NEW GREEN CAFÉ
Wednesday, October 7th
4:08 P.M.
Dylan stared at Massie’s Evian water as they dragged the heels of their ankle boots down the barren hall toward detention. The water sloshed around innocently as she swung it, forward and back, completely oblivious to its life-altering power.
“I can’t believe you turned yourself in.” Massie swung open the door to the café. “It’s almost like you wanted a detention.”
Dylan tried to swallow the invisible hair extensions lodged in the back of her throat. “I was standing up for you,” she managed. “I didn’t want you to get punished alone.”
“Ohhhhh. That’s nice.” Massie took a long swig of water.
“Hey.” Derrington limped into the café a few seconds later. “Is it clean? Did you finish? Can we go?”
Dylan giggled. Massie rolled her eyes.
The lights were dim, giving the impression that the overworked tables and chairs were taking a much-needed break, and that the long day was over. Only three mops by table eighteen and a sauce-stained floor indicated otherwise.
“Let’s get this over with.” Massie led the charge.
As if reading Dylan’s mind, Derrick zeroed in on Massie’s water bottle and lifted his brows suggestively. Before Dylan could stop him, he faked an ankle spasm and bashed into the alpha, knocking the bottle from her hand. Water sloshed everywhere, soaking his PARIS HILTON FOR PRESIDENT T-shirt.
Dylan flashed him a quick “it soooo doesn’t work that way” glare.
“Sorry, my bad.” He backed away from Massie, waving his hands apologetically.
“Gawd.” Massie rolled her eyes with disdain, then turned to Dylan. “Let’s just finish so we can get out of here and go to Nunya.”
Dylan nodded like she couldn’t have agreed more, even though she had no clue where that was.
“What’s Nunya?” Derrick asked, slapping a sopping mop on the floor.
“Nunya business!” Massie lifted her palm. Dylan high-fived her like they were still the best of friends.
Which technically they were, right?
Just to be sure, Dylan made it a point not to even glance at Derrington while they cleaned. She whispered with Massie and giggled at her jokes, as if they were alone.
By the time everything was clean, Dylan was certain the alpha had no clue what was really going on. Not even Massie could hide the pain of betrayal that well.
Outside, the sun had started to fade. And so had all hope that Dylan and Derrick would ever get to spend any real time together.
“See ya!” Derrick hopped onto his black bike and pedaled off, not bothering to wait for a response.
“You think he’s going to meet the new me?” Massie asked as they shuffled toward her Range Rover.
Dylan’s stomach lurched at the thought. “Maybe.”
Massie cocked her head and looked at the mud-colored sky, considering something. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with him lately—”
All breathing stopped. This was it. The moment that would change everything.Dylan closed her eyes like she was about to get slapped.
“Did he mention anyone to you?”
Dylan exhaled with gale force. “Nope.”
Massie laughed lightly to herself. “I’d almost think it was you if he was, you know, into that sort of thing.”
“Into whatsortofthing?” Dylan heard herself screech.
“You know, triple B’s.”
“Huh?”
“Big-boned betas.” Massie giggled.
Dylan clenched her fists. She was seriously considering violence, when something warm splattered on her head.
Massie burst out laughing.
Without another word, Dylan and her poo-soaked skull ran sobbing toward the bathroom. Because that’s what you do after you’ve been dumped on twice in a matter of seconds.