I narrowed my eyes, watching her smirk grow wider.

"Your ex-boyfriend, what was his name? Asher, right?"

A small sigh of relief left me. I really doubted her evil smirk.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, that story just captured my attention."

"What story?"

"You know, how you guys started dating." She shrugged, a smile still playing on her lips.

"Oh. Why?"

"Because if I remember correctly, you said you both got to know each other through an assignment?"

I nodded, not having any idea where she was going with it.

"How was he?" She asked, raising her eyebrows, extremely curious.

"What...do you mean?"

"Oh, you know, how did he woo you?"

Well...

"I mean he wasn't exactly the type who would do school work or help anyone with it. So, we weren't that great at first." I paused, watching her.
   
"So, you weren't friends at first. But started hanging out to do the project and got to know each other, right?"  She asked and I nodded.

We never used to acknowledge each other and then somehow ended up dating.

"Hmm." She smiled with a frown, playing with her food. "You sure history is not going to repeat itself?"

"What history?"

"You know, Tyler." She smirked.

"Where?" I looked around, searching for him.

When did he come here? When I looked for him a few minutes ago, he wasn't here.

And he shouldn't be here, he should be reading that book or making notes of whatever he should be doing.

"No, he's not here. I mean, that's not what I meant." She chuckled, shaking her head.

"You both went out a few times for an assignment too, you know, you and Tyler." She smiled, wiggling her eyebrows.

"That wasn't an assignment. She just asked me to explain that stuff to him." I said even though I knew she wasn't going to take it.

"Same shit. You both went out a few times for it. So...is history going to repeat itself?" She smirked again and I was left silent

Me and Tyler?

It's true that Asher and I weren't good friends before but he definitely wasn't a jerk like Tyler.

Tyler is nothing like Asher.

"Hello, hello?" She snapped her fingers and I tore my eyes away from the table to look at her.

"That's not true." I mumbled just for her to chuckle.

"I didn't say that's happening. I just pointed out the similarity. Gee, joking girl."

"I know you are." I said and she smiled before she took her phone out.

"Oh shit, it was silent." She cursed under her breath.

'Hey, can't reach Zack's phone. Would you tell him to call me back?'

A voicemail from her cellphone got my attention.

"It's from Rose!" She exclaimed and I found myself frowning.

Of course, she'd be friends with Sasha.
And now that she pointed out it was Rosaline, I think I've heard her voice before.

That too was a voicemail. For Zack.

She missed him even then.

"Cool." I smiled with a nod.

                            ▪️▪️▪️

'I've brought some lasagna and have saved some for you from your hungry little pumpkins. Make sure you eat it.'

Maria's voicemail brought a smile to my face.

I tucked my phone back inside my pocket and smiled at a toddler who was bouncing beside his mother.

That level of excitement reminded me of Theo.

I looked over my shoulder to take a look at that little guy again, but the man right behind me blocked the view.

And before I could crane my neck to look at him, Claire stepped out, calling my name.

"I'm heading to a boutique which is quite near your cafe. I can drop you there if you can wait for five minutes. I have to get the car seat."

Claire never offered me a ride. She was polite, yes but not friendly or helpful.

So when she insisted again, I agreed. Wouldn't want to discourage her friendliness.

When I eagerly said about Claire's good mood to Jake, he just shrugged. "She should've done that a long time ago. What about that guy Caleb?"

"What about him?"

"Will he come here today? To pick you up? For a date, maybe?"

Oh, there he goes.

"He's Zack's friend, Jake. And he flew back to New York." I said, making Jake frown.       

Huh. "Do you have a man crush on him?"

"I don't have man crush on people, people have man crush on me."

Oh, god.

"I can't take this anymore, I'm leaving." I grabbed my bag with a smile and he groaned.

"Will you ever stop flaunting that you get to leave at eight o'clock?"

I smiled at him before mumbling a bye to Marissa and stepping out.     

As usual, I called Sophie and talked to her for the entire bus ride.
 
"I'm heartbroken." She sighed when I told her about Zack and Rosaline.

"Why will you be?"

"Oh, I don't know." She muttered. "Just make sure one of his friends is single. If not you, I can try."

"You are a pervert, Sophie Mary Lynn."

"And you're a complete dumb Idiot, Evelyn Grace Ridge." Then she murmured something."As much I'd love to continue this, my stupid roommate who's a level higher nerd, wants me to stop talking so that she can do the math."

"Bye, go give your roommate some peace."

"She must give me some." She mumbled, hanging up and I stuffed my phone back with a smile on my face.

I turned my head around when I heard someone say my last name.

It was dark. Not completely, thanks to the streetlights. My eyes fell on a hooded figure, standing a few feet behind me.

"Shirley's relative?"

"Who are you?" I asked, still trying to figure out the hooded face in the dark.

"You are related to her, aren't you?" He asked again, voice slurry.

And I found it difficult to answer the question. It's yes, of course. But I weighed the chances of consequences.

What if I say yes and he turns out to be another drunkard from whom mom borrowed money?
  
What if I say no and he turns out to be one of our relatives? Will I be ruining a chance of getting found by family?

But then again, I don't know if my parents' family even know that we exist.

So, I just stood there, narrowing my eyes at him.

Maybe I'm overthinking, I should just say the truth.

"Are you?" He repeated and I was about to tell him yes when a car's headlight blinded my eyes.

"Eve, what're you doing here alone?" Rachel's voice echoed through the silent street.

I took a step towards the car, watching the man and Rachel stuck her head out. "Who's that man?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I think he knows mom, he asked me about her."

I looked back to see his silhouette walk away.

"Should we call him back? I hope I didn't scare him away."

That was sweet of her. But she didn't know my mom's so-called friends.

"No, that's okay." I replied quickly and she asked me to get in the car.

She didn't have to tell me twice.

And instead of dropping me off, she accepted Noel's enthusiastic invitation and sat with us for a few minutes before leaving.
               
But I noticed the lack of enthusiasm in Theo.

"Why are you so gloomy?" I asked Theo once Rachel left, hoping the answer had nothing to do with our mom.

"Yesterday was so much fun and today we're alone."

"You're not alone, Theo. You have Noel and me."

"But you're not Justin."

Ouch.

"Can we go see them?"

Oh, great.

It took me ten minutes to convince him we can't fly to New York just to see them.

At last, it's Noel, who reminded me that I have Justin's phone number with me.

And that's how I ended up watching them chat with Justin for the next half hour.