The Original Crowd (A Whole New Crowd 0.50)

Silence.

Like I’d expected anything else. Ha.

“Um—” Even Molly was coming up with nothing.

I don’t know why I was doing this. I don’t know why I was sitting—at the diner—with these three in an uncomfortable silence. I was trying to be more than just table-mate and science lab friends with Molly. I actually liked her. And I guess I was willing to do just about anything to keep myself distracted from the things I was so uncertain about in my life: Brian, Jace, Galverson, Tray.

But it wasn’t working.

“Do you guys like anyone?” I asked, a bit desperate for conversation.

Angela and Kayden both looked horrified, their eyes wide in alarm, but at least they were looking at me—finally.

“So,” I threw a thumb in Molly’s direction, “this one’s boy crazy. How about you two?”

Still nothing.

“But, I have to tell you, I will only be Molly’s pimp. The two of you…good luck, but no pimping. Sorry,” I said cheerfully.

I saw a brief smile on Kayden’s face, but…in the blink of an eye—it was gone. But hey, at least it was something.

“Hey. You.”

Oh please, please, please don’t be for me, I prayed. How many verbal lashings does a girl have to go through in a day?

“Scoot in, Taryn.”

It was Carter.

I grinned back at him. “Hey.” I pushed Molly against the wall as Carter sat on my other side.

He looked around the table, but was quiet.

“So…um,” he began, “how’s it going?”

Alright, I knew he could be here for one of two things—one, he was send by Tray to make sure I wasn’t doing anything stupid, or two, he was here to grill me about Mandy and Devon. Just wanting to beat him to the punch, I said flatly, “I already told Mandy she’s an idiot. I had no bearing on her moronic decision to go back to Devon.”

“Oh.” It wasn’t what he was going to say; I saw a flicker of some emotion in his eyes that I couldn’t decipher. “Uh…well, yeah. I mean, come on, we all knew it was only a matter of time. It’s Mandy and Devon, you know?” I’m sure he meant for it to come out as if he didn’t care, be he didn’t quite pull it off.

I said lightly, “It used to be you, you know, but I was told on good authority that Amber told you to date Sabrina Lyles because Mandy had a thing for you.”

He laughed nervously. “Come on. Mandy’s always had a thing for me—me and Tray—if Devon wants her, it’s who she’s gonna be with. He’s like her…”

“Comfortable blanket?” I finished for him dryly.

“Yeah.” He chuckled, relaxing. “I like you, Taryn. I really do. We need more of you in our circle.”

“I’m not in the circle.”

“Oh, yes you most certainly are, he proclaimed heartily. “One, you’re with Tray. Two, Mandy’s your sister. And three, Amber and Jasmine are terrified of you—and I’m talking ‘shit in your pants’ terrified of you. I love it. Trust me, that puts you in the circle. Right smack-fucking-dab in the middle. Plus, the guys like you. You don’t play those stupid games the rest of the girls do.”

“Bryce and Devon like me?” I asked incredulously. I’d torn into both of ‘em.

“Well, yeah. They respect you.”

I chose to stay silent.

“Anyway, I was wondering what’s up with Tray? You two have a fight?” He grinned, flashing one of those godlike charming smiles, at the server who nearly dropped our order. I watched and realized he’d done it without thinking. It had become an automatic instinct—he was a natural born womanizer.