The Art of You

20.1 | Close One

"They showed up at Ruby's at the end of my shift and forced me to join them."

"Oh, come on, you wanted to," Elijah teased. His voice made my skin buzz.

"No, I wanted to go home and shower."

None of the guys questioned our banter, and I realized they looked as oblivious as my friends. Elijah didn't tell them anything. He had kept our kiss private. I fought the urge to smile.

"Well, if you want to hang with us, we're going to Brew Factory this Friday."

Brew Factory was practically a club disguised as a bar, and it's where most students went after they grew out of house parties.

"Oh, we will definitely be there," Reva answered immediately. "When is your next home game?"

Jayce said, "Next Saturday."

"We'll be there too."

I shot a look at Reva. What the hell was she doing? The guys made excited sounds and said they would drive us Friday if we needed a ride and then left the cafe.

"Were you going to tell us about your dinner with the tight-pants posse?" Reva asked.

I sipped my lukewarm coffee and watched Elijah walking away through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the front of the cafe. "It happened less than twenty-four hours ago, yes I was going to tell you."

It wasn't a full lie. Of course, I was going to tell them about dinner, but I didn't plan on saying anything about the car just yet. "Anyway, why are we going to a game next Saturday?" I asked.

"Because we rarely show our school pride, and it will be fun to eat hot dogs and popcorn," Reva said nonchalantly even though I knew what game she was playing.

"That way Sadie can watch Elijah in action and maybe—" Lucy made a vulgar gesture with her hand, and I whacked her on the arm but she still added, "In the dugout for good luck"

"You're going to scare Penelope," I said, but Penelope threw her hands up.

"I have three brothers. Nothing scares me anymore."

"Well, I'm scared of you guys right now." Laughter poured between us but I knew I wouldn't be able to keep whatever was going on between Elijah and my secret for long. They knew me too well.

And I wanted to share my happiness. Though I was fearful if acknowledged it too soon, it would slip from my fingertips faster than I found it and I wanted to hold on a little longer. So, my friends would have to wait.

[Elijah: That was a close one ;)]

I texted back under the table.

[Me: Yeah, I'd say.]

[Elijah: So you're coming to my game then?]

[Me: It seems so :)]

[Elijah: I'll have to give you a jersey.]

My chest tightened. I looked away from my phone to re-engage in the conversation with my friends while also thinking of what to reply to Elijah. We had only kissed once. I didn't think I was ready to wear his jersey. But how could I say no?

[Me: What if I gave you a pre-game kiss instead?]

[Elijah: I'll hold you to that.]

"Lucy," a familiar voice called and for the second time today, I watched a group of men stroll over to where we sat. Except for this time I didn't smile as I stared at Dustin and his frat brothers with a flat expression. Why?

"I haven't seen all of you together since the date party." Dustin's eyes flickered to where I sat, slightly squinted, and our eyes locked. I shifted in my seat when he looked back toward my friends. What the hell was that look for?

"Well, there is more to life than partying. You know, like school," Iya said, pointing to her textbooks on the coffee table.

"So, you're going to be doing work this Friday night? Can't come to the annex?"

"I think we're going to the bars instead." Reva protruded from her lower lip. I felt the annoyance radiating from her. "Thanks for the invite, though."

Dustin mentioned his offer stand and then looked at me again. I hadn't said a word since he arrived, and from the way he continuously glanced in my direction, it seemed he'd wanted me to. But what was I supposed to say? That I wasn't a fan of how he'd only cared if I was taken in order to back off? Yeah, no.

When nobody else entertained his presence, he left the cafe.

BACK AT THE apartment, my shoulders slumped from the sound of silence and lack of frat and baseball players.

Reva tossed her backpack on the ground and sunk onto our couch. "Did you have a good time last night?" She asked nonchalantly while she scrolled on her phone. I didn't feel the accusatory demeanor she had at the cafe.

"I did, actually." The thought of Elijah's lips on mine flashed in my mind and I refrained from touching my mouth. "Did you?"

"I did. Penelope and I talked about labels..." she paused and my eyes widened.

"You did? And?"

"I think we're officially a couple now."

I froze and waited for her reaction. Was she uncomfortable? Happy? When she couldn't hide her smile, I jumped from my seat and made a screeching noise. "Reva! I am so happy for you. Tell me everything."

Sitting back in the armchair, I pulled my knees to my chest and listened to Reva explain her evening. I realized we hadn't talked like this in a while, and my heart swelled. I have been so preoccupied with Elijah and school; I haven't given my best friend enough attention.

Hearing how happy she is with Penelope made me relieved, because—like me—I could see how much her love life affected her.

"What about you? Anything interesting happen last night with Mr. Elijah Preston?"

There was the question of the year.

"I don't know," I said, giving myself time to think. "I think I have feelings for him."

Think was an understatement. If only she knew...

Her face fell. "Seriously? Do you wanna talk about it?"

"I'm really nervous about the whole thing, so I'm taking it slow. Promise to keep this between us?"

She grinned and said, "I promise."

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QOTD: Are you watching any good shows?

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