Chapter 25 Kai #2
Deep breath. "Yeah, the suspicions are high. I guess telling them will have to be like ripping off a band-aid."
She texts back, "You don’t have to tell them if you don’t want to."
Facing my friends’ reactions is one thing, but making Tabitha feel bad is way worse. I don’t want her thinking I’m ashamed to be with her. She’s worth more to me than keeping her a secret.
"I want to.," I text.
Pocketing my phone, I make it upstairs. “Any of you knuckleheads staying for pizza?”
“I refuse to let Maddy’s stuffy boyfriend buy me dinner,” Jamie complains, flinging her controller at Tyler. “I’m in.”
“I can’t,” Tyler says, tapping through the setup menu on the screen. “Dad blows a gasket when I’m out too long the night before a game.”
“My parents are going to this dinner for my dad’s work,” Parker says, tossing his controller at me. “Somehow, I got roped into looking after my little brother.”
“And he’s bribed me to hang out with them,” Lewis adds.
“So, it’s just James staying?” I ask, unable to decide if that’s the best or worst-case scenario.
“You know what that means,” Jamie says, firing finger guns at me. “Double order of pepperoni.”
I send her a wink back, and leave the controller on the coffee table for someone to grab. I jog down the stairs to let Mom know it’s only Jamie sticking around.
“Oh, then maybe we can go out tonight,” Mom says in an upbeat tone.
Zero point. “Nah, don’t worry about it,” I mutter. “We’ll stay in.”
Should I suggest dim sum instead? Oof, no. I couldn’t handle the Jamie-Tabitha face-off if I don’t strike up the nerve to admit my feelings.
It’s not long until the boys leave and Jamie and I join my family in the dining room when the pizzas arrive.
“Are your grandparents getting here tomorrow?” Jamie asks eagerly, angling a slice of pepperoni in front of her mouth.
“No, they can’t make it this weekend,” Dad answers.
It makes me flinch. “They’re not? Since when?”
“The contractors still haven’t finished their home repairs,” Mom replies. “They’ll be here next weekend instead.”
“Well, that sucks. They’re always here for our birthdays.” I nod at Milo. “Why aren’t you more pissed?”
He shrugs with a mouthful of pizza. “I already knew.”
“Milo,“ Mom complains. “Don’t talk with your mouth full.”
“Such a bummer,” Jamie says with a sigh. “I love when your grandparents are here.”
“They’ll definitely be here next weekend?” I ask, pivoting between Mom and Dad.
“That’s what they tell us,” Dad says, nodding.
“I guess that means we celebrate our birthday twice,” I suggest.
“Once is enough,” Milo mutters.
Jamie sniggers. “Why, Milo? Don’t like the attention?”
At that, Milo stammers some nonsensical sounds. He haphazardly fixes his glasses on the bridge of his nose and goes a slight shade of pink.
I smirk and nudge Jamie. “Take that as a no.”
She chuckles beside me, picking up another slice of pizza.
“Kai, don’t overeat,” Mom warns. “This meal wouldn’t exactly thrill your coach.”
“Oh, please,” I retort. “You just know Coach Lyle is kicking back with a beer and pizza right about now.”
Mom laughs it off, but she keeps an eye on me until finally Jamie and I retreat upstairs.
I crash on the couch and can’t help remembering Jamie’s aversion to her aunt’s new boyfriend. “So, is Maddy really serious about this guy?”
“She claims to be. I have a theory she’s with him for the chance to live out a rom-com. She’s never really had a boyfriend before.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Jamie sighs. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For not being like the other guys and saying it’s unbelievable because my aunt’s so hot.”
“Granted, she’s not much older than us, but it’s still kinda gross. I’m not gonna drool over your aunt.”
“That’s one thing I like about you,” she says, reclining against an oversized throw pillow. “You don’t pine over any girls.”
My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. Just as I’m lining up a nice segue into confessing my feelings for Tabitha, Jamie shoots it down.
At my stunned silence, Jamie tilts her head and asks, “What, am I wrong?”
Now! Say it! What’s wrong with you? Say it!
Jamie laughs to herself, hugging her waist. “Didn’t think so.”
In the most unflattering way, I clear my throat. “I could, though.”
Her eyebrow arches. “Could what?”
“Like a girl.”
“Oh, you have that function, do you?” she teases.
“Yeah.” I sit taller. “As a matter of fact, I do.”
“Look, I know I’m amazing,” she says sarcastically, “but don’t start falling in love with me.”
I splutter a laugh. “You wish.”
“As if. You’re not my type.”
“And since when have you had a type? Any time the guys talk about girls, you make them change the subject.”
“Because I prefer not to be repulsed,” she argues.
“Sure, sure, James,” I tease. “The thought of you dating someone doesn’t even compute with me.”
“Ugh.” She grabs the pillow from behind her and whacks me with it. “It’s not like you’re some Romeo.”
