Chapter Eleven - Thalia
“YOU STILL AREN’T talking to him?” Blake asks as we wait for our coffees.
“Which one are we talking about?” I absently toy with a piece of my wavy hair hanging over my shoulder. I probably should get it cut soon. The number of split ends I have is getting out of hand.
She shakes her head. “Thalia, you need to talk to your brother and Sebastian. I mean, you live with them? How have you not had a single conversation with either of them in a week?”
It’s a learned skill to avoid both of them.
“It’s one of my many talents. Besides, the ball is in Sebastian’s court now. He was so stunned by my question that I told him to think about it and tell me when he had an answer. I obviously didn’t want to fuck that night; I’d at least like different sheets on his bed.” I wrinkle my nose at the thought. I hope Sebastian didn’t think I wanted to have sex that night.
“I can honestly say that sometimes I wonder how we have become friends. My life would be so uncomplicated if we weren’t friends,” Blake says dramatically, and I roll my eyes.
“You mean your life would be so incredibly boring.”
Blake chuckles, glancing around the shop. “I just want you to talk to Owen. He’s driving me up the fucking wall when he comes to the library. All he asks me about is how you’re doing.”
“He could ask me how I’m doing,” I point out, drumming my fingers on the counter as our coffees are delivered.
“He feels bad but can’t bring himself to apologize. I’ve noticed that you’re similar that way.” Wait, how often are they hanging out without me? It’s not important right now, but it’s still something to note for later.
“You haven’t said anything about Bash and I, right?”
“Not a word,” she confirms, making a face. “You could talk to one of them before you do this thing you can’t take back with Sebastian. ”
Check the box already; I’ve done that. I did that a year and a half ago! “We’re not friends. We’re roommates. Pretty sure I don’t have a time machine to go back and take back my question either.”
“However you want to put it, Bash will always be in your life through Owen. I don’t think you should do it.”
I take a drink from my latte and almost melt into a puddle at the comforting taste. “So when is your boyfriend coming to visit?”
Blake shrugs, avoiding meeting my gaze. Bingo. “It’s soccer season, and he doesn’t get enough time off to warrant returning to visit. California’s far.”
Okay, the vibes I’m getting right now are that she doesn’t want to talk about this. Cool. I can roll with that. “I’d love to meet him next time he’s in town.”
“Of course. If your brother hasn’t killed you yet,” she says, but now we’re broaching the topic I want to avoid.
“I think Penelope’s going to try to come for my twenty-first. You’re more than welcome to come hang out with us. It’s still a few weeks away, but she said she didn’t want to miss such a monumental moment for me in America.”
“I get to meet her? I’ve been waiting for you to say she’s visiting so I can meet the girl who wants you to climb Bash like a tree.” Her snort sends me over the edge, and I start laughing.
“If he weren’t so damn tall, it probably wouldn’t have been brought up.” I take another sip of my coffee. “I think I’m going to try to teach you some French if you have time. I’m tired of being the only one here that can speak it. Plus, it will help you keep up with Pen.” I can’t wait. It’s going to be amazing being reunited with her. Having Penelope here would be a blessing.
I spot Eric sitting by himself at a table and pull Blake in that direction. “She likes to switch between French and English, so it’ll be hard for you to keep up without knowing some basics.”
Eric smiles when he spots me, and I sit beside him, Blake sitting across from us. “Blake, meet Eric; he’s my knight in shining armor from the party. Eric, meet my bestie gal, Blake.”
“Bestie gal?” he questions, raising his eyebrows.
“Don’t question it. I came over to say thank you again for saving my ass. I promise I will return your jacket, but at this point, I might as well give it to one of the guys to take to practice.”
“Nice to meet you,” Blake says. “She’s not talking to Sebastian or Owen because she’s mad at them, so I doubt you’ll get your jacket until that’s over.” She shoots me a look that I choose to ignore. If I can ignore her problems with her boyfriend, she could do the same regarding my roommates.
Eric looks surprised to hear this. “Really? Neither of them has said anything at practice. I’m not usually with their group, but they seem fine.”
“And why shouldn’t they be fine? They’re not children,” I grumble under my breath. Think happy thoughts. Strangling Sebastian, shaving Owen’s beard off, or locking Owen in his room with a clown sounds lovely.
“You’re not a child either,” Blake reminds me. I’m convinced Blake is secretly a social butterfly as she starts chatting with Eric like she’s known him forever. I’m distracted from the conversation when I spot Vera walking into the coffee shop with Stacey.
