Be Rude but Love Me | ✔

CHAPTER 34

"What? When?"

I can picture Ellie jubilating on the other side as she talks to me on the phone. "Yeah, I'm missing you, guys. I told James it was inconceivable that I spend all my time with him without seeing you."

"But when did you decide that?"

"Like, ten minutes ago. I'm coming back home. Start getting the bags ready."

I cannot believe it. "Is Yann coming?"

"Yes, Will is on his way to his house to let him know."

I grimace. "You're aware that James and Yann are like oil and water, right?"

"Well, they'll have to deal. I am not leaving without them."

As we disconnect the call, I get awfully apprehensive at seeing Yann. We haven't talked in two days and when I had snuck into his house and called his name, only silence had replied. I want to believe he really wasn't there and wasn't just avoiding me. I miss him.

Get a grip, I tell myself. Grabbing one of my bags, I start filling it with clothes of mine and Lucy's. I can't believe we're going camping just like that. Sometimes, I feel like Ellie is completely out of her mind – but honestly, it's when she's at her craziest that I love her the most.

Halfway through packing, I realize I should go get Lucy from Matt's and ask her what she wants to bring. The little brat could take one look at the bag, says she wants nothing of what I've chosen and all my hard work would have been for nothing.

A few seconds after knocking on my neighbors' door, Matt's mother opens the door with a bright smile. I tell her I'm here to pick up Lucy and she goes fetch my little sister who is more than angry at being pulled away from her new best friend. However, as we go back to our house, her face brightens up the moment I tell her we're going camping.

"Yay!" She screams. I smile at her excitement and ruffle her hair in playfulness. "So, get my bag ready, then."

She's about to flee our room but I grab her. "Nah-ah. You pick what you want so that I don't hear you complain after that."

I let my little sister alone and go to the basement, looking for a tent Ellie told me her parents have stashed there. The moment I come back up, I hear the front door open and Ellie's voice fills the house.

"I'm here, gonna get my bag ready."

I hear her feet on the staircase just as I close the door to the basement. I catch sight of James in the doorway, typing away at his phone. Once he notices me, he pockets his phone and comes to me.

"Hi, Tracy," he greets, "haven't seen much of you lately."

I laugh at that, giving him a pointed look. "Doesn't look like you wanted to see much of anyone but Ellie." He has the decency to look a little contrite and I see him blush. I punch his shoulders playfully and smile. "Don't worry, it's okay. I know what it's like to want to be with someone all the time."

As the words leave my lips, I realize with much surprise that I am talking about Yann. James gives me a funny look and is about to say something, undoubtedly something along of the lines of really, you do? when someone else beats him to it.

"Do you have a secret boyfriend now, Tracy?"

I crane my neck to look past James. Surely enough, Will is standing behind him with a raised eyebrow and a teasing smile on his lips. I roll my eyes at him and say, "No, I don't."

Movement behind him catches my attention and I see him. Yann. His back is to me, a hand holding a phone – Will's phone I realize – up to his ear as he talks to someone. I can see him run a hand through his already messy hair. He turns around still talking and his eyes meet mine. I wait for him to do something first for I am too afraid to smile at him only to have him ignore me. But to my great surprise, he stops talking for a moment – or maybe he's just listening to his interlocutor – as he takes me in. Then, he mouths, "hi." I smile and mouth back, "hi." That's all. He turns around and goes back to his conversation.