See The Stars [Completed]

Chapter Twenty-Three

I licked the ice cream cone and glanced at Tory who was dealing with some customers. As always, he had a giant smile adorning his face when he talked to children. I kept watching him as he glided around with ease. He was the sole reason I started to smile with ease too. He caught me staring and winked in my direction. I scoffed and looked away. He couldn’t let go of how beautiful he was.

“When did I befriend a narcissist?” I raised a brow when he strode in front of me. 

“It’s called loving yourself.” He retorted. 

“Whatever you say,” I mumbled and straightened up when the others walked inside the shack. We all were gathering here today, per Tory's invitation. 

“Hey!” Kristen as always hugged Tory while others acted like boys and just exchanged pleasantries before everyone was seated. Kristen raised a brow when she saw me. 

“There is ice cream all over your nose.” 

“Shit. Really?” I leaned forward and grabbed the tissues from the table. I wiped the ice cream and glared at Tory.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He shrugged.

“You looked cute.” 

“Bully.”

“How is that bullying?” He gaped. 

“You want me to look less beautiful than you.” 

“Well, that’s a given. Isn’t it?” He blinked innocently while my mouth dropped open dramatically. And then I chuckled and looked away. He was a narcissist. 

Then my eyes found his. He was gazing at me with a look in his eyes that was too strong for both of us. We looked away simultaneously. It was magic. There were no other explanations as to why my eyes found his even when I was asleep at night and he wasn’t there. 

“So, I have wanted to go on a trip for a long time. We finalized two options.” Dylan started. He pulled out his phone and opened some photos. He turned the phone towards us. 

“Option one.” He swiped to a picture of the resort island. “We can go to the island and pig out for three days straight.” 

“Or option two.” He showed a picture of grassland. The same grassland I went to when I hiked with dad and Ronan. I glanced at him with a small smile and he matched my own. 

“We can hike hills, then reach this cattle farm and then hike the mountain and finally rest at a mountain top resort. It is kind of cold up there. So what do you say?” He looked around expectantly. That’s when Tory came with bowls of ice cream. As he was giving everyone the ice cream, he leaned down.

“How about you vote?” He suggested. I nodded and put my hand up.

“I want to go hiking.” And just like clockwork, both Tory and Ronan replied.

“Me too.” 

“Same.” They both glanced at each other and I grinned seeing them too. I knew Tory would support me but seeing them both do, warmed my heart. These little actions told me that maybe I wasn’t as alone anymore. Those days of hell were over. Kristen also wanted to go hiking. But Ezra, he whined. 

“I can’t hike. My legs hurt.” He leaned down and put his head on the table. Kristen smacked his head.

“Don’t be a baby.” 

“Don’t be my mother.” He grumbled. Kristen rolled her eyes and ignored him as he kept grumbling. I really liked Kristen. It had been so long since I had a female friend. And she was just the kind of person I should associate myself with.