cool beans club because broccoli

Levi and I are sitting on his couch watching the muppets when I bring up Max.
"Have you heard from Max recently?"
Levi is looking very intently at the television and for some reason I don't think it's because he's riveted by Kermit the frog."Levi?"

"Yeah." His eyes are glued to the screen and his face holds an almost guilty expression. "We hung out."

I bolt upright and pause the TV.
"But he's been so busy." Thinly veiled jealousy laces my voice and even I flinch at the harsh sound to it." He hasn't hung out with me..." My voice has gone softer now , barely a whisper. " he's hardly talked to me."

"Not for lack of trying." Levi reminds me and I exhale in resignation.

"Yeah, is suppose." I mumble. " was...was she there?"

I sound silly and naive but I'm still curious. Even when they dated before, neither of us met Stella. She went to another school and Max wanted to be sure if the girl before introducing her to the group. I only really knew what Max had told us about her.
He hesitates for a moment but then nods.
"The first time."
We can both feel the growing tension in the air but I try smile at him to put him at ease.

"What's she like?" I ask. I'm almost wary of the answer.
Levi senses this and his demeanour softens with an almost playful smile teasing his lips.
"What do you want to hear?"
I sink back into the sofa with a breathy laugh and look back up at him before giggling, my smile twisting to match his.
"Tell me she's awful."
He barks out a laugh and like that, all the tension is gone.
" I'm telling you, this chick is a piece of work." He assures me. "She's almost as bad as you."
I gasp in disbelief and grab the nearest pillow, hitting him with it. We both collapse into laughter and when I've calmed down enough to speak all I can say is:
"Did you seriously just say chick?" Before I collapse back into giggles.
••••••••••••••••••
"Elodie, it's me! Remember me?"

I blink away sleep and squint at my clock trying to work out why Max is calling me at some ungodly hour.
"Unfortunately." Is all I reply.

What can I say? I'm not a middle-of-the-night person.
"Wanna hang out?"

"No." I grumble "it's 1 in the morning. Go to sleep."

"Actually it's 1:06 and I don't mean now, I mean later... With Stella."
That instantly knocks me out of my sleep.
"Huh?"

"Later, we can pick you up." I groan "please, Lo? I really want you to get to know and love her just as much as i do."

Don't see that happening anytime soon.

But Max wants me to make an effort and I'm hardly in a place to be all jealous. I'm his best friend. I'm supposed to be happy for him. Why can't u be happy for him?

Because you're in love with him,you idiot

Shut up, me

I sigh dramatically and roll my eyes pretending he can see me through the phone.
"Fine. But anymore details are to be settled at a reasonable hour."

I can hear his excitement through the phone as he agreed and hangs up. It's increasingly difficult to sleep when the words keep banging around in my head;
What am I doing?