Achieving Unbroken
Chapter Twenty Four

—

"Stolen moments that we steal as the curtain falls,
It'll never be enough"
Secret Love Song (Pt. 2) | Little Mix

—

Lilla
[Monday, May 20th, 2018 - After School]

"So, whose heart did you break last week? Or, correction: hearts," I tease Devon as we walk down from our parked cars to our favorite little bakery. She tosses her head back as she laughs.

Devon is one of my overall closest friends; our dads are basically brothers, having known each other since high school. Her and I connected fast, and have known each other since I was seven years old and she was nine.

Yes, she's a senior in high school and will be graduating in a month. She's not at Bringham so I don't see her every day, even though her and I do our best and see each other on most weekends, but we haven't seen each other lately. She's gonna go to beauty school, which I'm so excited about; but not having her around is going to suck.

Devon also happens to be a bit of a tease. With her perfect smile and long ass legs, people fall at her feet, but she is waiting for someone very special to grab her attention. I've begged her to let my set her up with someone, like Vince or one of my theatre girls, but she vehemently refuses. She wants to get through high school with zero distractions, and has accomplished that; but no one said she couldn't have a little fun.

"Only one," she sighs. "Sweet guy, too. A little junior. Adorable, really. I just smiled at him and said that maybe in a few years, once he's gone through puberty."

I choke. Sometimes, I think to myself, I get concerned for her. But it's only because I'm kinda envious that she has no fear of teasing guys.

I can be a bitch to anyone. But being a tease is a label I'm not sure I'm looking for.

"God, I'm impressed," I shake my head. "Only you can practically rip a guy's dick off with your words."

"What can I say?" Devon jokes, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "It's a gift."

Her and I continue to giggle about her admirers, when my phone lights up in my hand. It's Jason again, I had been texting him from my car in the parking space that I snagged, but then Dev had arrived, and now his response was just coming in.

"Oh, does my Little Lilla finally have a decent gentleman caller?" I wince slightly, remembering her disdain for Maxwell. She would always say "it's just a vibe I get" when I asked her why, which isn't a substantial answer, but I would let it go. Just wait until she finds out that him and I won't be seeing each other anymore.

"Actually," I start, "I shut that down. Today, coincidentally. He wanted more, and I didn't. I'm sure you're ecstatic," I drone. She glows, smile taking the attention of everyone walking down the sidewalk.

"Ugh, yes!" She throws her fist in the air. "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. He didn't deserve you at all. Now, is this a new guy?"

I smile sheepishly, and shrug. I don't know what to tell her. She might think this thing with Jason is weird and immature... Ugh.

"Him and I have... Recently become friends. He's been through some rough stuff in the last year, and I wanted to support him." Technically, it isn't a lie. Is it the full truth? Not completely. But she will be happy that I've found one of the last few remaining good teenage boys in the world, so maybe she doesn't need the full truth.

"Is he attractive by your standards?" She asks as I fling the bakery door open and we both greet the employee working there. The two of us join the line of people that is waiting for their sweet treat, and continue our conversation. Her question, for a moment, takes me back to the night that I met Maxwell, but I kick the memory out of my head. To answer her, I don't go for the half-truth.

"Very," I reply, so quietly it could almost qualify as a whisper. Devon's mouth stretches into a wide smile.

"Well first, respond to his message," she demands, and I unlock my phone. "Second, do you think he's interested?"

I give her a pointed look, not yet checking my messages.

"Since when am I ever good at reading social cues?" Her face falls, shoulders slouching.

"You could've improved since I last saw you," she grumbles. Chuckling, I crane my head over my phone to read the message.

Jace: Im roseta!

Oh, Sweet Lord, why?

Me: um... jace?

Seconds later, another text from him pops up.

Jace: I kiked a boy in the shin

A loud laugh bubbles between my lips before I can control it. The text in general, plus the way that "kicked" is spelled, indicates that this is definitely not Jason.

"What did he say?" Devon rushes to ask me. I shake my head, smile still lingering on my lips.

"Nothing." My fingers scribble out a responding text.

Me: Who is this? Did your sisters take your phone?

I doubt that Carl would text me like this. If anything, he would text me in search of deep philosophical conversation.

Jace: do u like are broter

The resulting smile is less of an "aw, that's cute" smile and more of a "oh my Lord these small children have figured me out" smile. Overall, this conversation is precious.

Me: Yes, I do. He's very nice!

"God, what is he saying now?" Devon groans, turning to me. Then, she gasps. "You're bright pink. Is he that much of a sweet talker?" I don't respond, the next response showing up on my screen.

Jace: U shuld mary him

"He talks in third person," my head snaps up, only to see her staring down at my screen too. She purses her lips, nodding in comprehension. "Damn, Little Lil. You sure do know how to pick 'em."

