10. Best Friend’s Powers
Best Friend’s Powers
TALIA
“Ouch.” Sam jumps as I stab her scalp with a bobby pin.
“Sorry.”
My best friend turns around in her chair in front of my room’s vanity mirror and pins me with a curious look. “Ok, Tal, spit it out. Possibly before you kill me while you’re doing my hair. What is it?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Really?” Sam bites out. “You’ve been out of it for a few days now. If I had to pinpoint since when, I’d say since you came home from your first day of classes on Monday. It’s Friday now, and you’ve been distracted all week.”
“I haven’t.” I argue, but my tone is feeble because I know she’s right.
Sam gives my hand a gentle, comforting squeeze.
“Come on, it’s me you’re talking to. You were going crazy looking for your glasses yesterday, and they were on your nose.
You put salt instead of sugar in your coffee.
And those are only two examples. You went to class yesterday with your t-shirt inside out and didn’t notice until I met you for lunch.
Something is on your mind, and I can’t help you if you don’t trust me with whatever is bothering you. ”
“You’re right.” I sigh. “But it isn’t something that’s bothering per se. Remember the hot guy who walked me home the weekend before we moved in?”
She nods. “Of course. Hot Beavis.”
“Yeah. I saw him again on Monday. He’s in my Roman Art History class. He’s a hockey player. And his last name is Shayba.”
“Shayba? As in Mack?”
I encourage her to turn back around so I can finish her hair. “He’s Macklin’s brother.”
“No shit.” Sam chuckles.
“But that isn’t all.”
I tell her how Gen was sitting with him in class and was all over him after.
Then I tell her about Macklin asking me to be his tutor.
“Did you say yes?”
“I really don’t have the time, but I didn’t have the heart to turn him down. I’ll have to make it work.”
Sam wasn’t born yesterday, and she’s been my best friend since kindergarten, so she sees through me without even trying. She knows me better than anyone. “Right. As if you didn’t have a huge crush on him since the day he set foot on campus.”
She’s right. I’d be lying if I said that my unrequited feelings for him didn’t play a part in making me agree to tutor him.
But I wasn’t born yesterday either. “It isn’t like that. He just needs help with Cantucci’s class. History isn’t his forte, and since I’m a history major…”
My best friend isn’t convinced. “True. But he could have asked the professor or the T.A. They usually have a list of approved tutors, don’t they?”
I thought about that, too. “Yeah, but Macklin is one of the most popular guys on campus. Maybe he doesn’t want anyone to know. In case his eligibility to play was in doubt. You know how their coach is.”
She doesn’t look convinced. “Ok, then why are you blushing?”
“I’m not.” I argue, fighting the urge to touch my flaming hot face.
“You’re redder than a tomato, Tal. What aren’t you telling me?”
Yeah, Sam knows me too well for my own good. The memory of my interaction with Macklin has been tormenting me all week. If I don’t tell someone, I’m gonna explode. And there’s no one I trust with this more than Sam.
“You have to promise me you’re not gonna laugh.”
She turns around in her chair to glare at me. “When have I ever laughed at you? Unless it’s an undeniably funny situation. But this looks serious.” Sam stands up. “Come on, let’s switch. My hair is done. Your turn. Straight or wavy?”
I look at my own reflection in the mirror. “It’s super humid today. Let’s go with wavy.”
Sam switches on the curling iron. “While this warms up, start spilling the tea.”
There’s nowhere to hide. “He touched me.”
Her eyes practically bulge out at my words. “Where?”
“It’s not what you think. It was just his fingers wrapped around my wrist. But he did that thing with his eyes.”
“What thing?” She groans. “Come on, Talia. You have to be a little more specific.”
I rub my fingers over the spot he touched on my wrist, like I’ve been doing all week. “He kept looking at my lips. You know, like in the movies when the guy is about to kiss her?”
Sam doesn’t say anything for a long moment, so I offer some of the thoughts that have been swirling in my head since Monday morning. “I didn’t have lip gloss or food on my teeth. I checked.”
“Shut up.” She laughs, but her tone returns to serious in the blink of an eye. “I don’t think you were imagining that, Talia.”
That surprises me. Part of the reason why I told Sam is that she would tell me the truth and nip the ridiculous notion that Macklin Shayba might like me in the bud.
“You don’t?”
“I never said anything, but when we started training camp, I caught him looking at you a few times.”
That can’t be right. “You did not.”
“I did.” She insists. “I didn’t say anything because I wanted to be sure first. Then I was cut from the team, so I don’t know if the few times I noticed him staring at you were just a fluke. And I didn’t want you to get your hopes up for someone who obviously had a revolving door to his bedroom.”
