Page 141 of Next to Everything We Wanted

“Sorry!” I said, jumping back. “I didn’t see you.”

“It’s alright.” The girl faced me, and when her brown eyes locked with mine, I wanted to run in the opposite direction.

You had to be kidding me.

Gavin’s bandmate narrowed her eyes at me. “Sienna?”

“Hey, Celia.” I brushed my hair in my face, hoping she couldn’t see the warmth in my cheeks. “I didn’t know you shopped here.”

Celia examined me from head to toe as if she couldn’t believe it was really me. Up close, she appeared taller, only a few inches shorter than me. “I didn’t know you shopped here, either.”

“I’m a regular.” She pulled a lacy red-and-black bra from the same shelf and held it to her chest. “What do you think?”

Was she seriously asking me for bra advice? “It looks cute. Though you’d look good in the ugliest bra in the store.”

She giggled. “Thank you.” She put the bra into her basket before examining the shelf. “I haven’t been shopping in a while. I think the last time was April.”

“Same with me.” I wanted to sift through more of the shelf, but it felt too awkward when Celia was doing the same. “I used to go shopping all the time with my friends. They usually shop at higher-end places since they come from rich families.”

Maybe acting like we were friends would bridge the gap between us. She’d been friendly whenever we interacted, and even though I had her number, we never texted.

“What are your go-to stores?” Celia asked as she put another bra into her basket. “I usually shop around whatever is in this plaza.”

“So do I. Stylebrite is my favorite since I have an employee discount, but I also like here and Penelope’s.”

“Nice.” She stayed silent for a few moments before sighing. “I tried not to make this awkward, but I think that’s going to be impossible.”

I offered a smile. “It was either you or me.”

She tossed her hair back. The golden streaks were fading into the brown, kind of like my own amber highlights. “We need totalk about the elephant in the room if we’re going to be around each other more often.”

I sighed. “Sure. I think elephants are important enough to be addressed.”

She let out a short laugh. “The whole thing with Gavin . . . I know it isn’t ideal. Trust me, he’s all yours now. I wanted to know if you’re comfortable with me being his bandmate and all. I’m not trying to step on your toes.”

My insides twisted as I thought about how crushed I was when Gavin had told me to get out of his life. Had Celia been feeling this way the past few months? Was she trying to put on a brave face while seeing the guy she still loved move on so quickly?

“You don’t have to worry about me,” I said. “You and Gavin are still important parts of each other’s lives. It wouldn’t be fair of me to want to change things.”

She looked at me again, her eyes glassy as if she was about to cry. “Thanks for understanding.” She cleared her throat, straightening her posture. “Now that’s taken care of, maybe we should get to know each other.”

I smiled. “I like that idea.”

“Well, I’ll start. I was born and raised in April Springs, though I bounced back and forth between other places for a few years. I’m Mexican on my dad’s side and Cuban on my mom’s side.”

“I’m Mexican on my mom’s side,” I said with a smile, though my insides pinched as I thought about my upcoming call with my mom.

“What state in Mexico is her family from?”

“Chihuahua. She doesn’t have much family left there. Her parents moved back, but they died eight years ago.”

“I’m sorry for your losses. My dad’s pancreatic cancer returned, and it’s a nightmare.” She looked away from me,picking a tank top from a rack. “He has until the end of the year at best.”

“Really?” My heart crumbled for her. She was going through all that with her dad on top of her breakup? The girl couldn’t catch a break. “I’m so sorry. That’s devastating.”

“It is. My parents have been together for four decades, since their college days. I’m thinking of moving back home—I live in an apartment with my friend—to help my mom while she goes through . . . everything.”

“I’m sorry,” I said again, not knowing what else to say. “Do you have any siblings?”