Chapter 23 #2
I blow out a breath and unintentionally slip into a smile. “Yeah, Mom wouldn’t tolerate me ditching them on my birthday.”
“Well, it’s your brother’s birthday too, right? Do you have a shared cake?”
“Yeah. A big one. Easy to dunk Milo’s face into it.”
She clicks her tongue. “You don’t, do you?”
I smirk. “Another thing my mom wouldn’t tolerate.”
Tabitha giggles. “She sounds like a good mom.”
“Not according to your dad,” I joke.
She hisses. “Sorry about that. Once he has an impression of someone, it’s hard for him to shake it. I hope your mom isn’t taking it to heart.”
“It’s not the first lecture she’s gotten from him.” Probably not the last either. I still need to get these stitches out, and there’s only so much I can do to avoid Dr. Jones in his hospital. “What’s your family like? Do they make a big fuss over birthdays?”
“We try to.” Tabitha nods, moving around the shoe section. “Freddy, of course, has a huge party. Drew used to have friends over, but that has happened less and less. Come to think of it, I don’t think we did anything for his birthday last year.”
“Oh, that’s rough.”
“Yeah, he left home early, and we didn’t see him for the rest of the day.”
“He’s a real lone wolf, huh?”
“He’s a good brother,” she blurts. “But yes, he can be hard to read. Anyway, we have the quintessential birthday experience with Corbin. He still has the party hats, streamers, face painting, and all the fun games.”
“Do you get roped into helping with his little friends?”
“Yeah, but I don’t mind. Reminds me of my middle school parties.”
“And what is your birthday like these days?”
She smiles. “Do you want tips on how to make your birthday more fun?”
I shrug. “No, I’m just interested.”
I note the blush growing across her olive complexion. “Umm, it’s nothing too wild. I have a party because my friends would think I’m a freak if I didn’t.”
“The same friends that slap you across the face?”
The comment takes the wind out of her sails. Her chin drops, and she stares at me with glossy eyes.
“I’m sorry,” I rush. “I didn’t mean it.”
She slowly nods. “Yes, you did.”
“Okay, I did. But, it’s true, isn’t it?”
She swallows hard and nods again.
“Tabby, I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. I just don’t know why you’re friends with those girls.”
There’s that sparkle in her eyes again as she silently stares at me.
When she continues not to speak but her grin expands, I ask, “What?”
“Tabby,” she breathes. “You called me Tabby, again.”
I wink. “It’s your name, isn’t it?”
“Only my family and friends call me Tabby.”
I step in close and hook a finger around her wrist. “Can’t I be your friend?”
Her top teeth graze her supple bottom lip, and she whispers, “I hope so.”
My finger slides down to her palm, and the rest of my fingers follow suit. A soft gasp purrs out of her, and then her fingers reach for mine. In an exhilarating moment, our fingers interlace and our palms press together.
Her thumb rubs against the top of my hand. “So, what are the plans for your birthday?”
“Video games and skateboarding.” My mouth runs dry. “Why?”
The rosy pink of her cheeks soaks through her olive skin. “I dunno. I could plan something for you?”
“What, like a rager?”
She giggles, and it’s another zing to the heart. “Not unless you wanted one.”
I smirk. “I don’t want one.”
“That’s why I wouldn’t suggest one.” Her bracelet grazes against my wrist. “But, I’m serious. I could plan something fun for you and your friends that’s beyond the norm.”
“I dunno. We’re all pretty chill.”
Tabitha nudges toward the front of the department store. “The arcade is right around the corner. Do you guys ever hang out there?”
“Not on the regular.”
“At least it’s a change of scenery.”
The way the light dances in her eyes makes me want to let her plan a party of epic proportions. Anything to keep her looking this happy.
I shake my head, holding her hand tighter. “I don’t need anything planned. I just need good people around me.”
“Oh.”
I shoot my shot. “What are you doing on Sunday?”
The rose turns red and spreads over her nose. “You want to see me on your birthday?”
“I don’t just hold hands with anyone,” I joke. “Come to think of it, I’ve never done this before.”
Tabby looks down at our linked hands, and I feel her shiver.
I let out a nervous laugh. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I just…” she trails off, and a smile calms the nerves showing on her face. “I’ve wanted a moment like this for so long. I just never expected—”
When she doesn’t finish the sentence, I offer, “For it to be with someone like me?”
Her gaze lifts to meet mine, and she has trouble stifling her laugh. “Yeah.”
I smile back at her. It doesn’t even matter what she says when I get to hear that laugh.
Her teeth graze her bottom lip, and then she whispers, “I like it.”
