More Than Friends (Friends, #2)(79)

Surprisingly, the haunted house is really coming together by the time Livvy and I leave so she can drive me to work. The yearbook staff is huge and almost everyone is there to help out. Under the efficient command of our leader, we are seriously getting stuff done.

It’s the perfect distraction I need, after what happened last night with Eli and Tuttle. I’m kept busy at the cafeteria, and by the time Livvy’s dropping me off at the shopping center, I feel pretty good. When I walk into Yo Town, I’m happy to see it’s busy there, too. Sonja is in the back working at her computer, and she calls me into her office when she sees me pass by.

“Have a seat.” She waves at the chair on the other side of her desk.

I settle in, trying to fight the unease that threatens to grab me. “Everything okay?” I ask.

“Everything’s fine. You’re doing a tremendous job, Amanda. I’m so glad we have you as an employee. You’re such a hard worker and you never complain.” She shoots me a sympathetic look. “But I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut your hours after November 15th.”

Blake warned me this was coming, and now the moment is here. “By how much?”

“Well, currently I schedule you anywhere from twelve to fifteen hours a week. After the fifteenth, though, I’m probably not going to be able to give you any more than ten hours a week.” She gives me a bleak smile. “I know that’s not much, and I’m so sorry I have to do this. But business slows way down once the cold weather is upon us, and we’re pretty much there.”

It’s a clear, sunny day, but it’s brisk outside. Everyone’s over frozen yogurt, I guess. “I get it. I do.”

“If you need to find more hours elsewhere, I completely understand, but if we get to keep you through the winter, that would be great too. Just know I will respect your decision no matter what.”

“Thank you for the heads up, Sonja. I really appreciate it.” I stand. “I don’t plan on going anywhere, but I might have to find another part-time job once football season is officially over.” I really don’t want to, but what choice do I have? I can’t do much with ten hours a week. That’s barely four hundred dollars a month after taxes, and I need more if I want to save up for my future.

“I understand,” she says with a nod. “Just keep me posted.”

I go into the bathroom, quickly change into my Yo Town shirt and then clock in before joining Blake out in the store, which is now empty.

Blake’s cleaning up the topping station and he glances up when he spots me. “My mom already give you the bad news?” he asks.

“Yeah.” I go to stand beside him, noticing that the frosted animal crackers are black and orange and white. Halloween colors. Everyone’s got the Halloween spirit. Sonja put up decorations in the window a few weeks ago. “Kind of sucks.”

“I know, sorry. I warned you, though.” He tries to cheer me up by saying, “We only opened an hour ago and we’ve been pretty steady, so that’s good.”

“I’m glad. I don’t want the shift to drag. I need to go back to school once it’s over.” At Blake’s confused look, I explain further. “The Halloween carnival is tonight. The yearbook staff is hosting a haunted house. Aren’t you coming?”

“Nah.” Blake’s cheeks turn ruddy. “That’s kids stuff.”

“No it’s not. It’s fun.” I nudge him. “Have you ever been?”

“Only during my freshman year, and I hated every minute of it.”

“Aw, you should give it another chance and go, Blake. Won’t some of your friends be there?”

“I don’t know. Maybe—maybe Kyla’s going,” he mumbles, turning away from me to straighten up the cup display.

My ears perk up. “Wait a minute, did you say Kyla?”

He keeps his back to me. “I don’t think so.”

Liar pants.

“Um, I do think so.” I tap him on the shoulder and he whirls around, looking defensive. “Are you talking about Kyla the water girl? Short, medium-length brown hair, pretty brown eyes?”

He says nothing, but he doesn’t have to speak. The answer is written all over his embarrassed face.

“I know her, we’re friends!” Well, a slight exaggeration, but we’re getting there. “I’m a water girl too, remember? We spend a lot of time together at the games and at practice. How do you know her?”

Blake shrugs, his expression pained. “We have a couple of classes together.”

“Is she going to the carnival tonight?”

“I don’t know.” He heads to the back of the store without another word.

Clearly he doesn’t want to talk about it, so I let it go.

Customers stream in steadily throughout my shift, a lot of them people from school. I see Lauren Mancini and her posse, which isn’t a surprise because remember, she just loves this place.

But what is a surprise is her demeanor. She approaches me as I stand behind the register, and there’s almost a—shy expression on her face.

Say what?

“So, hey, Amanda. What’s up?”

“Nothing much,” I say warily. “How are you?”

“I’m good, I’m good.” She pauses, then leans in closer. “Um, can I ask you a question?”