My mouth opens, ready on the defense when she does something that surprises me instead.
Her muscles relax, molding into her seat, and I have to fight not to do the same. Somehow, I’d misread her reaction.
Hailey isn’t angry with me, she’s missing home.
I know that she’s only managed to go back a handful of times since coming here. Her hand slumps down onto her cheek, flicking at the leftover peel with the other.
How haven’t I noticed this sooner? I’m a bad friend.
Beyond bad, awful.
I know I’ve had a lot going on, but she’s been there for me, and I need to do the same for her.
I flick at a leftover stringy white piece of the pith and her face puckers when it hits her uniform.
“That’s the same reaction chicks usually have once Finn turns on the light,” Eli wisecracks. Grinning at his own joke as he chews on a piece of bland chicken breast.
Hailey chokes out the last slice of the orange she’s been nibbling in a coughed shock.
“And those, folks, are what their pussies look like after I finish with them,” Finn notes as unabashed as he is brazen. Pointing at the used remains she spit into her napkin.
“I honestly don’t know how people put up with you.” My disgust is evident.
Finn’s smile stays unbashful. “Not everyone’s as lucky as you are, lil sis. Not everyone gets to live with the Finnster.”
I pinch at the bridge of my nose on a winded sigh.
“Ohmygod, please never refer to yourself in the third person or as the Finnster ever again.” Offendedwiththe entire female population.
Hailey chucks her used napkin at Finn. His appalled reaction as the mushed-up contents land directly in his lap makes this all less irritating.
“Boys are pigs.”
I high-five Hailey in agreement.
She nods in solitude. “Chicks before dicks.”
“Ah, look at that, all the girls are sticking together now,” Finn mocks in fake enjoyment. Wiping the last bit of orange slime off his clothes.
I stick my tongue out at him. His eyes widen before leaning over his side of the table.
“I hope a bird shits on it,” he sneers in a whisper.
My tongue clicks to the roof of my mouth. I don’t appreciate him referring to my tongue being shit on.
I flick my eyes over in Hailey’s direction before directing them back at him. Making sure to get my point across.
It does the trick. His eyes creasing as they narrow along the peaks.
“Jealous because someone already gave up on you?” I mock on a spiritless grin.
Hailey is unaware of all this since I’m purposefully keeping my voice low.
The strain he holds in his jaw at my comment is laughable. I know I struck a nerve. That soft spot he has for her larger than I imagined after I see that jump in his jaw.
Maybe, if he’d talk to me, I’d know these things and then I wouldn’t have to assume.
“Do the siblings need a time-out?” Eli asks, not as oblivious to the growing tension as Hailey.