I grab the pillow from her. “I guess I’ve been holding out for the right girl.”
“And since when have you been thinking about girls?”
“I’m allowed to think, aren’t I?”
She chuckles. “Kai, man, you think too much.”
Just do it. “You know, I can’t help but think about girls since being paired up with Tabitha in chemistry.”
Her lip upturns with repulsion. “Does she make you realize you’re better off single?”
I can’t help but huff. I didn’t think this would be easy, but does it have to be this hard? “She’s not that bad, you know?”
Jamie gawks at me. “Not that bad? Are we even talking about the same girl?”
“You might actually like her if you gave her a chance.”
Jamie sits taller, and I can tell by the look on her face, I’ve blown this big time. “Give her a chance? When exactly would you like me to do that? When she’s calling me a mute freak, or when she’s calling me a freak in a skirt?”
I shift uncomfortably, hoping for a Hail Mary. “Wasn’t Camila the one who said those things?”
“What’s with you?” Her eyes scan me like she doesn’t know who I am. “Why are you defending these girls?”
“Not girls,” I correct. “It’s just one girl. You know, Tabitha and I have been hanging out a lot.”
She deadpans me. “A lot? What exactly does a lot mean?”
“Well, you know we’ve been studying together, right?”
“Barely. Are you saying you’ve hung out with her outside of school?”
I nod, feeling beads of sweat forming on my hairline. “Yeah, a few times.”
“Eww. Why?“ She pushes herself further into the corner of the couch. “It’s not like you to let Mrs. Field win. Why didn’t you sabotage the assignment to make your teacher bend to your will?”
“Because it wasn’t worth it getting back to Coach Lyle and having him bench me over something so ridiculous.”
“So, spending time with Tabitha was better? What planet am I living on?”
I groan, turning away from her as I swipe a hand against my clammy forehead. “Jamie, I’m trying to tell you something important.”
“News flash, I don’t want to hear about you spending time with Tabitha. It was sickening any time you made me recount the nasty things she’s said to me.”
I swallow hard and look back at my fuming friend. “And what about the times she’s stuck up for you?”
She grimaces, shuddering in her crouched position. “What times?”
I sweep my arms wide, flabbergasted. “Hello. She’s stuck her neck out for you countless times. How could you not have appreciated that?”
Jamie leaps off the couch. “Do you realize who you’re talking to right now?”
I exaggerate my blinks. “Yes, Jamie, I see you.”
“So, why are you trying to make me praise Tabitha? Are Camila and Yvette next on your list?”
“What? No, of course not.”
“It’s bad enough I have to deal with the Miss Perfects at school. Can we not ruin a Friday night with their memory?”
My gut turns in on itself, and I sigh at my knees.
Jamie can’t see Tabitha without the other two.
I can’t really blame her, considering her past encounters with the trio.
But if she’d just give Tabitha a chance on her own, we wouldn’t be having this argument.
My hand turns into a fist. How could Jamie not recognize the times Tabitha put herself in danger to save Jamie from further verbal attacks?
I look up at Jamie and force my hand to unclench. “Did you know Camila slapped Tabitha today?”
Jamie burst into laughter. “What? Are you serious?”
I flinch, jolting back on the couch. “Laughing? James, is that seriously your reaction?”
She lifts her hands questioningly. “What? Those two are the cattiest girls in my phys-ed class. It’s hilarious they took each other out.”
“I… I…” I’m shook. I don’t know where to look. I sure as heck can’t look at Jamie’s face right now. “I can’t with you.”
“Can’t what? I don’t get why you’re not celebrating those two taking each other out.”
“Did I say Tabitha hit Camila? No. Camila attacked Tabitha. End of story.”
“So that’s why you’re suddenly Team Tabitha? You feel sorry for her? Sorry, I can’t just forget the vile things she’s done to deserve it.”
“This conversation is going nowhere.”
Screw this. I’m not telling her. I’m not having her continue to mock and ridicule the girl I like.
“I’ll say.” Jamie taps her knuckles on the top of my head. “What did you get up to today? Did you get another concussion?”
“Hey!” I yelp, flinging my head away from her. “Watch it with the knuckles.”
“Well, there has to be a better explanation for you being so weird.”
I groan, flinging my head back against the couch and staring at the ceiling. “I was just trying to talk to you. But now I see it was one of my worst ideas yet.”
“Ditto, because this is a conspiracy I can’t follow,” she says. “Tabitha being a helpless little lamb. Yeah, right. Of all the things you’ve ever shown suspicion about, this is the kookiest.”
“Okay, you’ve got to stop talking before we both say something we regret.”
She scoffs. “What the hell? Why are we fighting over this? It’s so dumb.”
I deadpan her. “Because you can’t accept that people can change.”
“And you think Tabitha has changed?”
“I know it. I have proof.”