Crazy Over You

📚 Chapter 20 📚

"You complain about being cold yet you get yourself a Dragonfruit Lemonade," James comments at my choice of drink while we're inside Starbucks. James got himself his usual Cinnamon Roll Frappuccino. He just has an addiction when it comes to cinnamon which I can't blame him for, it's delicious. He even got himself a little snack.

We drove to the nearest Starbucks. James is all cleans up. His equipments is all in his car and he smacked my hand when I took out my card to pay for our orders. He paid and then rubbed my hand as it was his way of apologizing while not feeling sorry. But it's fine, I punched his shoulder.

"I said with little ice," I remind him.

"There's still ice. You're drinking it while wearing gloves. Callista, how do you call yourself a Canadian?" James lectures in a way that clearly shows his disappointment.

"By having a cold beverage while it's cold outside, that's how," I answer by sticking out my tongue at him. James rolls his eyes and takes a sip of his Frappuccino.

"Whatever." James comments. "Say, what did you and Coach Loren talk about?" James ask in a way that shows he just remembered something. "Before I found you, he told me that he likes you more and that I should've have skated with you instead." He looks confused yet not that interest. He was just curious but he wouldn't press for an answer. If I said it was nothing, he would drop it. I know he would.

"Is that why you asked me if I wanted to skate?" I ask while smiling. Before we left, he did ask and I so badly wanted to say yes. We would have been the only ones on the ice ring for an hour or so before a class show up but I couldn't do it. Not when I know that us skating together means nothing to him.

When was the last time we've skated together? I can't remember. We've only ever skated with friends and family.

"When was the last time you skated, Callista? If you forgot how to skate, I don't mind giving you an arm," he smiles.

"Dennis would kill me if I ever forget how to skate. He would disown me as his sister," I know he will. He has even said it to me, to Achilles, to Eros and even the twins. We all know how to skate because of him but that doesn't mean we hate it. It's fun but not our passion.

"He would, wouldn't he?" James laugh.

"Yeah but..." I know I shouldn't but I need to. "...John was just telling me how surprised he was when he found out how were "dating"," I do the bunny fingers on the word to emphasize our fake relationship and he reacted. It was small, almost unnoticeable but there was a slight raise with his eyebrow and a slow move of the head. But all that ended within a second that felt like he didn't react at all, that this whole thing is completely expected.

"Many have said they're surprised but at the same time, they weren't. Most comments I got was how it's about damn time." James informs me which makes sense. Usually people assume when a guy and a girl are friends, they have some sort of connection but when you are childhood friends, then is becomes a bigger problem but it's weird at the same time as it's not with everyone.

I'm friends with Tyler and we look close, teasing and flirting yet no one bats an eyes and declares how we must be in love.

"That's what I said. I asked him if it really was that surprising," I comment which now peeked his interest. "He told me that he did suspect it at first but then he found out about Emma and went "Oh, they're just friend" and--"

"Woah, what about me and Emma?" James ask in concern. Why does he look in a panic? It is because someone caught him in his secret romance?

"He caught you and Emma on the ice ring skating together." It hurts saying but it comes out naturally, just like two friends chatting or even gossiping. "He called her a red head beauty. And with the myth about lovers on the ice ring, he stopped--You okay?" I ask when James lean back on the chair and sigh loudly while his fingers to brush through his hair.