What's Mine | ✓

17 - always a moment

She tucks her book back in her backpack and zips it up, slinging it over her shoulder. When she stands, I follow suit and walk behind her. And I don't miss the very slow strides she's taking.

"Why'd you push him?" She finally asks, pushing her bangs behind her ear as she looked up at me.

I shrug. "He's annoying."

"Oh, no doubt," she chuckles. "But still, didn't seem to be bothering us."

As she opens the door, the wind pushes against us and I can smell her. Yep, definitely a cherry scent with some vanilla and I think coconut.

"His presence bothers me, sunshine."

She turns, scrunching her nose. "I thought we were past that nickname."

I grin. "I'll call it a truce."

She smiles and I feel like I got punched in the gut, the wind almost being knocked out of me.

"Finally."

She turns, walking again. I follow close behind her, just waiting for her to say something, anything.

Ever since that day, we've had an almost friendly relationship. Sure, she didn't always acknowledge my presence around school. But when she did, it wasn't to kill me with glares or to cuss me out.

It was civil, friendly. And I was fucking here for it.

She pushes the outside doors open and I actually frown when I see Avrey waiting for Lina in her car.

"Brooks has a practice?"

Lina nods, smiling proudly. "Every day this week. It's more intense since they're going to state."

"Right," I nod.

There's always a moment when you're walking aimlessly with a friend of sorts, having a light conversation, and when you know it's about to end, you don't really know how to approach the goodbye part of it.

This was that moment.

Lina was gripping each strap of her backpack, lips twisting. I wanted to say something to her, but I wasn't sure what to even say. Offer her a ride home even though her best friend is waiting for her? Ask about the damn weather?

Despite our progress within the last few days, we're in an awkward phase where we're not really sure what to say to one another. It's always been accusations thrown or jabs at each other.

Now it's different. I don't know how to do different.

An impatient honking of a horn cut the silence between us, making Lina look over to where Avrey is parked.

"Right. Well, I guess I'm gonna go."

She sounded...disappointed? Was that what I was hearing?

"Right."

Real smooth, dumbass.

Lina gives her head a slight shake before she's walking off. I walk to my own car, watching as Avrey peels out of the parking lot. I sigh, climb in and head home.

As I was driving, I was trying to rack my head around how I can casually talk to Lina without being awkward as hell. But I've never been in this situation before—hell, I've never even really been friends with a girl before. It's always ended up with us fooling around and her being pissed off when I didn't want anything more than that.

While Lina is definitely someone I wouldn't mind fooling around with, she's different.

I'm still conflicted as I get home. But when I walk inside, I hear my mom talking Italian, fast.