One of the many reasons why I love Sam is that she’ll always give it to me straight.
Even if it’s not exactly what I want to hear.
“Right. To be honest, Sam, I don’t even know what I would have done if Macklin had tried something with me.
He might not live up to my dreams if anything happened between us.
You know? My crush is based on the fact that he’s hot and he has this sexy voice.
And the way he moves. So powerful and yet graceful on and off the ice. ”
Sam fans herself with her hand, and we both dissolve in a fit of giggles.
“So then kiss him.” She says once we calm down. “There’s no better way to find out if he’s worth dreaming about or not.”
“But what if I was wrong, and I really did have something in my teeth? He’s Macklin Shayba. He could have any woman he wants on or off campus. Why would he want me?”
My best friend sets the hot curling iron down on the tempered glass that tops my vanity and spins my chair around. “Why? Because you’re a catch, Talia. You’re smart, funny, loyal, and smoking hot. The question should be why wouldn’t he want you? You’re beautiful inside and out.”
I pull her down to hug her. “Thanks, babe. But you say that because you’re my best friend. But let’s face it. I’m not beautiful.”
“What the fuck are you talking about? Is it time to get an eye test?”
“No. Come on, Sam. To you I’m beautiful because you love me, the same way my parents think I’m beautiful. But my legs are too short and—”
She cuts me off. “I’ll stop you right now.
I saw the last episode of that stupid reality show, too.
Did Carole and Lexi get in your head? They had no right to say those things to you, Talia.
Your body is perfect the way it is. Their standards are ridiculous and virtually impossible to achieve.
They had notes about everyone’s appearance, with things they didn’t like or wanted to change.
I know you could have used the money if you had been offered a contract, but a part of me is glad you didn’t.
Not if their criticism has already gotten to you.
You’re gorgeous and you’re healthy. And your legs aren’t too short; they’re proportionate to the rest of your body.
If they wanted everyone to be six feet tall like Genevieve, they shouldn’t have selected dancers with different body types.
So please, for the love of God, stop thinking about what they said to you. ”
Deep down, I know she’s right.
But it’s hard not to let that rejection get to me. “Fine.” I exhale. “But even if Macklin wants me, he’s Genevieve’s ex.”
“Yeah, well. No one’s perfect.” Sam laughs.
“I’m serious, Sammie. What about girl code?”
Sam’s hands go to her hips as she pins me with a hard stare. “What about it? Girl code is for friends. You would have to worry about it if Mack were my ex. But you don’t owe Gen anything.”
“She wouldn’t see it that way. We’re sisters.”
“Come on, Talia.” She argues. “Let’s be real. Gen doesn’t care about anyone but herself. If you had an ex-boyfriend she liked, do you think she would ask your permission to date him? And move on if you weren’t ok with her pursuing your ex?”
I know what she means. “No, but…”
“Look, I don’t know if you’ve heard the rumors, but I have. Last year on spring break, Gen propositioned your brother. Word in the house is that it wasn’t Gen who broke up with Mack, but the other way around. That he dumped her because she tried to hook up with Tucker.”
“I think that might be true. I heard Macklin say that he dumped her for cheating at camp. You know, when she kept trying to get back together with him.”
Sam nods. “Then you definitely have no obligation to observe girl code. Gen isn’t your friend, and she cheated.
So I think you should go ahead and find out if Mack was worth crushing on for years.
Next time he looks like he’s going to kiss you, let it happen.
Maybe even make the first move. He’ll be at tonight’s party.
No time like the present, if you ask me. ”
“No fucking way.” I snort. “Besides, I bet Macklin isn’t going to try anything in front of Tucker. You know my brother is the biggest cockblocker in the world.”
Sam’s lips curl in a knowing smile. “But Tucker won’t be at the party tonight. I bumped into Taryn earlier, and she told me it’s the two-month anniversary of their first kiss, and Tucker is taking her out on a date. So it sounds like the coast is going to be clear.”
“I don’t know. Becks will be there too. For a second I thought he was going to kiss me too, the night we met. I’ve been thinking about him ever since. Isn’t crushing on two brothers a little weird?”
“Nope,” Sam decides. “I’ll allow it. Let’s get you into something cute and short and make sure you kiss at least one Shayba brother tonight.”
I’m not as confident about my chances to make that happen as she is, but Sam’s enthusiasm is contagious and by the time we’re ready to go to the arena for the Cove Knights’ exhibition game, I’m in higher spirits than I’ve been in a long time.