Between Us

☆ part thirty six ☆

Sophie's pov

The cafeteria buzzed around us, the chaos of lunch period playing out like usual. Our group sat at our usual table, with Lark beside me, her arm draped lazily across the back of my chair. She was talking to Indi and Liam about some band Liam was excited about, her voice light and animated. It should have been a normal moment—comfortable and easy like it always was with Lark—but the extra body at the table made it impossible for me to relax. Chloe. She was perched on Lark's other side, leaning in like she belonged there, like she was a fixture in this group she had no real place in. Her blonde hair, so perfect it almost glowed, spilled down her back in waves, and her big brown eyes sparkled as she laughed at something Liam said. I hated the sound. It was too practiced, too precise, like everything she did was designed to pull Lark's attention back to her. And it worked. Not in the obvious way—I could tell Lark wasn't really engaging with her—but Chloe didn't need full attention. She just needed the occasional glance, the slight shifts in Lark's body language that showed she was aware of her. And that was enough to make me feel like I was drowning. I focused on my food, trying to block out the conversation, but then Chloe turned to Lark.

"Hey," she said, her tone soft, almost intimate. "We should go get coffee sometime. Just the two of us. Catch up for real since it's been... what? A few months this week?" Her words were so casual, but the intent behind them was crystal clear.

I stiffened, my grip tightening on my fork as I tried not to react. Lark didn't even hesitate. "No, sorry, Chloe. I've got plans with Sophie."

The relief that surged through me was immediate, but it was short-lived. Chloe pouted, her expression dipping into something that made me want to scream. "Really? All week?" she asked, her voice dripping with disbelief.

I couldn't stop myself this time. "Yes, all week," I said sharply, the words spilling out before I could think better of it. My voice was louder than I intended, drawing the attention of the entire table. "I don't see the problem."

Chloe turned her wide, doe-like eyes on me, and for a second, she looked genuinely surprised. But then her expression shifted, a flicker of something smug crossing her face before she masked it with a sweet smile. "Okay, no problem," she said lightly, but the way her gaze flicked to Lark made it clear she wasn't giving up that easily.

Before the tension could thicken further, Kitty chimed in, her voice cutting through the awkward silence. "Well, it's fine," she said with a sly grin that made me want to throw my tray at her. "I'm having a party this weekend. We can all catch up then." The table buzzed with agreement. Liam nodded, Oakley added something about needing an excuse to wear his new shirt, and Indi shrugged, clearly indifferent but going along with it anyway.

"Yeah, that could be fun," Liam said, oblivious to the storm brewing between me and Chloe.

I stared at Lark, willing her to say no, to shut it down somehow, but she just turned to me with that calm, steady expression she always wore when she was trying to soothe me. Under the table, her hand found mine, her thumb brushing soft circles against my skin. "That sound okay, Soph?" she asked, her voice low enough that no one else could hear.

I wanted to say no. I wanted to tell her I didn't want to spend an entire night with Chloe hovering around, trying to worm her way back into Lark's life. But the way Lark looked at me—gentle, like she knew exactly what I was feeling and was trying to anchor me—made it impossible to say anything other than, "Yeah, sure."

"Great!" Kitty said, clearly thrilled with herself.

The conversation shifted back to lighter topics, and I sat back in my chair, my appetite completely gone. Chloe was answering some question Oakley had asked her, her voice smooth and confident as she talked about where she'd been living the past few months. I didn't hear the specifics; all I could focus on was the way she kept glancing at Lark, like she was daring me to react. Lark leaned closer to me, her lips brushing my temple as she whispered, "Don't worry about her. I'm with you, remember?" I nodded, but the knot in my stomach didn't loosen. I wanted to believe her—I did. But Chloe was perfect. She was ethereal, with her golden hair and soft brown eyes and the kind of confidence that came from knowing people were drawn to you. And she'd had Lark before. She'd been the one to know her first, to kiss her first, to share pieces of her life that I hadn't been part of.

The lunch bell rang, snapping me out of my thoughts. Lark stood, pulling me up with her as the group scattered to their next classes. Chloe lingered by the table, her eyes following us as we walked away. I didn't look back. But I could feel her gaze like a weight pressing down on me the entire way to class.

As we walked down the crowded hallway, Lark's hand brushed against mine. It wasn't much, but even that little touch calmed the uneasy storm brewing in my chest. Chloe's presence at lunch had stirred something ugly in me, and I hated that she still lingered in my thoughts. "Hey," I said quietly, glancing up at her. "Can I say something?"

Lark looked down at me, her green eyes warm but slightly amused. "You know you can say anything to me, Blondie."

I hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. "I really don't like Chloe."

Lark blinked, then let out a low chuckle, the sound soft and teasing. "Really? I couldn't tell," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

I shoved her lightly, a flush creeping up my neck. "I'm serious, Lark."

She grinned, clearly enjoying this. "No, I get it. She's not exactly easy to like, is she?" Her voice softened, and she leaned in a little closer. "But... if it helps, I think it's kind of hot, you being jealous."

I froze mid-step, my heart skipping a beat as I stared up at her. "Hot?" I echoed, my voice small.

Lark shrugged, a lazy smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah. I like seeing this side of you, Blondie. Makes me feel... special, I guess."

My cheeks burned, and I dropped my gaze to the floor, suddenly very interested in my shoes. "You're unbelievable," I mumbled.

She reached out, tilting my chin up so I had to meet her eyes. "No, seriously. It's cute. I mean, I don't love that Chloe's making you feel this way, but knowing you care that much? That you'd get jealous over me? Yeah, I like it."

Her words melted some of the tension inside me, and I couldn't help but smile. "Well, don't get used to it," I said, trying to sound firm but failing miserably.

Lark laughed and leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead. "I won't, but only because I know I don't need to. You've got nothing to be jealous of, Sophie. No one else comes close to you." Before I could respond, the warning bell rang, signaling we had just a few minutes to get to class. Lark glanced at the clock on the wall, then back at me. "We've got to split here. You good?"

I nodded, even though I didn't feel entirely good. But Lark's reassurance—and the way she looked at me like I was the only person who mattered—helped. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Alright. See you after class, Blondie." She gave my hand a quick squeeze before turning and heading down the opposite hallway. I watched her go for a moment, my heart a mix of calm and chaos, before finally heading to my own class.