Best-Case Scenario

Chapter Fifteen

Kali is MIA when I head to our lunch table. I look around for her wondering if she was just late this morning and see Finn waving to me from his table.

"Hey, you," he says and gives me a quick kiss. I try not to blush when I realize all of his friends are looking at us.

"How did you like the party?" Spence asks through the hamburger in his mouth. He swallows before continuing. "Imari and Seth hotboxed my room. I had to open up every window in the house before my parents came home. Heard you were in there too."

"They weren't doing that when I was there, but I had fun."

I look around at the rest of the team who are having their own conversations. My eyes linger on Elliot for a moment, thoughts of the conversation I had with Imari. He is cute.

I pull a chair over to the table since Kali seems to not be having lunch today. I look at my phone and there's a text from her. Won't be at lunch today. I'll see you tomorrow.

You okay? I send back before pocketing it again.

"Anything fun happen after we left?" I ask.

"If me puking in the bushes and Elliot practically running away from Laken is fun then yes."

Elliot throws a piece of his food at Spence. "I didn't run away. She wouldn't leave me alone."

I smile. "Laken's persistent. Has she found you today?"

Elliot shakes his head but doesn't comment on the situation. His ears are bright red. I decide he's suffered enough humiliation.

My phone buzzes again. Reevaluating my life. I'm OK but I need a mental health day. Let me know what I miss.

I decide to delve into that later. Texting her wouldn't get anything out of her and she tends to shut down after a conversation like that.

"I think you should try with Laken. She's nice," Cassie says over Theo's shoulder.

"Elliot doesn't want to be with Laken," Theo interrupts. "She's crazy."

Cassie shoves Theo. "She's not crazy. Her and I used to be friends. Remember?"

"Yeah and then she tried hitting on me with you right there. Remember?"

Elliot ignores their conversation and picks at his food instead. I look at him with sympathy. He meets my eyes and gives me a small smile.

The conversation changes and I relax listening to their chatter. Finn holds my hand and I lean my head against his shoulder.

I'm preoccupied for the rest of lunch watching Elliot without trying to focus on him too much. Finn was drunk when he was asking me about Imari and Seth but if he could worry about my gay best friends, I have no clue what he would think of me watching Elliot.

I don't see Kali until the next morning. I'm almost ready to walk up the stairs and give up on her, but she runs in as the bell rings.

She grabs my arm and when I look at her, her eyes are bright and her hair is tousled. I untangle the few curls while she says "I have so much to tell you but I'm saving it for tonight. We at your place?"

"Yeah," I drop my hands and take a few steps backwards. Can you give me a hint?"

"Nope!" Her smile is mischievous and I think about Matea and her on Saturday again. I wink at her and go to class.

I keep an eye out for Kali throughout the day, but only catch glimpses. She's once again absent at lunch, so I sit with Finn again. I watch Elliot for further clues to give to Imari. I don't pick anything up, but the only way Elliot will end up hurting Imari is by rejecting him. Elliot's not a closed book exactly. He jokes with Spence and Finn and talks about sports but won't make any jokes at the expense of others. Unless it's Spence and I can't fault him for that.