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My alarm clock goes off, cutting off Kygo’s ‘Stargazing’ and signalling that it’s time for me to get ready for class. Bhodi will be here soon because we agreed to meet a little earlier today to have breakfast together, but I feel ashamed for making plans with two guys so close together.
Not that this breakfast with Bhodi is a date or anything, but I do like him as much as I like Cove. Which is seriously conflicting.
Worry about that later, Malia. First, get ready!
I’m stupidly excited for my breakfast date with Malia. After the last one went so well, I’ve been keen to spend more time with her outside of class. Getting her to agree to go out on an actual date with me seems to cause her to clam up, but by suggesting I swing by early to pick her up for class and a bite to eat, she’s a lot more relaxed about the whole thing.
Tomato, potato…whatever you call it, I’m getting to spend more time with her, which can only be a good thing.
Unfortunately, Cove told us about his date late night and the prof reported an almost catastrophic attack on the mainland, which must have been what they somehow ended up involved in.
They were lucky to escape.
Just when I thought things were calming down, shit just has to go and get riled up again.
It’s stressful and annoying as fuck.
The prof has told us to be extra vigilant, which is why I insist on picking Malia up from her bedroom each day. I know we have cameras watching her and recording twenty-four seven, but we can’t watch them – or her – around the clock.
As I approach her door today though, it opens and the so-called best friend steps out. She gives me a nervous smile and I return it with a fierce scowl. I don’t like her. I think she’s a shit friend and I don’t trust her. No one worth their salt would. Bullshit does she have Malia’s best interests at heart. She’s up to something, and I’m keeping Malia closer than ever to protect her from this woman when the shit hits the fan.
I stop my music, cutting off Fall Out Boy’s ‘Centuries’ mid-chorus so that I can knock and the door opens straight away. Malia smiles at me in welcome but it doesn’t reach her tired eyes.
“Hey, little dot. How’re you doing today?”
“I’m okay. Tired.”
“Late night?”
“Late night, little sleep, early morning.” She sighs. I know she’s alluding to the events of last night, but she doesn’t know that I know that.God, that made my brain hurt.
There’s a faint bruise forming on her forehead, and I wonder if that’s from where she hit the steering wheel.
I pull her into my arms and she stiffens for a second before relaxing and allowing me to hold her.This is progress.And she fits perfectly, like she was made for my embrace.
Eventually she pulls away, but it feels reluctant to me.
“Oh, here,” I say, handing her the phone box that Cove gave me before I came over. “This was on your doorstep.”
“What is it—oh.”
“You okay?”
“Yeah. I just…I think I lost my phone last night.”
“Looks like someone got you a replacement.”
“Yeah.” She opens the box and takes out the replacement, finding it already fully charged and set up. It didn’t take long to reprogram the three numbers she had saved in there. Mine, Cove’s and the bestie’s. Cove took care of her music.
“Are you ready to go?” I check.
“Yeah. Let me grab my bag. Where are we going today?”
“It’s a surprise,” I tell her with a grin, shifting the straps of my backpack awkwardly. Okay, so it’s notmybackpack per se, but I borrowed it off Reef for this morning’s date.
Malia notices and offers me a raised eyebrow as she shoulders her own rucksack.
“Bag full of books?” she teases.
