Page 16 of Before We’re More Than Friends (When We Faced the Music #1)

Raina

T he boy who had body-slammed his plate of food into me changed his entire demeanor. He’d been in the middle of fighting with me when he just stopped and stared at me like a deer in headlights.

“Are you going to finish?” I asked, the annoyance in my voice still present. “I’m a complete what ?”

He cursed, but it wasn’t any of the names I’d been expecting.

“Um, thanks?” I blinked. “That’s a new one.”

“No, it’s—You—” He ran a hand through his dark curls. “Forget it.”

“Dallas!” a girl with a black ponytail shouted at him as she ran over, Arielle running after her. “Dallas, are you okay?”

“Raina, what did you do?” Arielle asked, panic in her voice.

“What did I do?” I gestured to my mess of a shirt. “You’re asking the wrong person.”

“Hey, there was no reason for you to treat my brother that way,” the black-haired girl snapped at me, crossing her arms over her chest. “It was an accident.”

If I heard that word one more time, I was going to accidentally hit someone with the nearest object. “I’m sorry, okay?” I shot back. “But I’m pretty sure you’d be upset if the same thing happened to you.”

“Well, this is the worst way to meet my sister,” Arielle said, rubbing her neck. “Kami and Dallas, this is Raina, the ray of sunshine.”

“Um, who are they?” I asked, my tone edgier than I intended it to be.

“Oh, gosh,” Dallas muttered, his panic replaced with disdain. “Please don’t tell me she volunteers at the shelter too.”

“She’s usually in a better mood when she’s around animals,” Arielle grumbled before facing me. “Dallas and Kami are the new vet’s kids that we’ve been talking about.”

Well, wasn’t that just great. I’d managed to become enemies with the people I’d be volunteering with. “Fantastic.”

Kami looked like she wanted to make a sarcastic remark, but instead, she mustered a small smile and held out her hand. “This isn’t the ideal way to meet you, but we’ll move past this.”

I shook her hand, a part of my soul dying from the awkwardness. I felt like I was meeting one of my mom’s coworkers at a country club dinner after belching soda. “It’s somewhat nice to meet you.” I faced Dallas. “I’ve clearly already met you.”

He gave an awkward laugh. “You have.”

“Um, here.” Kami took off her red jacket and gave it to me. “You can take yours off and cover up your shirt with this.”

“It’s fine. Arielle always brings a change of clothes just in case,” I said as I handed the jacket back. The best part of having an identical twin with the same form as you was that you could wear each other’s clothes if something like this happened.

“Let me get my bag,” Arielle said before leaving toward the table.

“I’m sorry, again,” Dallas said, barely moving from the spot he’d been standing in for the entire ordeal. “I-I should’ve?—”

“It’s done,” I told him. “It was an accident.” I fought the urge to cringe at my words. Why do so many big accidents keep happening? Are my negative thoughts attracting them?

“Here we go,” Arielle said as she sprinted to me with her bag. She threaded her arm through mine before leading us toward the bathroom.

“You didn’t have to make me feel stupider than I already felt, you know,” I grumbled, my skin flushing with embarrassment.

She grunted. “Raina, don’t even start. I was having a great night.”

“Are you really blaming me because someone you just met ruined my outfit?”

Sienna had made us matching tank tops with glittery dog footprints, and we’d wanted to rock them together tonight. What happened was the last thing I’d needed.

“I’m not blaming you,” she hissed. “I’m upset that you don’t even think half of the time. I had enough with Mom and Dad today, and I don’t want to get started with you.” She looked me in the eyes, hers cold and heavy. “Please.”

“I’m always thinking. That’s the problem.” I huffed. “You don’t understand.”

“I do understand. But you usually don’t lash out at people to the point that I can hear you screaming over the music blasting.”

Heat filled my cheeks. “Was I really that loud?”

“I wouldn’t have said that if you weren’t.” She opened the door to the bathroom but didn’t hold it open for me.

“Listen, I’m sorry,” I said as I followed her into the biggest stall, slipping my jacket off. A few girls were at the sink, their ears probably piping up at our conversation. “I’ll make things right with them, okay?”

“That’s not what I’m worried about,” she whispered as she pulled a plain pink shirt and black leggings out of her purse. “ I’m worried about you. I don’t want to lose the one person who’s with me in this mess.”

