Beautiful Boy

coincidence

amara haven

There was a bed in the guest house, and the couch was a pullout, making me more than grateful.

Once we'd settled in, Nic suggested that we explore LA a bit.

There was a beachfront café not far from his Mum's house, and he insisted that we walk there.

Los Angeles was certainly warmer than San Francisco in Autumn, leaving me slightly unprepared and overdressed.

I ended up slipping my crewneck off as we walked up to the café door, leaving me in a cropped tank top.

I was cooler, but I felt weird about not having long sleeves.

We joined the small line of people.

"So, when do you start UCLA?" Nic asked.

"I think it's September 15th or something is my first class, so like two-ish weeks, I think," I replied, tying my crewneck around my waist.

"This scar is new," Nic pointed to the little scar on my bicep from a fence.

"Oh, yeah, I was drunk and well- let's just say that chain link is sharp if it's angled right," I said.

He chuckled and tucked me under his arm, "The best scar you have will forever be this one," he touched my forehead, "It makes you Harry Potter."

"I was born with that," I pouted playfully.

He kissed the scar and we moved up in the line.

"Oh, my god, no way! Nic!"

We both turned to see a girl approaching us.

"Sarah? Oh my god, hey!" Nic replied, matching her enthusiasm.

He removed his arm from me and hugged her.

I hugged myself, standing awkwardly and treating my shoes as if they were the most interesting thing I'd seen.

"Amara, this is Sarah. Sarah, Amara," Nic introduced.

She put out a hand, "Nice to meet you, I've heard so much about you."

I shook her hand, offering a bittersweet smile, "And I've heard nothing about you."

"Oh, yeah. Well, in those two years we weren't hanging out, I spent the summer here, and well-"

"Our Mums are friends, we spent the whole summer together!" She enthused.

I almost rolled my eyes at her pettiness. I could tell, simply from her appearance, that she was more Emily than Emily.

The line moved up and it was us next.

"I'll go order, you guys should get to know each other a bit," Nic said, and I hated him for it.

We stepped aside.

"So, are you guys dating?" Sarah asked, inspecting her nails.

"No," I replied.

"Would you mind setting me up?"

I could've slapped her there and then, but I held back and offered a tight smile.

"I'll see what I can do," I seethed.

I'd never felt jealousy like that.

It was enveloping me like I was a letter to a pen pal or a holiday card for distant family.

Technically, there was nothing wrong with her and him going out, but it made me feel weird.

I'd always imagined it would be us going out, yet he never reciprocated my feelings, and I couldn't seem to avoid mine.