CHAPTER 3

VELVET POV

Mr. Tillman’s voice droned on about coding patterns and simple program structures, his marker squeaking against the board in a rhythm that made my eyelids heavier by the second.

I had my phone propped up, recording the lecture like a responsible student.

Then I fell asleep.

Soft giggles pulled me back to consciousness. Millie’s giggles. And another voice — loud, dramatic, impossible to ignore.

Amber.

I opened my eyes slowly, their blurred faces sharpening into view. Amber was already mid-story, acting something out with wild hand gestures while Millie looked like she was physically fighting for her life not to laugh.

“And when he walked up to me acting all cool,” Amber whispered loudly, “I dumped the glass of water on his head and walked out with a hair flip.”

Millie choked.

Actually choked.

Her cheeks puffed out like a dying fish trying not to explode.

“I’d rather you scream than look like you’re having an allergic reaction,” I muttered, my voice dry.

Both of them snapped their attention to me.

“I didn’t want to wake you,” Millie said, grinning. “But Amber is too funny.”

“Hey, you,” Amber added, pointing at me. “You slept through class. While recording the lesson. That’s pro-level smartness.”

I rolled my eyes but still smiled as I packed my things.

We left the lecture hall and headed off campus to the open-air café near the lake. The one with the metal railing and the constant breeze. My favorite spot.

Millie and Amber rushed for the two table chairs. I didn’t bother competing — I walked straight to the bench near the railing and stretched out.

Perfect.

The waiter came.

“Double cheeseburger. Cola. Fries,” I said.

Amber ordered the same — minus the double.

Millie ordered… a Diet Coke and a salad.

Amber and I spoke at the exact same time.

“Salad?”

Millie stared at us like we were the problem.

“At least don’t give flies free entrance,” she said coolly to Amber, who's mouth hung open.

The waiter escaped before we could escalate.

The second he left, Amber leaned forward like a detective.

“So. Who’s the boy?”

I rolled my eyes.

But honestly? I wanted to know too.

I leaned my chin into my palm and stared at Millie.

“It’s no one,” she said. “Have you seen me hang out with a boy?.

“The messages,” Amber said.

“The calls,” I added.

“The random smiling at your phone,” Amber continued.

“The smiling even after the phone is off,” I finished.

Millie looked personally attacked.

“You two are insane.”

“Even if you don’t tell us now,” Amber said sweetly, “we’ll find out eventually.”

I wasn’t about to investigate Millie’s secret lover.

But Amber was right. We always found out eventually.

Millie suddenly turned to me.

“Forget me. Velvet… about yesterday. What’s your answer?”

My gut told me she was deflecting.

But I still paused. Studied her face. The hopeful look in her green eyes.

I sighed.

“You win,” I said. “I’m staying. For summer.”

Her face lit up like fireworks.

Amber blinked. “What bet? Who’s leaving? Don’t tell me someone’s relocating.

I didn’t bother explaining. Millie did.

Amber’s scream nearly got us kicked out of the café.

“OUR GIRL IS STAYING?!”

People stared.

“Sorry!” she whispered loudly. “Continue.”

Then she grinned at me.

“Our girl is finally ready to show that ass this summer.”

I smacked her arm.

“Who said anything about showing ass?”

My accent thickened automatically when I was annoyed.

“Come on,” Amber said. “Parties. Beach. Chaos. Fun. Bad decisions.”

“Sex,” she added casually.

I cursed in Chinese.

She blinked. “No idea what that means but I accept it.”

“There’s no going back now,” she continued dramatically. “I can’t wait to have my pants taken off.”

Millie laughed.

I laughed.

Amber laughed the loudest.

....

The food arrived.

No straw in my drink.

I stared at the waiter.

“Does the straw come with a special presentation?”

He stared back.

Then slowly walked away to get one.

For a second I thought we were about to fight.

I was ready.

He returned with the straw.

I took a long sip and immediately attacked my burger.

“Slow down,” Millie said. “You’re going to choke.”

“It’s 1:15,” I replied. “I haven’t eaten all day.”

They laughed while I demolished the meal.

When I finished, I leaned back against the

railing.

“Indigestion is real,” I muttered, pulling off my jacket so the breeze hit my skin.

Amber leaned forward again.

“So. Summer plans. Real ones.”

“I’m getting a tattoo,” she said proudly.

“And I’m getting Millie’s brother.”

Millie choked this time.

“A tattoo?” she asked slowly. “Isn’t that a bit—”

“Much?” Amber finished. “We're  adults. I’m 20. Millie’s 20. Velvet’s 19. We’ve  grown up.”

We've grown up.

The words hit me harder than they should have.

Mom said the same thing last night.

“You’re right,” I said quietly, leaning back and staring at the sky.

Amber kept talking about tattoos and bad decisions and Millie’s brother.

But my thoughts drifted.

Grown up .

Funny.

Because for some reason…

my mind went straight to him.

That annoying, insufferable—

Why am I even thinking about him now?

Millie and Amber kept circling the same argument like it was a sport.

Amber wanted Millie’s brother.

Millie wanted her to stop wanting  him.

And somehow, by the end of every back-and-forth, Amber looked even more convinced.

“So where are we getting the tattoo done?” I asked, mostly to change the subject.

“There’s this place,” Amber said immediately. “I used to go there alot”

Mille blinked. “You used to get tattoos?”

“No.” Amber scoffed. "I followed people who got tattoos."

“I don’t want my first tattoo looking messy. I hope the place is professional.”

“It’s dope professional,” Amber said, grinning like she already saw the future.

“Once I get this tattoo, I’m flaunting it right in front of your brother.”

Emily laughed.

Amber kept talking.

I stopped listening.

My gaze drifted past them, past the sidewalk, to the parking lot.

And there—

like the universe had a sense of humor—

he was standing there.

Zephyr

Just… there. Leaning slightly, scanning the lot like he owned the air. And next to him, someone else.

Dean

Talking. Existing. Breathing in the same space.

My jaw tightened before I could stop it.

“ugh,” I muttered under my breath"how do they know each other " I thought

It hadn't even clocked twenty four hours and I'm seeing him two times in a  fucking row.

How annoying.

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