Tangled Hearts.

~Chapter 11~

~Raelyn ~

~Saturday, October 8th~

A couple of weeks had passed since Colby tried his half-assed apology at the library, and, surprise, surprise, I'd done my best to shove it out of my mind. Even if he *really* meant it, the way he treated me? Nope, still not okay. And while he sounded sincere—like, truly, heartbreakingly sincere—yeah, I wasn't ready to forgive him. Honestly, I'd tried as much as I could. Between juggling schoolwork, dodging unnecessary drama, and clinging to my sanity, I had zero patience for his nonsense.

But, that didn't mean he wasn't still a thorn in my side.

Today, however, I was determined to focus on more important things—like catching up with my girls and pretending Colby didn't exist for a couple of hours.

So, when Katrina texted the group chat asking if we wanted to go out and cleanse our minds of all the stress, my response was immediate: *Hell yes.* They were picking me up at 10, and I would be getting a ride back home from them. Katrina was driving, obviously—her SUV could fit all of us comfortably without looking like we were trying to break the laws of physics.

We'd decided to meet up at a cute coffee shop at The Grove. A much-needed break from the grind of classes and—well, *certain* infuriating people. A little caffeine and some quality girl time, what could go wrong?

I sat there, stirring my caramel latte absentmindedly, inhaling the rich aroma of coffee mixed with the faint vanilla scent drifting from the pastry case near the counter. The place was busy, as usual, indie music playing softly in the background. My friends were scattered around me, each with their own drink, acting like the caffeine was their lifeblood.

"So, how's the first month treating you?" Katrina asked, her chin resting on her palm as she studied me.

I exhaled, finally snapping out of my coffee-induced daze. "Not as bad as I expected, honestly. The classes are... a lot. But, hey, I signed up for this mess."

"Yeah, because you're basically a walking genius," Tara chimed in, smirking over the rim of her mocha.

I rolled my eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "Oh yeah, totally. Out here redefining physics in my spare time. No big deal." I took a sip of my latte, then sighed. "If only being smart made people less... *extra*."

Devyn—sweet, angelic, and always so perceptive—noticed the shift in my tone. "What's up, love? Something on your mind?"

I groaned dramatically, setting my cup down with way more force than necessary. "It's just... Malia," I said, my fingers tightening around the mug. "I swear, I do my best to stay out of her way, but she still manages to slither past me with her posse of psychos like a *villain* in a teen drama."

Tara snorted. "More like a wannabe villain. She's out here trying to be like a 2000s high school antagonist, but honestly, she's just exhausting."

"Right?" I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "And she *thinks* she's intimidating, but it's just like... can you not?"

Katrina raised an eyebrow. "Oh, this is getting good. Who's next?"

I rolled my eyes so hard I almost gave myself a headache. "Colby," I practically spat, as if his name was a curse.

Devyn groaned, and Tara and Katrina exchanged knowing looks.

"Still?" Tara asked, shocked.

"Still," I confirmed, throwing my hands up. "Since day one, it's like his personal mission to make my life a living hell. Arguing, teasing, getting in my way—like he's *allergic* to minding his own business."

"Maybe you just intrigue him," Katrina mused, stirring her iced macchiato lazily.

I shot her a look. "Oh, please. The only thing intriguing to him about me is how much I can tolerate before I snap and hurl a book at his thick skull."

Tara burst out laughing. "Honestly? I'd pay to see that."

"I would *too*," Devyn agreed, grinning. "That's a show I'd watch."

I sighed and rolled my eyes again. "And then—get this—he had the nerve to act all *sorry* at the library after our project. Like suddenly, we're supposed to be besties now? A half-assed apology doesn't erase weeks of him being an absolute *menace*."

Katrina put her drink down, leaning in with a smirk. "Raelyn, after you two finished the project, he came back to the house *really* upset. He came to us and seemed genuinely guilty about everything he said. Like, actually feeling bad about how he treated you."

I blinked, caught off guard. "Wait... what?"

"Yeah," Devyn confirmed. "He was, like, *not himself* the rest of the night. He wouldn't say it out loud, but you could tell something was eating at him."

I scoffed. "Oh, so he was upset? Poor him. Should I bake him a sympathy cake?"

Tara laughed but then shook her head. "Look, I get why you don't trust him, but maybe... just maybe, cut him a little slack?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You guys really expect me to believe he's some *tortured soul* deep down?"

"He kind of is," Katrina said softly. "I mean, his dad's been on his case about taking over the family business, and college has been... a mess. It's a lot for one person to handle."

"Yeah," Devyn added, her voice softening. "Not that it excuses how he acts, but... maybe he's just bad at showing that he actually cares."

I groaned and slumped back in my seat, rubbing my temples. "I don't know\... Even if he does regret being an ass, it's gonna take more than a sorry to make me forget all the crap he's pulled."

"And that's fair," Devyn said, squeezing my hand. "We're not saying you have to be besties. Just... maybe give him a shot. See if he's capable of being decent."

I stared at my latte, swirling it as if the cup held the key to my entire life. I'd been in complicated relationships before—my dad being the prime example. Maybe Colby and I weren't so different after all.

I groaned. "Fine. I'll try. But if he pisses me off again, I'm done."

Tara clapped her hands together. "Good. Now that we've settled that, time to distract you with something way more fun."

Devyn's eyes lit up. "Salon day?"

Katrina gasped dramatically. "YES. My hair has been *suffering* lately. Like, *seriously*."

Tara grinned. "And you," she pointed at me, "need some pampering after all that Colby stress."

I chuckled. "Honestly, not gonna argue with that."

Devyn smirked. "And who knows? Maybe a fresh look will make a certain someone take notice."

I rolled my eyes, but my lips twitched. "This is for *me*, not for Colby. But if it happens, I won't complain."

The girls erupted into laughter as we grabbed our drinks and headed toward the door. The warm LA sunshine hit us as we stepped out onto the sidewalk, the hustle of The Grove buzzing around us. The scent of fresh pastries and designer perfume floated in the air, and I felt lighter, as if the weight of everything had momentarily lifted.

With them by my side, I didn't have to worry about Colby, or Malia, or anything else. For once, I could just enjoy the moment.

For now, that was enough.