The Racquet Accident

Chapter Sixteen: Is It Pheromones?

Chapter Sixteen: "Is It Pheromones?"

JAIME AND I were sitting at the food court of the local mall on Friday night. She worked at one of the retail stores part-time and had just finished her shift. I had been in the area after a very last-minute lash appointment. 

Currently, she was eyeing my lashes to the extreme. My chin was grasped by her hand as she analyzed me from above, below, and from the side before saying: "They look good."

"Right?" I agreed, the two of us pulling back. Luckily, they weren't long enough to interfere with my matches for the rest of the month and they were a long time coming. I needed some kind of reward after pulling an all-nighter for the midterm I had taken a few days ago. 

My phone beeped with a message as I waited for Jaime to get some food. These messages had been coming in before, during, and after my lash appointment.

Nikko: Rhett came over.

Nikko: He's saying something about wanting to watch some game with Mars but I think he wants alone time with me. 

Me: He'll kill you.

Nikko: He loves me, he can't kill me.

Me: He threatens you every day.

I wasn't joking. 

Nikko: Exactly. That's how he shows his love.

I snorted. What I told him last Sunday hadn't been brought up throughout the week. I didn't expect it considering how often I saw him throughout the week as well.  Although that conversation didn't resurface, I did think our relationship changed. 

I didn't think too much about it the more we spoke. And we spoke more than I figured was already possible. I was pulling an all-nighter for my midterm on Tuesday and he had been doing the same for one of his, somehow we had ended up texting for the majority of the time. And the day after. And after. And today. 

Jaime returned with a plate of poutine and an extra fork in my direction. I grinned at her, taking it as another message came into my phone from Nikko. 

There was a party. At his house. He said to swing by around 11 when people would mostly be there and to bring whoever I wanted. 

A sense of dread mixed with hope came over me but my response was already out before I realized what I had written and sent. 

Me: I'm super busy tonight. I can't. Sorry.

Nikko: Oh shit, that's okay. I'll see you tomorrow at practice, though?

I sent him a thumbs up as Jaime's phone chimed in with a text message. She read it over while eating a fry. "Iman's saying there's a party tonight."

When showed me her phone and the address was exactly whose I expected. Same party. I must have been unable to hide my expression because she narrowed her eyes at me. "What?"

I attempted to show her my screen but she already lifted from her seat, leaning halfway over the table to practically press her forehead against my own as she started to read my screen upside down.

She met my eyes. "Oh, we're going."

"Jay."

"We're going." She demanded. "We haven't gone out in forever and I want a night out with you. I've video chatted with Mari this week and it was only a few minutes. Yas and I have been procrastinating with a show almost every night. Meanwhile, you've been busy with squash and everything that comes with it and your assignments meaning that you've been caught up in the library or your room. This was the first day we could actually talk in a while since Reads, so excuse me if I want to spend more time with you."