2. Just Friends

For a long second, everything goes silent. All I can hear is Cade’s question sitting between us like a grenade with the pin already pulled.

It’s supposed to be a secret. Vicky and Nia, my closest friends outside of Dax, are the only ones who know. No one else is supposed to know. Especially not him.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Right.” He takes a slow sip of his drink. “And I’m the president of the USA.”

“I’m serious, Cade.”

“So am I.” He pushes off the doorframe and takes a step forward.

My mouth opens. Closes. There’s no version of this where I don’t sound insane.

“You’re wrong.” My voice comes out steadier than I feel. “Whatever you’re thinking, you’re wrong.”

He tilts his head, staring at me like I’m just wasting my breath.

“Let’s see. You go to each and every one of his hockey games even though you don’t care about hockey.”

My face burns. “What are you talking about? I love hockey.”

“You love hockey?” A short chuckle leaves his mouth. “Is that why every time our schools play against each other, I see you in the stands looking bored out of your mind?”

My eyes narrow. “So you’ve been watching me?”

He shrugs. “It’s kind of hard not to notice Dax’s Little Shadow. Especially when you attend more of his games than his girlfriend.”

“So what if I do? Best friends support each other,” I grit out. “Then again, what would you know about genuine friendship between the opposite sexes?”

Cade’s mouth turns up in amusement, but the next second, it’s gone, and he’s giving me that intense stare again.

“I saw you, you know?”

He’s close now. So close that I have to tilt my head back to hold his stare. Close enough that I can smell him. He smells like coffee and ice, if that even makes sense.

“I saw the hope on your face when Dax began talking. You thought he was going to say your name.”

My throat tightens. “Shut up.”

“When he knelt down and slid the ring on Brenna’s finger, you wished it was yours instead.”

I can’t breathe. My eyes are burning.

If his intention is to mock me for being pathetic, then he’s succeeding. But I refuse to give him the satisfaction.

“If you think that’s what you saw,” I say as steadily as I can, “then you’d better get your eyes checked because you’re clearly going blind.”

I shove past him.

He doesn’t stop me.

The door swings open, and the noise from inside washes over me as I step back into the party.

Dax has one hand on Brenna’s waist while laughing with three guys from the team and Lilian, Brenna’s best friend.

Guilt washes over me.

I’d been so focused on my pain that I hadn’t even congratulated Dax on his engagement.

Pulling my face into a smile that feels like breaking through concrete, I make my way towards them.

Dax sees me, and his face lights up in a way that used to mean everything to me.

“Raya. There you are. Where’d you go?”

“Sorry. My mum called, and I had to answer. You know how she is.” The lie rolls off my tongue.

I look right into his eyes, those blue eyes I’ve memorized a thousand times. “Congratulations, Dax. I’m so happy for you.”

The moment the words are out, I realize they’re true.

Because he’s smiling. The kind of smile that crinkles the corners of his eyes. And even if my heart is in pieces on the floor, even if I think his fiancée is a bitch who doesn’t deserve him, Dax is happy.

And that’s what matters the most to me.

“What about me, Soraya?”

Brenna steps out from under Dax’s arm, a triumphant smile playing on her lips. The contempt in her eyes is unmistakable, the same way she has always looked at me.

Brenna has always hated my closeness to Dax, and she has never hidden her dislike for me. Though she makes sure never to show her bitchiness in front of Dax.

With her eyes never leaving my face, she grabs Dax by the collar and pulls his head down for a long, deep kiss. When she pulls back, her lip gloss is smeared on his mouth.

Then she looks at me. “Aren’t you going to congratulate me too?”

I force myself to keep the smile intact even though I want to grab her neck and squeeze the life out of her.

“Congratulations, Brenna. I’m very happy for you.”

Her gaze lingers on my face before she asks, “Are you really happy?”

My stomach drops. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, come on, Soraya.” Lilian steps up behind Brenna. “We all know you’ve always wanted Dax to fuck you.”

Gasps echo across the room like someone just announced a murder.

My skin goes hot. It feels like everyone in the room is staring at me.

“Lilian,” Dax hisses at her. “You can’t say things like that.”

“What?” She shrugs. “It’s not like it’s a secret.”

“It’s not true.” He firmly shakes his head. “Soraya and I are just friends. She doesn’t… she doesn’t have feelings for me.”

Slowly, his gaze moves to me. “Right, Raya?”