She huffs out a breath. “Well, if someone hadn’t taken their sweet ass time getting ready,” she says, with a pointed glance at Gabi with narrowed eyes. “Then we would be there already.”
Gabi scoffs, flicking her long brown hair behind her shoulder. “You can’t rush perfection.”
My face breaks out into a grin as I stare at her. She really is perfect. Her black baggy pants hanging low on her hips, and the white crop shows off her tanned stomach, blinging with the belly button piercing she got on her sixteenth birthday.
Madi pulls back the seats. “You two want to go to the back?” she asks, smirking at us. “It’s more private there.”
“What the hell are you playing at?” Gabi murmurs, furrowing her brows.
Madi glances at me for a second, before turning her attention back to Gabi. “Just trying to make room,” she says with a smirk. “Is that a problem?”
Gabi turns to face me and I shrug in response. “That’s fine.”
“Great,” Madi says, stepping aside so we can climb into the back.
Once we’re all seated, she shuts the door, and the car drives off.
“Have any of you gone go-karting before?” Grayson asks.
“Yeah. A couple of times,” Gabi replies.
“I’ve gone a few times with Leila. I had so much fun beating her,” he says, swinging an arm around her shoulder.
Leila scoffs. “Until today. I’m going to win.”
“We’ll see about that,” he replies before leaning down to kiss her.
“I’ve gone once, with James. It was fun though,” Lucas says. “Kinda wish he was here.”
“Too bad he’d rather bang his boyfriend all day long,” Gabi jokes.
Lucas shakes his head, laughing along.
“I actually haven’t gone before,” Madi says.
“Me neither,” Rosie adds.
Grayson grins down at his girlfriend. “Another first to check off.”
“Oh great,” Gabi murmurs, glancing at me. “We’ve got a front row seat to their love making.” She fake gags, and I let out a laugh.
“Do you really hate seeing them in love?” I ask her, genuinely curious.
She sighs, shaking her head slightly. “No,” she admits. “I love to tease them and kid around, but I’m actually really happy for them. I like seeing them happy.”
“But?” I prompt, knowing that’s not all.
She sighs again, meeting my eyes just for a second before turning away, gazing out the window as the landscape breezes past us. “But I wish I could have that,” she admits quietly. My chest tightens as she continues. “Sometimes I think that I’m completely unlovable.” Her voice wavers, and she lets out a soft laugh to cover it. “I think people like versions of myself I constructed for them. They like the jokes and the loud, funny Gabi. But if anyone ever really knew me…” She laughs bitterly. “They’d run the other way.”
Her words break me. Does she really think she’s unlovable? God, I just want to grab her and look her in the eyes and tell her I’m right here. I’m right here, and I love her so fucking much. I didn’t even have a choice. It justis. Like the fabric of time itself.
I was destined to love this girl.
“That’s not true,” I say instead, stuffing all of the words I really want to say deep inside. “I’m right here, Gabi.”And I love you. “And I’m not running away.”
She turns her head, meeting my eyes. “You did once.”
My stomach caves in. “Gabi—”