“You won’t lose me,” I whispered back, positive that everyone else could still hear us. I turned around to take my ruined shirt off and put my new one on.

“Is that my rhinestone bra I lost?”

“You didn’t lose it.” I took my leggings off and jumped into my new ones. “I stole it back.”

“Are you sure?”

I groaned. “I have the receipt.”

“Dang it.” She frowned. “I really loved that one.”

Yeah, I take back what I said about fitting into your twin’s clothes. “How much longer do we have to stay here?” I asked, annoyance growing in my voice.

“Sienna and Gracelynn haven’t arrived yet.”

“Gracelynn isn’t coming.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Because Caleb is hanging out with us?”

Gracelynn and Caleb had dated from eighth grade to sophomore year, and long story short, they hated each other’s guts now.

Even though Caleb was also our friend, I knew how much it upset Gracelynn whenever he tried to get under her skin.

The two of them couldn’t be within a certain radius without bickering.

Sucked for your biggest enemy to be your next-door neighbor.

I put my dirty clothes into Arielle’s bag. “That and because she had a fancy event with her mom and other stuck-up rich women.” I sucked in a breath as I thought about how our mom used to bring us, even though we hated it as much as Gracelynn did. Now she didn’t even attend them by herself.

Arielle’s frown deepened. “Gosh, poor girl. Her mom is the worst.”

“She really is.” But at least she’s always sober and stays true to her word . I shook away the thought as I opened the stall door.

By the time we made it back to our table, most of our friends were finished eating. Oliver and Kami were giggling at something that probably wasn’t even that funny while Hayden and Caleb exchanged eye rolls.

Dallas was the first to look up at me, the same worry in his eyes that had been there before. “Are you feeling better now?”

“Yeah.” No . I sat in the chair that had my purse on it, between him and Arielle. “Now there isn’t hot cheese sitting on my stomach.”

“That’s a good feeling.” His lips barely formed a smile as his eyes traveled everywhere except at me.

The group talked for a few minutes before Oliver got up from his chair. “Anyone want to dance?”

“I do,” Kami piped up, springing from her chair.

“I wonder how long it takes until you two make out near the cheese fountain or some crap,” Hayden muttered as he got up.

Caleb stood up as well. “I’ll spray hot cheese all over you if I see that.”

Oliver shot a glare at his friends. “Stop being embarrassing before I push you both into the cheese fountain.”

“I’m so terrified.” Caleb held up his hands.

Arielle got up from her chair. “Are you guys coming?”

“I don’t dance,” Dallas said, shifting in his seat. “Maybe I’ll catch up with you guys later.”

I nodded. “I don’t really feel like doing anything right now.”

Arielle frowned but quickly covered it up with another one of her big smiles that could give Oliver a run for his money. “If you say so.” She skipped away to join the others.

After a few beats of silence, Dallas broke the ice between us. “I didn’t expect so many people to be here.”

“Yeah, the Saturn Frenzy is pretty much the most popular non-dance event of each semester. It gets pretty wild.” I fiddled with my soda. “There’s even a kissing game held in some random classrooms with lines out the door.”

Dallas glanced at the dance floor. “Judging by the way Kami and Oliver are looking at each other, it’s about to get even wilder.”

I laughed. “I hope she doesn’t have too high expectations. He’s a great kisser, but he makes a better friend than a boyfriend. In my opinion, at least.”

“Yeah.” He bit his lip and stared at his hands.

“Are you okay?”

He looked up again, his dark brown eyes deep enough for me to almost fall into. And not in a good way. “Why?”

“Did I upset you too much?” Guilt weighed on my chest. Why had I been such a jerk to him? “I’m sorry if I did. I had a terrible day.”

“It’s fine.” He scratched the back of his neck. “Haven’t had the best few days, either, but I’m feeling better.”

“Do you want to get something to eat? You know, that won’t end up on me.” I offered a smile. “Sorry, too soon?”

“No, it’s okay.” He fiddled with his root beer can. “I feel too sick to my stomach to eat.”

I nodded. “You didn’t want to come here either?”

He shook his head. “Not at all. Kami pushed me to come because she wanted to hang out with everyone.”

“And suck Oliver’s face off.”

He gave a little laugh, two dimples appearing on both cheeks. “She wants to have some fun. Moving for the first time is hard for both of us. I miss everything in Dallas.”

