Page 22 of Before We’re More Than Friends (When We Faced the Music #1)
Dallas
R aina and Arielle didn’t show up to school the next day, and the headlines on the local news quickly answered why. Raina had not been kidding when she’d told me that her dad was a big deal around here.
Millionaire real estate developer Manuel Vermont found guilty of tax evasion. Four years without paying the IRS. State-wide shock. Trial avoided. Eighteen-month sentence.
Well, at least I finally knew their last name.
Even as I sat in Chemistry now, exchanging sad looks with Hayden from the table next to me, a few students whispered about them. Hayden eventually told them to shut up once they started cracking jokes, his fists clenched.
An ache grew in my chest as I gazed at the empty seat next to me, wishing I could bump elbows with Raina. Wishing she would be at the shelter to feed the bunnies with me this afternoon.
And to think all I’d wanted before today was to escape her.
That afternoon in the shelter, I sat in the break room with the entire group. I was minding my business, scrolling through cat videos on my phone, while Hayden, Oliver, Caleb, and Kami talked among themselves about whether or not it was ridiculous that owners dressed up their pets.
In the middle of the conversation, a brunette wearing a gray beanie and wedged boots strolled in.
“Hey, y’all.” She placed her purse and coffee on the counter before looking at me and Kami, her red lips curving into a smile.
“Dallas and Kami, right? I don’t think we met on Saturday.
” She held out a hand to me first, her wrists full of jangling bracelets. “Sienna.”
I shook her hand, hoping mine wasn’t sweaty. “Nice to meet you.”
She smiled before shaking Kami’s hand. “I don’t volunteer as often as the rest do, but I’m around.”
“That’s because you’re either shopping or waiting in line for coffee,” Caleb said as he opened a bag of chips. “Your bank account is more active than a gym rat.”
Sienna rolled her eyes. “At least I work for my own money.” She leaned against the counter, sipping her coffee. “You know, it’s not the same without the girls here.”
My eyes dropped back to my phone screen so I could avoid the conversation.
“The rumors are driving me crazy,” Hayden said, shuffling his UNO deck. “People are so freaking insensitive.”
“I heard a freshman say that Mr. Vermont is part of an undercover criminal association that commits tax fraud,” Caleb said. “Then I heard their friend say the whole family is part of the association.”
Hayden frowned. “Did you punch them in the face?”
“I don’t think I’m allowed to punch girls, but I did tell them the undercover criminal association also robs people who speak about them.” Caleb shook his head. “Imagine Raina and Arielle in a freaking ski mask and robbing a bank or something.”
“That’s rude,” Sienna said, halfway through her coffee. “I just wish people stopped spreading things and covering it on the news. They’re already suffering enough in private.”
“I didn’t know that their dad was that big,” Kami murmured, sympathy in her voice. “I can’t imagine what they’re going through right now.”
“Me neither,” Oliver said as he put a card in the UNO pile. “I had no idea their dad actually did the crime.”
Hayden’s face pinched as he took a card out of the pile. “I really don’t like that man.”
I nodded. “He’s changed a lot.”
Everyone turned around and stared at me in confusion. I fought the urge to smack my palm against my forehead. Are you freaking serious? That was so easy not to mess up!
“Raina told me about him on Sunday,” I rushed to say, resisting the urge to wince at my lie. Raina wouldn’t have touched that topic with a ten-foot pole with me of all people.
“Is that what happened?” Hayden asked.
No, nothing happened that day! “Yeah.”
If this got back to Raina, she’d kill me with her icy glare.
“She hasn’t really talked to me about it,” Sienna said, a flash of hurt on her face. “Or anyone, I think.”
No, no, no, this was bad. She could easily talk about it with Raina later, and Raina would call me out on my BS.
“It wasn’t too deep,” I hurried to say, sweat running down my back.
“Just a conversation she brought up randomly because we were talking about our parents’ jobs and I asked what her parents did.
Since we were talking about my family’s changes and all.
Nothing super personal.” You’re making it obvious that you’re hiding something, you dip ? —
“Dude, you okay?” Caleb asked. “You’re sweating like Oliver’s mom has the heat blasting in here.”
The air closed in my lungs. “I’m just saying that we—she didn’t?—”
Sienna raised a dark eyebrow. “I feel like I missed something big.”
“We all did,” Oliver said, his own eyebrows drawing together.
“Dallas, what’s going on with Raina?” Kami asked.
“It wasn’t anything important!” I shouted, throwing my hands up like I was fighting with someone. “I didn’t—just forget it!” I bolted from my seat and out the door, not even bothering to slam it shut. I went into the food room to get the bag of puppy food before running into the puppy kennel.
