The Game That Breaks Us (Us 3)

“Inconvenient spot,” she says, unlocking the doors to her beat-up Toyota. “But at least I have it, so I can’t complain too much.

We all climb inside, and I swear to God the car groans—I’m afraid it’s going to fall apart beneath us.

“Don’t worry, it always makes that sound,” Celine says from the driver’s seat as if she read my mind.

I buckle my seatbelt and say a silent prayer that we make it to the mall and back to campus safe and sound.

It takes us thirty minutes to get to the mall, and when we do, it takes us another twenty minutes of driving around to find a place to park.

“Everyone must have decided to go to the mall tonight.” Makenna giggles from

the front seat.

“Must have,” I agree.

Once we’re finally parked, we get out and the car groans again and shakes—I know, because some rust specks fall to the ground.

“She’s got some more miles left in her.” Celine taps the hood of the car and smiles at me.

I nod, even though I think the car belongs in a junkyard. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a car falling apart the way this one is.

“Can we get something to eat first?” Elle grabs her stomach. “I’m starving.”

“There’s a really good Italian restaurant on the bottom level,” Makenna says. “Is everyone good with that?”

“I am,” I say.

“Good with me,” Celine says, dropping her keys into her purse.

“Italian sounds like heaven.” Elle licks her lips. “Lead the way.” She motions her hand for Makenna to go first.

By some miracle, the restaurant is close to the area we parked, so we don’t have to walk too far, but they’re packed.

“It’s going to be a thirty-minute wait.” Makenna frowns, holding onto one of those vibrating things. “I put my name down on the waitlist, but we can go somewhere else if you want?”

I lean against the wall and look toward Elle since she’s the one that’s the hungriest.

“I’ve already smelled the food and it smells like heaven. We’re staying. I’ll live.” She slides down the wall, plopping on the marble floor.

“I can wait here while you guys look around a bit.” Makenna waves around the round device she holds. “I can text you when we’re being seated.”

“No.” Elle shakes her head. “We’ll wait with you.”

We all end up sitting in a row outside the restaurant on the mall floor.

I learn that Celine is hoping to become a forensic scientist—I would’ve never guessed that—and Makenna doesn’t know what she wants to major in. Makenna is also a cheerleader for the university team and she seems far more interested in that than school.

We’re in the middle of chatting when we’re interrupted by a male voice. “Hey.”

I look up and my smile falls. Tanner. The guy I fell on my first day of classes. After that, he seemed to make it his own personal mission to get to know me. His flirtatious behavior was mildly annoying, but I did my best to brush it off. Once it became public knowledge that Bennett and I were a couple, he backed off … somewhat. He was nice, I guess, but something about him made me feel dirty.

“Hi,” I say.

He grins widely, and his eyes squint as he gives the girls beside me a once-over. “Are you going to introduce me to your friends?”

I sigh. I wasn’t planning on it. “This is Elle, Makenna, and Celine,” I introduce blandly. Tanner never seems to pick up on my lack of interest. I can tell he’s one of those guys that thinks he’s God’s gift to women. Bennett’s cocky too, but not in that way—at least he has some humbleness about him.

“Nice to meet you.” His eyes linger on Makenna, and I swear he licks his lips like she’s a juicy steak he’s about to devour.