Rewrite the Stars (bxb)

Chapter 18 Surprise Visitor

"Other things?" My brain immediately goes to pushing us down a cheese grater into a vat of alcohol.

Peter smiles, thinking of something. "Yeah. Other things."

I look at him in confusion, but he doesn't comment further. Maybe he has gotten in trouble in the past and knows what Orion might do to us. But now he's being mean for not telling me because my brain is going insane at the moment.

I hear a car driving down the road but think nothing of it until it slows down, and the driver rolls the window down. "Aren't you two supposed to be grounded?"

We both freeze, and I look over to see Dev in the driver's seat with a grinning Sam next to him.

"Um, no," I say, but it sounds more like a question.

He laughs. "Don't worry. I won't tell. Hop in. We're going to Errol's."

Peter cheers and gets in the backseat.

I follow. "What's Errol's?"

Dev starts driving.

"This café that sells the best coffee," Peter says, one minute away from exploding. "We were just going to go get some coffee," he tells the two sitting in the front seat. "But we were going to Dunkin' because Errol's is too far. So this is perfect timing. Why are you guys getting coffee?"

That clicks something in place. "Sam!" I exclaim. "How was the submission?"

A grin spreads across his face. "It went well," he says.

Dev snorts. "Oh, please. Stop being modest. It went fucking amazing."

Sam rolls his eyes. "Fine. It went fucking amazing."

He tries being calm, but I can tell how happy he is about it. He's been working on it for months now, and I know how proud he is about it.

"That's why we're going to Errol's," Dev says. "To celebrate turning it in."

"So when will you know if you won or not?" I ask.

Sam shrugs. "Not for a couple more months. They'll email me if I make it."

"When you make it," Dev says and parks the car.

We all climb out and head into Errol's. The place reminds me of this restaurant that mom and I loved because they had fried okra for me and Marlow wine for her. Hmmm. Maybe I can get Orion to make fried okra one night for dinner.

"Do you want anything, Blythe?"

I snap out of my thoughts to see everyone looking at me, and my anxiety kicks in, dissipating any hunger I have. I shake my head. "No, thanks. I'm good."

"You sure?" Peter asks. "We haven't eaten anything all day."

I nod with a smile. "Yeah. Not hungry I guess."

He nods and orders his drink.

I look around the place, suddenly seeing and smelling all the food from the display cases and the kitchen.

Once they get their drinks, we find a table in the back next to a large window.

I make sure to sit next to the window, putting the back of my hand against it under the table. One thing I've picked up to calm my anxiety is the cold. If I'm near a window, I'll put my hand on it. The temperature difference usually helps calm me down.

Sam sits across from me with Peter on his side and Dev next to me.

"I thought you two were grounded?" Sam asks.