Something twinges in my lower back. My jaw tightens, and my ease smothers in guilt. I can’t tell Tabitha I also like it. Once I do, I’ve completely back-stabbed Jamie.
I let out a gasp and fling Tabitha’s hand from mine. I’ve already stabbed Jamie in the back. I’m hanging with the enemy. I’m comforting the enemy.
“Kai?” her voice trembles as I stumble backward. “Wh-what’s wrong?”
“What are we doing?” I blurt, the racks of shoes mocking me. “What am I doing?”
“I… I don’t understand.”
“We can’t be doing this,” I utter under the store’s fluorescent lights. “I can’t be holding your hand.”
Her frame shrinks smaller. “Oh, I see. Umm, yeah, okay. I get it.”
“Do you?” I question, stepping closer to her. “You know, Jamie’s my best friend.”
She nods frantically. “Yes, I know.”
“And you’ve…”
“Said horrible things to her,” she rushes ahead of me.
I exhale slowly. “Yeah, you have.”
She lifts her shoulders slightly higher. “And I promised I wouldn’t do it again. And I haven’t since I made that promise.”
“I know, but…”
“But, I told you,” she cuts in again, “I would be Camila’s target to save Jamie.”
I groan. “I don’t want that.”
She raises her palms in exasperation. “But you don’t want to get caught by your friend.”
I rub the heel of my palm against my throbbing forehead. “This is a mess.”
“Kai, just tell me what you want to do. I thought we were getting closer, but if you want to stop that…”
This time I cut her off. “I don’t know what I want.” I lower my hand and see the sadness in her glossy doe eyes. “Yeah, we were getting closer, and it was nice. But I don’t want to do this behind my friend’s back.”
“I love how loyal you are to her.”
“I lied to her, Tabby. I lied to Jamie. I never do that.”
“Oh.”
“I lied to her because I wanted to spend time with you, and I didn’t want Jamie to ruin it.”
She chews her lip again. “So what does this mean?”
With a drooping posture, I huff. “No idea. This sucks.”
Tabby gathers her curls to the side, and she sniffs against the wetness coating her lash line. “I’m so confused. You just asked me to see you on your birthday, and now you’re flinging me away.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “But I’m confused too.”
“I already have friends who toy with my emotions,” she mutters roughly. “I don’t need another.”
My stomach twists with another ugly dose of guilt. I wince and say, “I know.”
She takes a step back and lifts her palms in front of her. “So, do we just stop this right here before it goes any further?”
As my stomach churns, my chest eases. As sappy as it sounds, there’s no conflicting emotions tearing at my heart.
I step forward and interlock my hands with Tabby’s. “No, this doesn’t stop here.”
“But you…”
In a rush, I squeeze her hands and push my lips onto hers. The tension in my shoulders subsides, and the angst knotting my spine unravels. After a moment of reservation, Tabby’s pouty mouth melds against mine. Her floral perfume awakens my senses, and I kiss her once more before pulling away.
I open my eyes to her, softly blinking. She utters some questioning sounds, and I smirk through my blush.
“Was that okay?” I mumble.
Still unable to get out a word, she nods as a smile curls her lips.
“Look, I freaked out,” I admit. “But I don’t want to stop seeing you.”
She giggles, cupping a hand over her mouth. “You kissed me.”
“Yeah,” I laugh. “I did.”
“I figured you'd wanna keep seeing me if you kissed me?”
“Plus, this place ain’t exactly my scene. I wouldn’t have kissed you in a freaking shoe department if I didn’t think you were special.”
Her doe eyes round in the most delicate way. “I’m special?”
“Do you see me kissing anyone else?”
Her fingers tap her bottom lip. “It’s another first for me,” she whispers.
“The kiss?”
She nods.
“But you’re so pretty.”
A glee-filled gasp pours out of her. “I’m pretty?”
I snort. “Is the sky blue?”
She fans her face in response.
“Seriously, I figured you had a boyfriend. How is a girl like you single?”
She shrugs. “Well, I’m not exactly the nicest person at our school.”
I cup the side of her face and draw my thumb under her chin. “When you’re away from those catty girls, you’re an angel.”
She mumbles a laugh. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Well, I still think you’re special. Special enough to tell my friends about.”
She gasps. “Would you really do that? They’d never accept…”
I lower my hand to her shoulder, halting her rushing words. “My friends won’t accept you hanging out with girls who bully you. End of sentence.”
She blows out a braver breath.
I nudge my head over her shoulder and toward the front of the store. “Maybe we should check out the arcade? Seeing as you suggested it for my birthday.”
There’s a giddiness as she clasps my hand. “Okay.”