Page 31 of Between the Boards
Between Maliah’s bakery and Eliana planning her wedding with Griffin, days together like this have been few and far between.
“If either of you pees in my bed,” I say, dropping into my desk chair, “I’m sending you the dry cleaning bill.”
They slowly calm down, wiping tears from their eyes.
“Okay,” Maliah says, still sniffling. “We’re good.”
“Totally fine,” Eliana adds, biting her lip to keep from laughing again. “Now explain why you went on a date with Colton if you two aren’t dating.”
I glance down at my phone, heat creeping up my neck. “It wasn’t a real date,” I mutter.
The silence is deafening, and when I look up, they’re both staring at me like I’ve just said something deeply concerning.
I groan and drag a hand down my face. “It was a fake date, okay? Colton offered to help me with…dating,” I rush out. “Like, coaching me so I can get Zale to actually take me seriously. He made me a profile, set me up with this guy—who, by the way, stood me up—and before that he took me on a practice date because I’ve literally never been on one and I didn’t want to completely embarrass myself.”
The words tumble out so fast I forget to breathe until I finish. When they still don’t answer, my anxiety gets the better of me.
“Say something,” I snap.
Eliana glances at Maliah. “I—okay, it’s just…”
“Why didn’t you tell us all of this sooner?” Maliah cuts in, her brow furrowing. “We’re your best friends.”
Guilt twists in my chest.
“I felt stupid,” I admit, staring at my lap. “You both have your lives figured out, and I’m just…here. Clueless.”
Eliana’s expression softens, but there’s hurt there too. “Did you think we’d judge you?”
“I don’t know,” I say, a little too quickly. “Maybe? I just didn’t want to be another thing you had to worry about.”
“Well, that’s not how this friendship works,” Maliah says sharply.
“Mal—” Eliana warns, grabbing her arm.
Maliah shakes her off, eyes locked on mine. “Kairi, I’ve known you my entire life,” she says, her tone firm but less harsh. “Don’t ever decide for me that your problems matter less, because they don’t.”
My throat tightens and tears blur my vision before I can stop them. Maliah and I have had disagreements in the past, but I’ve never felt like I’ve disappointed her as a friend until today. I nod, looking down at my hands in my lap and willing the tears away, but it’s too late and they fall down my cheeks anyway.
“Did you have to be so mean, Mal?” Eliana mutters, standing up and walking over to wrap her arms around me.
“I was not being mean,” Maliah says defensively, though she doesn’t sound convinced. “It’s called tough love.”
“Kairi is not a tough love type of person,” Eliana shoots back. “And you know that.”
Maliah goes quiet before she stands and walks out of my room. The sound of her stomping down the stairs is loud, and the front door slamming behind her is even louder.
“Is everything okay in here?”
I look up and lock eyes with Colton who’s standing in my doorway, freshly showered and wearing a T-shirt and sweats as he dries his hair with his towel. He takes in my tear-streaked face, and his expression tightens.
“She’s fine,” Eliana answers quickly, pulling me to my feet. “We were just about to go for a walk on the beach.”
She guides me toward the door, but Colton grabs my wrist as I pass him, and gently tugs me toward him.
“Two minutes,” he says, eyeing Eliana.
She glances back at me questioningly and I nod to let her know it’s okay so she lets go of my hand and heads downstairs to wait.
