[2022 Wattys Winner] When love cynic Madison Watson starts university, she vows to follow three simple rules.
One: Work out at least twice a week.
Two: Get an internship.
Three: Stay away from men.
But after a chance encounter with th...
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"Really, Dex?" I exclaimed, my eyes fixed on his but my attention firmly on Holly. "Violet Apex? I don't know, I don't get the hype ..."
Both Dex and James stared back at me, equally confused by my very sudden—and very loud—declaration. I widened my eyes pointedly, nodding my head in the direction of the approaching barista.
"Oooh." James, ever-observant, caught on first. He quickly increased the volume of his voice to match mine. "Yeah, Dex, why do you like VIOLET APEX so much?"
Only the day before, I'd thought that James could be the next Zac Efron, the next Ryan Gosling. He was just too perfect looking to be a normal human being and not Hollywood's next big thing. After hearing his attempt to act—which sounded a lot like an out-of-commission robot being powered down for poor performance—I realized that James wouldn't even be considered for a toothpaste commercial.
Dex stuttered a little before finding an answer to my faux-interrogation. "Are you kidding? Krash Angelo is one of the best guitarists of the modern era. Paired with Miles Ripley's vocals, it has to be one of the most polished acts right now."
Like I'd planned it myself—which I had—Holly placed my bagel down in front of me as Dex uttered his last words. She wiped her hands on her frilly apron, flashing him a smile of approval. "You like V.A.?"
Dex's glimmering eyes left mine to find hers, his pupils dilating and his face turning a tad paler than it already had been.
Get it together, I mentally urged.
He swallowed, managing to produce a small, friendly grin. "Yeah."
I groaned internally. 'Yeah'? That was the very best he could do? Though I supposed that one word was better than nothing, and miles better than his original plan to propose.
Baby steps.
Holly clapped her hands beneath her chin, causing her collection of woven pastel bracelets to fall down her slender arm. "Oh my gosh! I love them! I saw them live last spring."
"You're kidding! Me too!" Dex cried, his voice rising higher and higher. I kicked him softly under the table, and he cleared his throat until he found a more becoming pitch. "Ahem. That's crazy."
"Totally! My friends can't stand them, though. I had to go to the concert with my dad ..."
Without consciously realizing it, my eyes swept over Holly's dainty frame. Aside from the fresh caramel highlights running through her bouncy black hair, I could see the remnants of pink and blue box-dye as well. And she certainly had a creative sense of style underneath that dull apron. That day, she'd opted for an oversized aqua sweater, bright pink overalls, and a pair of Jigglypuff Converse that just had to be custom.
It was a far cry from my go-to get-up of black, black, and ... black. She was a far cry from me.
Another flash of color danced in the corner of my eye, stealing my attention from Holly and Dex's budding conversation. A folded-up flyer poked out from Holly's front pocket, decorated with red cups, beer bottles, and detailed vector graphics of smiling students.
