Tam

Smile

I blew steam off my cup of coffee, wrapping my near-frozen hands around the warm handle. Fairy lights were strung up along the walls of the small cafe, and the space was packed with people and the overwhelming smell of caffeine and pastries. Linh and our seven friends took up two tables all on our own, which did nothing to help the crowded atmosphere.

Linh nudged me. "Stop acting all brooding. This is supposed to be fun! First semester finals are over, winter break's here, and it's snowing like there's no tomorrow. Don't you love the city?"

"I wasn't brooding," I grumbled, taking a sip of my coffee. "I'm just being calm. You know, like someone who hasn't had fifty cups of coffee," I added pointedly, and my sister shrugged.

"Blame Marella," she said. "She's the one that keeps buying them for me."

I leaned in front of Linh and Wylie and raised my eyebrows at Marella. She grinned at me and threw back her mug, downing the last of whatever had been in there.

I sighed and sat back. "That's gonna be fun later."

"At least you don't have to deal with an over-caffeinated Linh," Wylie reminded me.

"It's part of the deal, dude," I told him. "You should've seen her when she was younger. Absolute nightmare."

"At least I didn't go around with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders and screaming 'I'm the master of shadows!" Linh said casually, smirking over her mug.

I stared at her in shock. "I didn't--"

"You did."

I huffed and crossed my arms. "Fine."

My eyes wandered past Fitz, Sophie and Keefe, over to Biana sitting on the end. She was talking animatedly to Marella, probably gossiping about someone at school. She glanced over and broke off from her rant long enough to give me a smile.

My heart pounded and I immediately sat back, keeping her in sight long enough to see her smile fade.

The lights dimmed, and a small spotlight appeared on the stage at the front of the cafe. One of the workers bounded up and grabbed the microphone standing there, giving us a dazzling smile.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to our karaoke night!" he called, and paused as a round of applause roared through the cafe. "Anyone interested in signing up for a night of music can do so at the back." He pointed to the bar at the far wall, and the girl behind it waved. "Enjoy the rest of your night, and we'll be back in half an hour!"

Linh turned to me as the lights came back on. "That sounds fun."

I shook my head. "Not a chance. I'm sure Wylie would love to do it, though."

He froze with a croissant halfway to his mouth. "I don't sing."

I smiled. It was true, but he'd still be better at it than me.

"Come on, Tammy," she pleaded, giving me her puppy dog eyes.

I laughed. "It's funny that you think those still work on me. I'm a heartless monster, remember?"

It was a running joke between my sister and I, and all because I didn't cry during the Lion King. Linh, nearly sobbing her eyes out, had asked where my heart went, and I'd told her I didn't have one. Now neither of us ever let it go.

Linh glanced at Wylie for support, but quickly whipped back around with a grin. "Someone's checking out my brother."

I followed her gaze to see Biana staring at me with an unreadable expression. When she noticed me looking, she quickly turned back towards Marella.