Why, why, why is a stupid girl messing with my head? Just tell everyone the truth, transfer schools, and volunteer at a different shelter.
“Dallas?”
I jumped, dropping the bag onto the floor.
Hayden picked the bag up for me. “Sorry, I just wanted to check on you. You looked like you were about to have a panic attack.”
I was. “Everyone keeps thinking something big happened with me and Raina,” I said. “But it didn’t. And I don’t want anyone asking Raina questions when she’s already having a hard time. Or getting upset at her for what she shares with someone.”
“Nobody’s upset with her,” Hayden said. “But every time Raina’s around or mentioned, you start getting . . . panicked. We’re all picking up on it.”
“Well, we did humiliate ourselves at the Saturn Frenzy.”
“But no one even remembers that. And she’s been nice to you ever since.”
I drew in a deep breath. “I can’t explain it. But I promise nothing happened on Sunday.” I hated the way I kept talking myself into a hole, like Raina and I had hooked up in one of the closets or something. I nearly gagged at the image.
“All right, I believe you.” Hayden held his hands up .
“Thank you.” I held back a sigh of relief.
“But I am worried about you.” Hayden flipped his hair back again. How many times could he do that? My neck would kill me. “We don’t know each other that well yet, but I’ve enjoyed hanging out with you a lot. It’s not often that I meet someone who’s funny and just themselves.”
“I’m happy you see me this way.” I beamed as I opened the bag of puppy food. “Really. I didn’t expect to make great friends so soon.”
“Of course.” He put his hands in his pockets as I filled the first puppy bowl. “Do you want to do something this weekend if you’re free?”
“Sure.” I rubbed Vela the pug’s head. “My birthday is on Sunday, but I celebrate it the day before, so I’ll probably have a nice meal with my family and play with my dog like I do every year.”
Hayden’s mouth dropped. “Your birthday is this weekend?” He said it as if I’d told him I was blasting off to the moon in a few minutes. “And you’re telling me this now?”
“I didn’t feel the need to tell anyone.” I closed Vela’s cage and opened the next. “Plus, my heart’s not really in it this year. My first birthday away from home and all.”
Hayden frowned. “I mean, if doing something will make you feel better . . .”
“You don’t have to do anything,” I said, pouring the next two puppies their food. They barked in happiness. “It’s kind of last minute.”
“It’s only Tuesday.” Hayden opened the next cage for me. “But seriously, if you ever change your mind, I wouldn’t mind doing something with you. I don’t want you moping around this weekend with your mind spiraling around your problems.”
I poured the food for the next litter of puppies. “This is starting to feel like a personal attack. ”
“No pressure.” He held up his hands. “Just let me know if you have any ideas. Anything that makes you feel at home.” It still seemed like there was some pressure behind his words with the way his eyes widened. Please say yes , they begged.
“Well, I’ve been wanting to go outdoor ice skating in the evening like I did for my thirteenth birthday.” I opened the cage for the next two puppies and poured the food into the bowl. “If there’s any place we can do that, I’d be down.”
“Thank you! I mean—” Hayden cleared his throat. “That sounds fun. There’s an outdoor skating rink in Boulder Valley. It’s half an hour away at best.”
My chest tightened. That was where I lied about living to Chloe. “Sounds good.”
Hayden’s eyes widened. “Um, look out?—”
Before I could respond, the puppy twins pounced on me, knocking me into Hayden. We fell onto the floor, the dog food spilling everywhere. The puppies ran over our stomachs and scattered over the kennel.
“I’m sorry,” I said, getting myself off the floor. “I need to pay attention.”
“It happens.” Hayden laughed as I helped him up. “We just have to get them back in the cage.”
It didn’t sound hard, but these two puppies were bouncing from wall to wall, causing the other puppies to bark in their cages. My ears rang from all the noise.
I let out a heavy sigh. “Crap.”
After a mundane week, Saturday evening filled me with excitement instead of the dread I’d originally felt. Hayden’s family had booked an ice skating party for me and my family, and it came with free pizza inside .
Hayden had told us to arrive at six thirty in the evening, but the lot was almost full as we pulled up, noises echoing from the rink.
“This place looks amazing,” Dad said as he killed the engine. “It was really nice of Hayden to put this together.”
“I’m happy he did.” I smiled, admiring the blue-and-white lights.
We got out of the car and went inside to check ourselves in, and a lady led us to a big room where we could put our things. However, the whole place was pitch black, like no one had been in it all day.