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“Okay, let’s do this,” Kye said, picking up a bowling ball and skipping to the lane.
“You’ve got to avoid the gutters,” Zane called, and Kye flipped him off over his shoulder, focusing on the lane.
“Ten bucks says he misses.”
“Make it twenty.” Chloe chuckled, flashing me an appreciative smile.
I gave her a small nod, scrubbing my jaw. Chloe was strong. She’d get over what happened with Dan and move onto the next guy. And if things went wrong again, hopefully she knew we’d always have her back.
“You know, Nix… if you ever want to talk to me about Harleigh… I’m here.”
“I’m just here to bowl,” I said, standing to take my turn.
Because I couldn’t talk about Harleigh right now, not after last night, not without feeling that oppressive black cloud swarming me.
“Okay. I won’t mention her again,” she whispered, but I didn’t reply.
What was there to say?
Harleigh hated me. The kind of hatred that embedded in your soul. There was clearly shit we needed to talk about. I didn’t know her story and she sure as fuck didn’t know mine. But would I ever get the chance to make her hear me out?
Did I even deserve it?
Watching Zane lose his shit over losing to Kye and Chloe was exactly the kind of distraction I needed.
“You are such a sore loser,” I taunted, laughter rumbling in my chest.
“Fuck you, man. Fuck. You.” He picked up the cap off one of our soda bottles and threw it at me. I ducked and it ricocheted off the leather banquette behind me.
“This place is all right,” Kye said.
“Told you.” Chloe grinned. She seemed better, back to her usual snarky, sassy self. “They have a games room in the back. Want me to beat your ass at pool?”
“That was one time, Clo. One fucking time and you’ve never let me live it down.”
“Damn right I haven’t, brother.” She glanced over at me. “We can play doubles?”
“I’m in.” Zane stood, drained his soda and said, “Lead the way.”
“I guess we’re playing pool,” I murmured. A couple of people playing on the next lane over watched us, the way people did whenever kids from The Row wandered across the border into Old Darling Hill. But I let their judgment roll off my back.
“What’s up with you?” Kye asked as Chloe and Zane racked up the balls.
“My old man told me that he wants me gone after graduation.”
“What the fuck?”
“Yeah.” I blew out a steady breath. “We got into it… Thought he was going to beat the shit out of me. Instead, he told me he wants me gone.”
“Shit, Nix, that’s—”
“It is what it is.” I raked a hand through my hair. “I always knew it would happen one day. Either that or we’d end up killing each other.”
His expression turned grim. “Don’t joke about that shit. It isn’t funny.”
“Who says I’m joking?”
“What are you two pussies talking about?” Zane joined us.
