She's Got the Rhythm

Chapter Nine: Holiday Songs

             “You were amazing last night!” Hannah said as she took a sip of her Chai Tea Latte.

             “Thanks,” I replied and looked around the room. Hannah had invited me to come to Starbuck’s with her, and she was being especially nice. Not that she always wasn’t; but I was surprised at how much she wanted to hang out with me.

            “Are you alright?” she asked me. Her blue eyes were filled with worry.

           “Ah, it’s nothing,” I told her, but my second thoughts about Ryan loomed in the back of my mind.

         “What it is it?” she scooted her chair closer to the table. “Are you cutting yourself, because if you are, it’s okay to tell me.”

         What? I almost spit out my caramel Frappuccino and then laughed to myself. “No, no, it’s not that,” I grinned. “It’s-“ I paused for a moment. “boy troubles,” I sighed.

         “Ooooh, do tell,” this caught her attention instantly.

        “Well, it’s about Ryan,” I started off. “I mean, he’s dropped hints that he likes me and he always flirts with me. So, I asked him if he wanted to you know, ‘go out’ I guess but he said he wanted what was best for the band. Which, he could be right about all along, but I don’t know. It’s complicated.”

        “Wow, talk about drama,” she contemplated this for a moment, “so have you talked to him since?”

        “It’s not like I can avoid-“ I stopped dead short in my tracks. My stomach did a little flip flop when I saw Ryan walk in with a petite blonde girl. “Him,” I finished and Hannah turned around to see what I’d been staring at.

        “What a pain. He’s probably just trying to make you jealous,” she explained.

        “Hmm, you think so?” this was probably the only time I’d ever looked at Hannah as a friend and not one of those band chick groupies.

       “Yeah, he totally likes you! Look, he’s over there with the other chick but he’s looking back here like every five seconds.”

        I casually looked up and my eyes met his gaze. I looked down immediately.

       “See, I told you,” she winked.

       “Oh, stop it!” I joked, and punched her playfully on the shoulder.

       “Ouch,” she rubbed the spot where I’d punched her. “I can’t stop laughing,” she said between breaths and for the first time in a long time, I was actually enjoying myself. The fact that I was enjoying it with Hannah was even better.

      “So, in reality, are you gonna confront him about this again?” she questioned.

       I shrugged. “I don’t know if it’s really worth the effort. If he likes me, which I’m almost positive he does, he’ll come running back.”

      “Well said, sista,” she held up her cup in the air and so did I. We clinked them together as if we were drinking champagne.

      “I’m ready to go, are you?” I asked her as I gathered my stuff together.

     “Yeah. Wait, are you sure you don’t want to say anything to him?” she glanced in his direction.

     “I’m good,” I said tightly as I smoothed down the bottom of my shirt.