Sip by Sip

Chapter Twenty: Spiteful Glare

"Noah, how are you?" Jamie exclaimed, wrapping him in a bear hug. He pried himself from her arms, smiling down at her.

"We all are dying to know," Matt added sarcastically, giving him a crooked smile. Noah grinned back at him, giving him a loving slap to his back.

Doug entered a few moments later accompanied by Levi. After exchanging greetings, the five of them sat down at the bar to watch the game.

"How's Jules?" Jamie asked, scooting into the seat beside him. "I was hoping she'd come so that I wouldn't have to be the only girl."

"Dude!" called Levi before Noah could respond, "Guess who I ran into the other day?"

Noah raised an eyebrow, assuming he meant Jules. After all, him and Jamie had just been talking about her.

"Kelly."

From his other side Jamie broke into a slow grin, Matt let out a low whistle, and Doug chucked softly. Noah just stared, eyebrows raised, as the name Levi had spoken was the farthest from what he guessed he would say.

"Kelly?" Noah whispered.

"This guy," Jamie laughed, "looks like he's seen a ghost."

"Where? She's back in town?" Noah asked in disbelief, and the others laughed at the look in his eyes.

"Keep your pants on," Jamie teased, "Levi and I stopped by the farmer's market a few days back and saw her."

They all stared. Levi flushed red. The topic of Kelly was forgotten, and finally Jamie realized her mistake.

"Wait, wait, wait. You and Levi went to the farmer's market together?" Matt questioned, grinning wider by the minute. "Are you guys-"

"No, they couldn't be," Doug claimed playfully, humor to his eyes. "Could they? Jamie? Levi?"

"We are not dating," Levi declared quickly, attempting to hide the burning color of his cheeks. "Can't friends of the opposite gender shop together?"

Noah laughed, "Not when it's grocery shopping. When did this," he motioned to the two of them, "start?"

Jamie slunk lower in her seat, humiliated. Matt looked to her, clucking disapprovingly, "Him? Really Jamie? You can do better."

"We are not together!" She exclaimed defiantly, but the heat in her cheeks suggested otherwise.

"Jaaaaaaaamie . . . Is there something you're not telling us?"

"I always thought I'd be the one to end up with her." Matt joked arrogantly.

"Fuck off, Matt." Levi snapped, and Jamie rolled her eyes at him.

"A bit defensive there, aren't we?" Noah inquired, laughing along with the others. They loved to watch the two of them squirm.

"I'm offended they didn't tell us-" Matt began, when Jamie cut him off.

"Shut up! I don't know what we are! I don't fucking know anymore!" She screamed, her outburst quieting the rest of them. Her voice cracked sharply, and they saw she was no longer playing around. Levi was staring at her, a look of raw hurt and guilt and surprise to his eyes.

She got up from her chair, and left. They all turned to Levi.

He gave them the most spiteful glare an easygoing person like him could manage, and got up to go after her.