Page 69 of Same One
After years, Bayen had said he loved her back.
And just like that, she knew Tabian was right.
They were going to be okay.
Chapter Sixteen
The sound of low voices brushed her ears and Tru stretched under the covers. She felt on the other side of the air mattress, but Tabian wasn’t there. With a frown, she eased her eyes open and blearily looked around the tent.
Outside, Bay and Tabian were talking about what to text a girl.
She propped up on her elbow and listened closer. Tabian was giving Bay advice for asking out the girl whose number he’d gotten.
Even through the tent, she could smell bacon and sausage and was pretty sure that was hashbrowns she heard sizzling on the cast iron skillet. Tabian could cook and good gah, there was just something even more delicious about eating camp-food.
Her stomach growled as she got dressed, and when she opened the flap of the tent, she nearly stepped on a trio of tiny yellow flowers tied together with twine.
Tru put her hand over her heart with the sweet memory. When Bay was in seventh grade, he’d brought her a dandelion flower.
She dragged her attention up to where the boys were sitting at the fire. Tabian wore a soft smile, and Bay was looking anywhere but at her.
“You already know I’m going to press these and keep them forever, just like the one you gave me when I first met you.”
“I know,” Bay said, hiding a smile. “You’re weird like that.”
“Um, you mispronounced ‘awesome’,” she teased as she picked up the tiny bouquet of dandelions. They had been her favorite flower ever since he’d given her the first one. Sweet boy was still in there.
As long as she lived, she would never forget this camping trip. How could this get any better?
Tabian stood with a loaded plate, pulled her into a hug, kissed her neck and said she looked pretty in the mornings.
And that’s how she knew Tabian was delusional. She didn’t even want to imagine what her hair looked like right now.
He handed her a plate, and they sat down for breakfast. Tabian once again pulled her legs into his lap, and Bayen asked, “So what if she’s not ready to be asked out?”
“Ask, but don’t push. If she says no, you’re going to have to give her some more time to get to know you before you ask again.”
“Right. And do we go to the movies? Or the mall? What do humans like to do?”
Tabian shrugged. “That I can’t help you with. I took Tru camping to try and win her over.”
Bay laughed and took a plate piled high with breakfast from Tabian’s offered hand. “Yeah, but Tru is easy. She dated my dad. If you give her a compliment it’s like the best thing that ever happened to her.”
“Hey,” she complained half-heartedly around a bite of hashbrowns. “I have standards.”
“Dude, my dad set the bar, and he didn’t set it high. He basically dug a hole and buried the bar in the ground.”
“Lucky for me,” Tabian said, but before the last word got out, he and Bay both jerked their attention to the same spot in the woods.
“Hear that?” Bay asked.
“Yep.” Tabian and Bay stood as one and set their food down.
“What’s happening?” Tru said, straining to hear anything. The woods were quiet to her ears though.
“Bayen, stay with Tru in the truck.”
But Bay wasn’t listening to directions very well, because the second Tru climbed in the passenger’s seat of Tabian’s pickup truck, Bay shut the door on her and sauntered after Tabian, who stood a few yards away.