"No! Oh my God, no," I emphasize. "His little sisters took his phone and are texting me with it." She nods, but looks doubtful.

"That's a good excuse," she hums. I flip her off and turn back to my phone to wrap up this conversation.

Me: well, him and I are a little young for that, haha! But you're very sweet. Have a good time with your "broter" :) Tell him I'll talk to him later!

The twins sound adorable. I hope I meet them soon.

"Hi, what can I get you two?" The kind older woman at the counter greets us when we finally make our way to the front.

"I'll have a slice of the triple chocolate cake, and a tall mint chocolate mocha," Devon orders first, looking at me expectantly when she's done.

"I'll have a slice of the pumpkin pie, and a nonfat butterscotch latte, please." We both pay for our things, and the woman dishes it up in a flash. Minutes later, Devon and I are sitting at a small table in the corner of the cafe.

"You and your nonfat," she remarks, taking a bite of her cake.

"It tastes the same, so why keep the fat?" I shrug, yet grinning because we have the same discussion every time we get coffee. I instantly moan when I take a large bite from the pie, the perfectly homemade crust combining with the sweet, rich pumpkin filling. Devon has an identical reaction to her food.

Us two stay quiet for a bit as we savor our deserts, but then I notice her head perk up.

"Hottie, six o'clock," she smirks. I follow my six o'clock right behind me, to see a tall, ginger haired guy with a blade-sharp jaw standing in line with two little blond's in tow. My jaw drops.

"Jason?" The name leaves my mouth before I can fully comprehend the action. His head turns in our direction, eyes going behind me to Dev before landing on me. The corners of his lips turn up to form a gentle smile, and my mouth can't help but mimic his.

"Hey, Lilla."

"Wait, this is Jason?" Devon all but squeals.

"Wait, this is Lilla?" The little girls ask together. Jason and I both look at our respective company and nod to confirm their suspicions.

"Uh, Jason — This is one of my best friends, Devon."

"Nice to meet you," Jason reaches out to shake Devon's hand, and she slips her hand into his slowly, eyeing him up and down. He gulps uncomfortably. "And, Lilla, these are my little sisters. Diamond," he gestures to the girl on his right, "and Sapphire." His hand motions to the other girl, who has slightly blonder hair than her sister.

"It's nice to meet you guys," I smile widely, getting out of my chair to crouch in front of them and offer them my hand to shake. Sapphire jumps to shake my hand first. "I loved the texts you guys sent me."

"Really!?" Diamond exclaims, lightly shoving Sapphire aside to have her turn.

"Yes," I grin. "They made me smile."

Neither of the twins say anything, they just look down bashfully. It makes my heart swell.

"So, uh, what're you guys doing here?" Jason asks, stumbling over his words. My smile widens as a laugh escapes my lips.

"Pumpkin pie. It's the best thing I've ever put in my mouth." Out of the corner of my eye, I see Devon lean forward and open her mouth to make a sexual comment over what I just said. But, before she can, I swing my foot into her shin and she grunts, leaning away.

"I'll have to try some, then."

Before Jason or I can say anything else, the woman at the counter calls them up to order. I observe Diamond and Sapphire order large cups of ice cream, no matter how creepy that sounds. I adore kids, and these two are no exception.

"Jesus, Lil. You're fucking whipped," Dev croaks behind me.

"Do you want another kick in the shin?" I whisper-yell. She puts her hands up in surrender.

"You're bitchy when you have a crush," she mumbles. Rolling my eyes, I turn back to see that the girls are holding their cups of ice cream with bright faces, and the employee inquires if they want anything else.

Jason steals a glance back at me and my almost-finished plate of pie before asking for one more thing that I can't hear. It doesn't take me long to know, though, when the woman reaches into the glass case and slips a slice of their house made pumpkin pie onto a small desert plate. He pays, and the three of them turn in our direction, and what Devon asks next takes the words right out of my mouth.

"Do you guys want to join us?"

Jason looks to me for guidance. He doesn't want to intrude, but he would like to talk since we didn't at lunch. My mouth tips into a smile while my head nods rapidly.

"If the girls want to, of course," I throw in, but they're already pulling up chairs next to me. "Sorry," I shrug, looking back to Jason. "Looks like they beat you to the punch."

His skin turns a slightly darker shade of pink, but it wouldn't be noticeable to anyone who wasn't looking intently at him like I am now. I turn away when I hear chair legs sliding against the floor, and see Devon pulling up a chair next to her.

"Come on, Pretty Boy," she slaps her hand onto the chair three times, palm flat. "I don't bite."

To conceal my laugh, I cup my hand over my mouth, and Jason sends me a playful glare, and my chest warms up, stomach turning.

I'm not whipped, I say to myself. That being said, he's really cute when he blushes.