I haven’t seen or heard from Vera since the party when she left Landon and me alone. I’ve been staying holed up in my room at the apartment or Blake’s dorm room. Honestly, I don’t know what to think about her anymore. She’s known Bash and Owen just as long as she’s known me, but I’m not entirely sure where her loyalties lie anymore. It makes it a little hard to want to be around her when I can’t talk to her about the things going on in my life. I mean, is Vera even my friend anymore?
She waves at me, and I wave back. I tune back into whatever conversation is being had right next to me.
“Was there a reason you got so drunk?” Eric asks me, but Blake is quick to chime in. What she fails to notice is Vera appearing right behind her.
“Oh, you mean Landon—” I kick my foot out, probably harder than necessary to silence her. It’s too little too late.
“What about Landon?” Vera asks, causing Blake to turn around quickly. Awesome. This is perfect. It’s not Blake’s fault because she didn’t see her there, but I’d rather face Sebastian than answer Vera’s question.
“Nothing much. Just that I haven’t seen him around lately,” I reply casually, and she gives me a suspicious look.
“You’re the one we haven’t seen since that party we went to. Someone said you left with Eric.”
Eric nods, smiling charmingly at her. He’s like a teddy bear, but he’s perfect for Natalie. I did a good thing setting them up. “Kept the princess safe. Haven’t you heard I’m a knight in shining armor?”
“You know, Eric, I can’t say I did know that. Good information for next time we’re out on the town.” Vera chuckles as Stacey pops up with two coffees in her hands.
I shake my head adamantly. “I won’t be going out again for a while. I had the worst hangover the next day.” The last thing I want is to give Owen any more ammunition to use against me. I’d hate to embarrass him again. I love my brother, but right now, I really don’t like him. “Actually, do you still have my keys?”
“Yeah, I kept meaning to text you that I still had them.” Vera pulls them out of her bag, handing them to me. Perfect, now I don’t have to be worried about getting locked out of the apartment. “Whatever you say, Lia. I know you,” she says, and Blake shifts in her seat, watching me closely. I bite my tongue, getting the sense she doesn’t mean that in a positive way. What the hell happened to my friend while I was gone?
“Isn’t your birthday coming up soon?” Eric asks.
Blake lights up at the mention of my birthday. “It’s in a few weeks. I’m going to try to learn French so I can better understand her friend and Lia when she switches languages without realizing it.”
“If I knew I was doing it, I wouldn’t. It just happens, and I don’t know. In Paris, I used both interchangeably. Here, it’s just the one, and I guess I forget that most people don’t speak it,” I say nonchalantly because I know it sounds like I’d rather be there than here. It honestly might be true.I didn’t have to work so hard at avoiding Bash in Paris.
“Hey, Lia, can you come with me to the bathroom for a second?” Vera asks, and it catches me off guard. Why does she need me to come with her? Does she need a tampon or something? I used my last emergency one two weeks ago, so she’s out of luck if that’s it.
“Uh, sure. Be right back?”
The three remaining at the table look just as confused as I am. I regret not telling Blake any of my concerns with Vera.
Once we’re in the bathroom, Vera wipes at the mascara underneath her eye. “So why did you reject Landon?”
Great, we’re starting with a bang already. I guess it’s a good thing she didn’t need a tampon from me.
“Because I don’t see him that way. He’s just a friend.” I feel bad enough rejecting him that I don’t want to make a big deal out of it, especially to Vera.
Her dark hair falls down her shoulders in a dark sheen, and she combs her fingers through it quickly. “Thalia, I love you like a sister, but I feel like I don’t even know you anymore. During our freshman year, you would have killed to go out with Landon, and now you’re shutting him down? Are you seeing someone else?”
“No, I’m not. I never saw him that way then either,” I say, trying to keep a neutral tone. Vera hasn’t asked it yet, but I want to know her real question. Has she always been like this, and I was blind to it before?
“Is there someone you are interested in?” Vera asks, apparently not understanding this isn’t the time or place. Why is she asking me these questions right now? “I feel like you have told me nothing since you got back. I miss you.”
I want to believe her words, but I remember how she threw me under the bus for the impromptu party on my first night back. I didn’t throw that party; Vera was the one who invited everyone over. She also left me alone at that party a few weeks ago. Not once has she reached out, so I don’t feel bad for not telling Vera anything.
“You’re worrying over nothing. I promise there’s no one I’m interested in.” I force a smile, shaking my head. “I miss you too. We’ll have to do a movie night soon to catch up on everything, okay?” I throw my arms around her and hug her quickly. “They’re all probably wondering what’s up, so I’m going back to the table.”
Blake asked me weeks ago if life in France was simpler, and it certainly was. I miss everyone being straight to your face,unafraid to say what was on their mind. Everything here is a mind game.
Why would Vera be playing mind games with me? That’s what I’m struggling to figure out.