Law and Order- complete

XXVI

Tiptoeing around the house while Ellen and Miranda actively avoided each other was torture enough. We'd been eating take-out for the last couple of days and I never thought I'd say this, but I'm fucking tired of pizza and Chinese. Last night we spiced it up and DoorDashed Applebees, but it ended up being cold. All I could do was tell them good night and carry the box upstairs as I continued to look over Harry's case.

I can see where his frustration came from, and I don't know how far I expected it to be, especially since he'd text me every day around noon to ask if I found anything, and I can't help but think he's doing it to tease me. I like to prove a point. If I have to, I'll solve his case out of pure spite.

Thankfully, spring break is officially over. China picked me up this morning and I was genuinely excited to see her. She told me all about her time with her grandma and how she strangely missed her siblings until she'd picked them up from their dads and they proceeded to taunt her for her new hairdo. The curls were gone and flattened with a flatiron, leaving her hair up in a bun with two strands to shape her face. And, shocker, she wore jewelry. I'm so used to seeing her in black jeans and hoodies that she looked surreal wearing a baby blue fitted crop top and skinny khakis.

I'd be lying if I said I didn't think this had anything with her seeing Ramon for the first time in a week.

"You look different too," China remarks as we leave Anthropology and walk towards the vending machine together, moving our shoulders to weave through the herd of students. When I first got here, China had alerted me of the chatter surrounding Ryder getting arrested. The good thing is nobody knows whose house he broke into. Except for his frat buddies, of course.

"Really?"

"I think it's that I just got fucked glow," She says. And I already regret telling her about Harry and I's night together.

I roll my eyes playfully, "I shouldn't have told you that,"

"I'm glad you did, and I'm glad you got some, that man is gorgeous. Were you limping afterward?" Her head tilts to the side and she squints at me.

"Wha- No! I mean, kinda." I recall the ache between my legs that lasted until the next day, and it's a pleasant memory.

"You fucking hoe, I see you over there smiling!" She teases as we approach the vending machine. I peel off a strap from my bag and fish into the large pocket to grab my wallet. She slides in some quarters and pays for some Chips Ahoy! as I recognize a familiar face sitting in the busy cafe at one both the gray cafeteria tables.

"Do you think the makeup is too much? I had my mom help me do my eyebrows, they're so fucking bushy I was scared to fill them in," She rants mindlessly as she leans down the grab her cookies and I try to think of the quickest way I can distract her from this dumb ass who sits at a table, feeding grapes to Amanda who giggles when one falls from her mouth. She leans forward to press a kiss to his lips and my eyes turn into angry slits. This asshole.

"Hey, Logan. Did you hear me?" She pushes, standing up and turning to face me. Before I can look at her, she's already following my line of vision and I can physically see her body slump in disappointment. Ramon does a lot of shit to get under my skin, but seeing China's brows lowered and the hurt visibly splashed across her face angered me more than anything. What is with him and fucking with girls' feelings?

"Come on, let's just go." She mumbles as Amanda makes eye contact with her and I swear she drops her left lid into a wink, and I shake my head.

"What the fuck, did you see that?"

"No, Logan, I'm serious. There's no  fucking point, I'm the dumbass for believing him."

"That isn't fair, China." I push, wanting her to just go over there so I can send my fist into his nose. She walks off and I forget to get a snack as I follow her until we're out of the cafeteria. Her fist is squeezed at her sides as she storms into a bathroom, and I follow her, huffing through my lips as the bathroom door shuts and luckily, we're the only ones here.