𝐈 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮

Althea

"You're late." Aiden hissed at me as I quickly set down my bag. He was pacing by the side of the rink, his dark hair slicked back against the sides of his face and a tight lipped expression on his face.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, pulling my leg warmers up and tugging on my skates. "I've been busy and distracted."

"That seems to be happening a lot lately."

"It won't happen again." I snapped harshly, harsher than I meant to. Like she had said, Jonesy left for Gemma's and I hadn't seen her since.

  I noticed she had grabbed only a backpack and a pillow and nothing more, so I set out a plate of cookies for her since I knew she would probably return while I was gone.

  I had spent the next few hours trying to talk myself into following her but I had decided against it. I needed to be putting my energy into preparing for my audition, all thoughts of Jonesy would have to wait until afterwards.

  In the close background I could hear Aiden speaking. "Stella and Gerard auditioned already, we should be going up soon-" the rest of his words drowned out as I made eye contact with Gemma several rows ahead of us.

"I'll be right back." I brushed past Aiden and made a beeline towards the other girl. Upon seeing that I was heading towards her, Gemma ducked her head and pretended to busy herself with her laces.

"Gemma-"

"Althea, look, I don't want to have to pick a side. I don't know what happened between you and Jonesy, but whatever she did, just forgive her. She's going through a lot right now." Gemma's face flushed bright pink as she calmed herself from her sudden outburst.

  I took the seat beside her, stifling a laugh. "Wow, Gem; that sounds exactly like you're picking sides." She gave me a pointed look and I raised my hands in defense.

  "You said what she did to me, what makes you think Jonesy did something? And what do you mean she's going through a lot right now? Is she okay?" Maybe she knew why Jonesy had been fighting and drinking all before eleven in the morning.

  Gemma chewed on her lip and averted her eyes, refusing to meet my gaze. "It's really not my place."

"Gemma, please."

"I'm sorry, but you will have to reconcile with her; it's her story, not mine." She finished lacing her skates and stood up, ignoring the pleading protests in my eyes.

  "I really hope you guys figure this out, I really liked seeing the two of you together, even if you weren't actually together." Her face was sad, as was her voice.

  "I'd never seen her so happy then when she was with you. I mean, the way she looked at you..." her voice trailed off and she shook her head.

  The way she looked at me? I stood up and grabbed her wrist, a little too hard judging from the way she winced.

  "How did she look at me, Gemma?" I released her wrist and let my hand fall back to my side.

"Like you were the only person to ever exist. It was like no one else mattered, like you were the sun itself." Her eyes were wistful, longing almost. "I would give anything for someone to look at me the way Jonesy looks at you, Thea."

  She held my gaze for a moment before skating off to her partner who was waiting several feet away.

  I sat back down on the bench, Gemma's words replaying in my mind. Did Jonesy really look at me that way? Did she really see me "as the sun itself?" How long had she looked at me that way and how did I never notice?

  We had spent so much time together, but when we were alone she only seemed to look at me like she had a slight crush on me. She definitely did not look at me as if her world revolved around me, and never in the way Gemma described.

  It made me think of all the times she must've been looking at me when I wasn't paying attention. All of those glances she must've stolen. How did her friends notice and I didn't?