Jungle Princess ✔

Chapter 36: Roar Your Heart Out

Ever since her birthday party she had been in a bizarre state of bewilderment. She hadn't mentioned to her parents the technicality that she might not even be seventeen (or she could be older than she might think!).

"So when's your birthday?" Amarissa asked Deandre curiously. He was in his 'zone,' as he liked to call it, for the last ten minutes, listening to his music thoughtfully and staring out the window. She had decided to let him brood for a while, but she couldn't take it any longer. The silence was killing her!

"June 27," he replied nonchalantly.

"Huh," Amarissa frowned, trying to remember which star sign that would be. She knew she was a Scorpio, so what did that make Deandre?

"Cancer," she blurted. "You are cancer."

"Actually, I have diabetes," Deandre joked.

Amarissa punched him lightly in the arm. "Ugh, you are so bad."

"I know," he grinned mischievously.

Amarissa exhaled as they arrived at Grand Central. Tamsin would be coming any moment now. She had texted her beforehand saying she would be riding with her. However, as she scanned the crowds that poured in from the platform, she couldn't see her crazy friend anywhere. Maybe she was blending in with the other crazy people.

"There you are!" Tamsin exclaimed, shoving herself into the seat beside Amarissa before a middle-aged man in a suit could steal it and flipping her straightened hair over her shoulder. "So...what did I miss?"

Amarissa glanced at Deandre, who stared into space with the pinch of a frown in his brows. "Nothing."

"Aw, you're wearing the shirt I gave you!" Tamsin remarked with an excited squeal. Amarissa glanced down at the printed tiger on her black shirt, roaring out at her in tones of hot pink and orange. Across the top and bottom it read, "Roar your heart out." Amarissa took it as one of Tamsin's subtle messages to be more confident and not afraid to express herself. But Amarissa had to first know herself and then decide whether she was afraid or not to express it.

"It looks great, by the way. Of course, I knew it would, seeing as I'm your best friend and all," Tamsin added, drawing out her compact mirror and checking her eyeliner.

"How modest of you," Amarissa smirked, looking at Deandre. He was oddly silent since Tamsin arrived. Maybe Tamsin just reminded him of Jordana, and Jordana reminded him of his past. Amarissa used to believe the past defined who someone was today, but now she realized to dwindle on the past was like never believing in change. People could change. And she could see Deandre was trying so hard to. If Amarissa could just get her hands on Angelo, and wring his stupid little neck, and -

"Are you okay? You look a little...tense," Deandre noticed, leaning forward on his knees to look back at her.

"Sorry, just thinking about revenge," Amarissa replied sheepishly.

Deandre arched an eyebrow. "I never took you as the revenge type, Amarissa."

"Actually, that's me. I'm the revenge type," Tamsin butted in, hooking her arm through Amarissa's protectively and speaking over Amarissa, who was once again the piggy in the middle. "So if you try anything, and I mean anything at all, I will wreak my revenge, Deandre."

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind," Deandre said tightly, drawing in a breath.

"I mean it, D," Tamsin snarled, locking the blood flow from Amarissa's elbow. "I know people. They can whip your ass faster than an ice-cream sundae."

"Great," Deandre muttered, a glimmer of amusement present behind his hazel eyes. "More people to beat me up."

Amarissa gently pushed Tamsin away, shaking her right arm and feeling the flush of blood rush back into her fingertips. Damn, that girl had a tight hold. "Guys, as much as I appreciate you fighting over me, it's really not necessary. Tamsin, honey, growling doesn't suit you, and Deandre, darling, you'll get wrinkles." Amarissa touched her fingers to his forehead and smoothened out the creases. There was something satisfying about that gesture, perhaps because it caused Deandre to smile at her.