Lily POV
I paused for a minute, trying to school my expression. I didn’t want to worsen the situation than it was already.
I hesitated before I showed her the message. "He can't make it here. Wants me to take a cab instead."
Celeste threw her hands up. “Unbelievable! He just expects you to—” She groaned. “You are too nice to him.”
I laughed. “Or maybe I just understand him.”
Celeste rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck in the back of her head. "Typical Kai. Always expecting everyone to accommodate his plans."
"He's going through a lot right now," I said, defending him automatically.
"And you're not?" She gave me one last exasperated look but she didn’t argue further. Instead, she stood up from the bed and helped me zip up my backpack. "Just... be careful, okay? Not just with whatever you might discover, but with your heart."
I pulled her into a hug, touched by her concern despite her prickly exterior. "I will. I promise."
