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“Malia?” I can’t believe my eyes.
First, MT is out of her room. Second, she’s flirting with – actually kissing! – a guy. A guy who isn’t the surfer boy she’s been absolutely obsessed with since we got here.
She flinches when she hears my voice, and I can’t deny that it still hurts. Sure, we’re on better terms than we were, but I’ve got a long way to go before she forgives me for the hospital thing.
I’ve tried apologising so many times, but she just doesn’t seem to understand how worried I am about her. How scared I am for her.
“Summer. What are you doing here?”
“It’s a library, MT. I’m finding a book for my assignment. Though it looks like you’re using the library for something other than its intended purpose.” I aim for teasing but I think my tone comes off bitchy.
I don’t mean to, but I’m hurt too. My best friend is keeping me at arms’ length, not giving me a chance to put things right. And although she’s getting better and I’m thrilled for her, it stings that she doesn’t need me anymore.
And that she didn’t tell me about this guy.
“Hi, I’m Summer,” I smile at the guy Malia was flirting with. I swear I heard kissing sounds before I walked around the corner, but those can’t have been from them, can they?
The guy, who’s so tall and so wide and, quite frankly, terrifying, scowls at me and says nothing,
My parents warned me that there were bad people at SCU, people looking to take advantage or and hurt Malia, and this guy looks exactly like one of them.
“Are you going to introduce me to your friend, Malia?” I prompt when no one says anything.
“No.”
This whole interaction is getting more awkward by the second.
Before I can formulate a response to that, the tattoo-covered guy turns on his heels and leaves without uttering a single word to me, though he does this weird, silent nod thing to Malia that makes me think that they just had a whole secret conversation that I’m not privy to.
“Rude,” I mutter under my breath before catching the look on Malia’s face and laughing. “Oh man, you’ve got it baaaaaad.”
“What? No I don’t!” Malia cries, her cheeks turning pink.
“Mmm-hmm, sure you don’t. Malia, is that a second guy you’re crushing on?” I tease.
She turns bright red from her hairline all the way down under the modest scoop neck of her T-shirt.
“You have to tell me everything!” I insist. If there’s one thing Malia and me can bond over, it’s her newfound interest in guys.
“There’s nothing to tell.” Malia shuffles from foot to foot, and I know that she’s lying.
“You’re so screwed!” I laugh. She scowls at me but it just makes me laugh harder. “Does this mean you don’t want to go on that date with Cove anymore?”
“No!” she panics.
“No? No, you don’t want to date Cove? You’ve moved on to tat-guy?”
“Cove has tattoos too. And I mean, yes. I still want the date with Cove.”
“Ah so you have a type. Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“Okay, set the date up with Cove. And we’ll see how it goes. Just promise me you’ll be careful. Girls are still disappearing. If all goes well, we can do the same again if you want to go on a date with Mr. McMuscles.”
Malia squeals and hugs me again and I quickly return it. Another step closer to forgiveness.
“I’ve got to go, but text me the details of your date when it’s arranged and I’ll sort everything out. I’ll even help you get ready and refresh your hair if you like.”
