The Tree Remembers

Jealousy, Jealousy

"You're cut if you want to head out, Eddie," Grant said, clapping me on the back.

"Thank you," I exclaimed, dropping the glass I was drying and making a beeline towards Steve's table.

"Sour puss, you almost shattered the glass into the ice!" Nick shouted after me. I blew him off and smiled when I got to Steve. He looked up, surprised but happy by my presence.

"Munson!"

"Hey, Harrington – just got cut and was going to have a couple drinks. Want to catch up?" I asked, trying to seem genuine in my motives. His smile grew.

"Dude, of course! We just invited Elle to join us, so that's perfect," he replied. I stopped myself from smirking at him, knowing that it was going exactly to plan.

"Thanks," I replied, sitting down, making sure I sat at the chair next to the empty one that Elle was hopefully going to sit at.

"Eddie, this is Robin," Steve said, gesturing to the pretty girl with strawberry blonde hair next to him. I smiled and she didn't return it, simply nodding at me. She was in a bowling shirt that had the name "Glenn" stitched into the front.

"When did you get back?" she asked. Nick came over and slammed a drink down in front of me before smacking my head. I rubbed my head, feeling a little guilty for leaving him like that.

"About a month and a half ago," I answered. She nodded knowingly.

"Why the hell would you come back?" she asked. I felt my face flush and the familiar panic I got when people asked that question rose. I didn't want to talk about Wayne or the real reason I came back.

"He kept getting kicked out of bands – he was too annoying," a voice chirped. My heart swelled and I looked up at Elle as she sat next to me. She smirked at me and took a sip from her drink. I tried not to glare as Steve perked up and leaned over on the table, smiling at my girl.

"How do you put up with him then?" Steve flirted. She set her forearms on the table and leaned over to him, smiling widely.

"I usually tune him out," she quipped. I wanted to get up and sit between them. It was not fair that my surly Elle was immediately sweet to King Harrington. If Steve had known how hard I had worked for her to even tolerate me in her presence, he would back off out of respect.

"Music nights have gotten cool, Elle," Robin said, raising her glass. Elle turned to her but stayed close to Steve still. I really wanted to sit between them. Elle clinked her glass against Robin's.

"Thanks, Rob – I'm glad you guys came out!" she replied. They both took a sip, and I felt my chest tighten when Steve reached out and set an arm around the back of Elle's chair. 

Not fair. Not fair. Not fair.

---

Flirting with Steve was harmless.

He had started coming in with Robin a couple months ago, and we settled into a flirty friendship that was fun. Robin had also become a friend, and I had even set her up with a couple of my friends. She had broken every one of those girls' hearts but was insistent that I keep acting as matchmaker for her.

Steve was handsome and easy to talk to. He and Robin worked for his dad's company that did something in finance – from what it sounded like, they goofed around together a lot and were attached at the hip. Their friendship was sweet, and I was glad I had gotten to know them.

I looked over to Eddie and tried not to smile at his expression. He was practically glaring daggers at Steve. I kicked him under the table, and he was brought out of his thoughts. He twisted his face and my stomach flip. It did something to me when he was like this – incapable of playing it cool like he always tried to be and wearing his emotions on his sleeve. It made my insides fluttery for some reason.