Origami Heart (Book 3 - DP series - COMPLETE)

8. Shallow

Photo above: Lexi (lexi_frawley, if there's someone who resembles you better, let me know. I'm happy to change it) :D

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It's nine before anyone shows up at my house. Apparently, the game didn't end until seven and then everyone went out for dinner. Unfortunately, that means they missed their window for meeting Haley because she's been passed out for a good hour and a half already. There's no way I'm waking her for this. Besides, with the way things are working out so far, we'll have another opportunity real soon for the guys to meet her.

When the bell rings, I tell my parents to continue enjoying their show and hurry to answer the door.

"Hey, guys," I say, finding Andy, his sister Lexi, Gavin, and Gavin's sister, Silvia, standing on the porch.

"Hey," Gavin says, pulling me in for a tight hug before pushing his way into the house.

"Hi," Andy greets, lips turned upward into a modest grin. "I'm glad we're making an effort to see more of each other these days."

"Me too," I agree. "I've missed this. Funny how we all drifted after college."

"Yeah. Don't let it happen again." He points an accusing finger at me but Andy never was good at keeping a straight face. His smile breaks through halfway through his threat, but I nod with a solemn salute anyway before beckoning him into the house.

"You and I never drifted though," I tell his back as he passes by. "We've never lost touch. It was you who moved forty-five minutes away and found a job that never allowed for visits. Speaking of which, how've you managed to make it into town so often the last couple weeks?"

Andy shrugs before turning to face me as he walks backward into the living room. "Got a new job." His face breaks into that childish smirk that I always found contagious. "I actually have weekends off now. It's a beautiful thing."

"New job doing what?"

"He's a paramedic now," a voice says from behind me and I swivel to find Andy's sister taking the last step up to the porch.

"Holy crap," I gape, eyes swinging over Lexi before pulling her into a warm hug. She chuckles into my shoulder, grunting as if I'm squeezing her to death—which, maybe I am, but I can't help it. I absolutely adore this girl. She's practically my little sister.

"You're so tall now!" I gush, gripping her shoulders as I take a moment to absorb the maturity that's somehow eaten away her youthfulness. "Are you still dancing these days?"

"Not much," she answers, pushing a stray strand of her red and blonde-streaked brown hair out of her eyes. The spiraling curl bounces with the movement but springs right back into its original position the moment her hand releases it.

Andy and Lexi are about as tight to each other as my high school yoga pants are to my thighs. I recall him bringing her along to hangouts back when we were in college and no one ever questioned it. Some even thought they were dating since they look nothing alike. She was adopted when she was three and Andy was nine but her caramel skin and dark wild locks compared to Andy's blonde hair and golden complexion make them about as different as a nuclear bomb is to a firecracker. Personality-wise, though, they're practically twins. Both are relaxed and mature and know how to take a joke. She's the definition of a cool little sister—unlike Gavin's sister, Silvia, who is all drama, selfies, and ruby-red lipstick.

"By the way," Andy hollers from the living room. "I invited the Starling's." When I turn to face him, I find him grimacing like a child prepared for a verbal attack. "I hope that's okay." He grins sheepishly, stuffing his hands into his front pockets and shrugging. "It's just—one of them might have a little thing for you."