Page 46 of Not Until I Found You

“I’m not flirting with anyone,” I say while continuing to type.

Me:

I need confirmation that you really know.

Because if we’re going to be friends, I need to make sure you know your superhero facts.

I already judged you for not knowing the movie Frozen, so my trust is fragile.

Olivia slides another plate toward the center of the table before cutting into the lemon-blueberry cake. The glaze shines beneath the kitchen light while steam curls faintly from the center. This one has my mouth watering.

“Okay,” she says, passing slices around. “Everyone should try this one next.”

Edna keeps one hand protectively over her stolen cookies while reaching for the cake with her other. I take a bite, noting that the flavors blend together perfectly. My brows lift despite myself.

“Your expression means you like it,” Olivia squeals.

I point my fork at her. “Don’t get cocky.”

“She’s already cocky,” Luke says around a mouthful. “Because she has a right to be.”

Olivia beams at the praise while the conversation around me continues, but my attention drifts as I look down at my phone.

Butterfly

Elsa and Spider-Man aren’t even in the same universe.

Me

They both can shoot things out of their hands, so they have more in common than you’d think.

A second later, she sends an eyeroll emoji, and I press my lips together to keep myself from grinning.

Butterfly

Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider, which mutated his DNA and turned him into a friendly neighborhood crime-fighting teenager.

Me

My hope in humanity, and you, has been restored.

Unless you Googled it… You didn’t Google that, right?

The conversation around me fades into the background as I sit there staring at my phone, grinning at a text about Elsa and Spider-Man, which probably says more about me than I’d like to admit.

I’m trying not to let whatever this is between Maxinne and me become a thing. Even though I’m unsure as to why I have this strange buzzing in my veins every time my phone lights up with her nickname. I set my phone face down, grab one of Edna’s stolen thumbprint cookies as she tries to swat my hand, but I’m too fast. I take a bite, the buttery goodness practically melting in my mouth.

“Oh my gosh,” I say around a mouthful. “This is really good, Liv.”

“I know,” she says, giving herself a smug little pat on the back before she drops into Luke’s lap. His arm circles her waist automatically, steadying her against him while she breaks off a bite of cake with her fork and holds it out for him. “Try this.”

He takes a bite without any hesitation, his eyes fixed on her instead of the fork like he couldn’t care less what she’s feeding him as long as she’s the one doing it. They’re so in love with each other it’s sickening. I kind of miss when Luke was stuck in the friend zone, but I only half mean it. Deep down, I’m really happy these two finally started dating.

“There,” she says proudly once he takes the bite. “Now tell me again about how I’m the best baker you’ve ever met.”

A soft chuckle rumbles out of Luke. “Cupcake, I’d eat drywall if you frosted it.”

Olivia grins so wide it nearly hurts to look at, and Luke gazes back at her as if her smile is his favorite thing in the world. I glance down at my phone before the pang of my loneliness can settle in too deep. It’s not that I don’t want what they have. It’s that I’ve built such tall walls to make sure no one gets close enough to hurt me again. Lonely is safer than shattered.