“I’m sorry you had to move.” I crossed one leg over the other. “Was it because of your mom’s job?”

“Yeah, we weren’t expecting it, but it is what it is.” He looked around as if he was looking for an excuse to leave. “I’m going to use the bathroom.” Kaboom.

“Okay.” I watched him get up from his chair, but he went in the wrong direction. Maybe he didn’t know where the bathrooms were, which would make sense, but I doubted he actually had to use it. He’d probably rather dance than talk to me about his personal life for a moment longer.

I couldn’t blame him.

After a few minutes of trying to drown out the noise around me, someone sat beside me. “Hey, daydreamer.” I looked up to see Sienna, her favorite gray beanie keeping her head warm. “Ooh, warm chair, who was here with you?”

“Hey.” I fiddled with my nails. “Just some guy.”

“Ooh.” She pursed her signature red lips, batting her long black lashes that were decked out in mascara.

“It’s that Dallas guy our friends have been talking about,” I said as she handed me a bag of popcorn from the nearby cart. “His full plate of food met my shirt before we met.”

Sienna cringed. “Gosh, did he spill his food on you? Or did he throw up on you like Adam did?”

“He looked like he might do the latter.” I blinked. “Wait, what happened to Adam?”

“Oh, don’t get me started.” Sienna put a hand on her forehead. “I had to stop to get gas, and Adam decided to puke outside the pump. Then he puked on the worker lady who was trying to help us.” She put her head in her hands. “I’ll probably never be allowed at Quick and Easy again.”

“Such a shame. Our Quick and Easy station is the best in the country.”

“Thanks for making me feel better.”

I put my hand on hers. “That’s what friends are for.”

“Surprise! ”

A popcorn kernel went down my throat and I coughed, my pulse spiking.

“Did I scare you?” Emma asked, bouncing around me.

“Nearly killed me.” I tried to laugh it off, but my heart banged against my ribs.

“I told you not to scare Raina like that,” Sienna scolded, her eyebrows furrowing at her cousin.

Emma stuck her lip out. “Sorry. I hope I didn’t make your anxiety bad, Raina.”

I forced a smile. “You didn’t.”

Emma whispered something to Sienna, and the only thing I could make out was “she” and “her.” Sienna whispered back, and Emma waved at me before going over to the food area.

“Sorry about her.” Sienna sighed. “Kids have a one-track mind.”

“Just like boys.” I rested my chin on my hands as we caught up for a few minutes. It put me at ease knowing there was no judgment with her. Of all my friends, she understood me the most.

After we talked for a while, Emma came up to Sienna, covered in paint as she put a stuffed polar bear into her purse. “I want to go to the park.”

“After doing all of that?” Sienna asked. “I haven’t even done anything.”

“You haven’t even spent time with me here.” Emma made a heart with her hands and broke it. “Not a very good babysitter.”

Sienna sighed and faced me. “Want to join?”

I got up from the table and strung my purse over me. “Yes, please.” Arielle could say whatever she wanted—I’d had enough of this humiliating event.

We made our way into the park across from the school. It wasn’t the dog park, the one I used to visit with Isabelle—gosh, whatever she was doing, I bet she was having a way better night than I was—and Penrose, but it was still better than staying at the chaotic event.

I sat on the swings next to Sienna and Emma, closing my eyes and letting my feet swing in the air. I sighed as the air blew past me.

“You needed this, huh?” Sienna asked.

I opened my eyes and grinned. “This is way better than some stupid Saturn Frenzy.”

“No puke, no food spilling, no crowds.” Sienna watched Emma fly super high. “Just hoping that Emma doesn’t fall off the swings.”

“Stop being worried!” Emma said as she swung.

A new fear popped into my mind. What if she did fall off? Did Sienna have first aid in her purse? What if we had to walk all the way back to school while she was bleeding and beg for help? The school nurse didn’t work during events.

I closed my eyes again. Stop .

Sienna scoffed. “Easy for you to say. You don’t have anything to worry about other than grades and calling dibs on the recess equipment.”

“I miss those days,” I said, calming myself down by channeling every ounce of the inner child in me.

When I shut my eyes, I wasn’t the stressed-out teenager with a mind and life that was falling apart.

I was a little girl on the swings having the time of her life under the moonlight. “Appreciate them while you can, Emma.”