It might take days, but I always pay my dues.
“When are you going to talk to her?” I ask.
“After you do.”
“If I could talk to her myself, I wouldn’t ask you to do it for me.”
“Elsa isn’t like us. She needs to hear it straight from you and Silver or she won’t believe it.”
“She wouldn’t fucking talk to me.”
“You deserve it.”
“Nash,” I warn low.
“Just saying. Ask for forgiveness and show her your true feelings — as fucked up as they are. Knight, Astor, and I can talk to her all day, but if she shuts down from you, there’s no bringing her back.”
“When did you become an expert on relationships?”
“Since you keep fucking up.” He starts towards the building. “Show up for practice and make an actual effort or I’ll have to ask Coach to bench you.”
Little —
“Oh.” He smiles. “We have an interesting addition to the team.”
Fuck if I care.
We walk through the school’s hallway. Girls from the gymnastics and track teams bat their eyelashes at me.
They think because Elsa is out of the picture, they have a chance.
I’d pity them if I could.
There’s no one before Elsa and no one after her. She’s a constant, and soon everyone will know that.
Elsa fucking included.
Astor joins us and chats about his latest bang and the upcoming game, but I filter him out.
My head hurts from lack of sleep. It’s been three days since I last slept, and I still couldn’t collapse. I’m this close from seeing people as caricatures.
Wait. That’s their everyday appearance.
“So, King.” Astor wraps an arm around my shoulder and the other around Nash’s.
I don’t even have the energy to remove his arm or threaten to break it.
“When are you going to apologise to Ellie and bring her back? Hmm? Hmm?”
I glare at him.
“Knight and I can prepare a carriage filled with flowers and chocolate and shit.”
Elsa doesn’t like chocolate. Well, except for Maltesers. I wonder if she’ll remember anything if I give her those little chocolate balls.
“I can even sing.” He snaps his fingers. “Wait! Cake bunny hookers! Ellie would fucking love them. Am I right or am I right?”
“You’re never right, Astor,” I tell him.