"You try lying to her." Elliot flicked the bangs out of his eyes.
"You went to L.A? Without me? What the hell, Zach? I've spent the last two days hanging out with the lovebirds on my own! AJ's been off work for two days straight. Do you have any idea how painful that is? I needed you guys!"
I heard a slap and an oomph then held my breath as quick steps approached the dining room.
The second she saw me she stopped and crossed her arms.
"Oh." She threw me a dry glare before her eyes landed on Alex. "Oh. Hi." Her smile was dazzling as she drank him in.
"Evening." Alex grinned back at her, his charming smile making Jaeda titter.
I scratched my forehead and forced a grin as she pulled out the chair beside me.
"New hair."
I touched my dark locks, her tone more of an insult than a compliment. "Just wanted to try something different." I shrugged.
Her gaze was hard and unrelenting as she studied me. "Let me guess, you went too, didn't you?"
I didn't want to respond so I flicked an SOS to Zach who was standing behind his irate friend. He looked a little helpless although if I read him right, I sensed he wanted to spill the beans. My stomach knotted in an instant, my head jerking to the side. No way. It was bad enough that these guys knew. I wasn't drawing anyone else into this dangerous snare.
"Okay, what's going on?" Jaeda slapped the table. "I know you guys are hiding something from me." She pointed an aqua painted nail at Alex. "He went to L.A. too, didn't he? What were you guys doing there?"
"Look, Jae, it's kinda complicated..." Elliot began, looking in pain over the fact he couldn't say anything.
I held my breath, unwilling to give in even though I knew it would probably dispel the vexation radiating through the air. Zach looked at me, slightly pleading, but I dropped my gaze to the tabletop.
"Has this got something to do with you running away?" Jaeda's blue nail was now aimed at me. It thrust towards my face, making me recoil.
"Ease up, Jae." Zach reached for her shoulder, but she flicked him away before he could touch her.
"What is she getting you guys into?"
No one could look at her, their eyes skittering every surface, but her face. Talk about losing our cool! I wanted to shout at everyone to pull it together. Alex, the charmer in the FBI warehouse was speechless against her scrutiny. It was ludicrous!
"Jaeda—"
"Shut up. You don't get to talk, okay? You're the one who's causing all these problems right now. Coming back here and driving a big wedge through our group. What are you trying to do here? We have one summer left before we all flit off to college and we're supposed to be having fun. You coming back is ruining everything. You are a selfish, thoughtless bitch if you think you can just waltz in and out of Zachy's life. He deserves better than you!"
My confidence fled as her words hit me full force. The lie I had woven about why she wasn't invited evaporated in my brain. I sat like a stunned mullet taking in her fiery gaze and feeling futile.
"That's enough." Zach's voice was soft, but stony.
"I'm not finished."
"Yes, you are." He wrapped his fingers around her arm and pulled her from the chair. It looked forceful, but I could see his grip wasn't overly firm. "You don't talk to her like that."
"Oh great, so you're standing up for her now?" Jaeda wriggled free of his grasp and stepped away from him. "We're family Zach and you're throwing us all away...for her. You barely know her!"
That accusing blue nail shot my way again, except this time it was shaking. I met her gaze for a split-second and wished I hadn't, the hurt and frustration mingling together turned her daggers into cannon balls. I looked back to the table and kept my eyes steadily on the wood, not looking up until the front door slammed shut.
"I knew she was a spitfire, but phew. That girl knows how to leave a mark." Alex let out a breath, his eyes dancing as he spun around and started re-sticking the sheet to the wall.
Elliot sat in morose silence, his face hard. If he were frozen in time at this moment, people would study him and see a wounded soul wrestling with something intense. He was caught in a battle and he didn't know which side to fight for.
I hated myself in that moment. Jaeda was right, they were like family and I was pulling them apart. I was a selfish bitch!
I wanted to ask Elliot if he was okay, but he opened up his laptop, his dark eyebrows bunched tight and muttered, "She'll get over it...eventually." He threw a pointed glare at Zach who was about to sit down.
Shunting his chair back with a groan, he spun towards the door. "Back soon."
As the door slammed shut for the second time that night I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to ward off yet another layer of guilt.
"Hey, don't worry about it." Elliot looked up from his computer. "She's Jae, she bounces back."
"Then why do you look so distraught?"
He gave me a hard glare, putting on his tough exterior and straightening his shoulders.
"You saw the way she looked at me."