Free Everything That Makes You by Moriah McStay

streaked in blue. She smiled when she saw him, then she moved to the side so the other guy back there—a tall guy with tattoo vines covering his arms—could take orders. Ryan gestured between the two girls. “Gwen, this is my sister, Fi.”
    Wiping her hands on a towel, Gwen reached a thin arm across the counter. “Hey, Fi. Nice to meet you.”
    Fi shook the waif’s hand, worried she might break it.
    â€œCan I get y’all something?” Gwen asked. Looking at Ryan, she asked, “Decaf?”
    He nodded and looked to Fi. She read the menu overhead but had no clue what to order. “Something not too coffee-ish?”
    Gwen laughed. “Sure.”
    A few minutes later, Gwen handed over a large mugfilled with milky foam. Fi pointed to her cast. “I need to sit somewhere.”
    Ryan nodded, and they both surveyed the shop. Every table was full.
    Fi began to panic slightly. This little bit of activity made her foot ache. She was dizzy and out of breath. If she felt like this after three weeks, what would her game be like after a year ?
    Ryan gestured to the full tables. “There’s nowhere.”
    â€œSeriously,” she whispered, leaning in. “I need to sit.”
    He pulled back to study her before scanning the café again. Finally, he clutched her arm and walked her to a table for four, where two guys around their age sat. They had dark, wavy hair and looked about the same height.
    â€œY’all mind if she sits?” Ryan asked, pointing to the two empty chairs and then at Fi’s cast.
    One of them had nice, olive skin, the other was fair like Fi and Ryan. The fair one stood, pulling out the chair just in front of her and gesturing to it. “Not at all.”
    At the same time, Tan Guy reached over to Fair Guy’s chair and pulled it toward him , closing the distance between the two boys.
    Fi considered pointing out that broken ankles weren’t contagious. Instead, she looked to the nice one, who still stood near, offering help. “Thanks,” she said.
    Ryan pulled the remaining empty chair toward her and pointed to her cast. “You should keep it elevated.”
    â€œWhere will you sit?” she asked.
    Her brother gestured behind him, back toward the blue-haired girl. “I can hang out there.”
    So much for brother-sister time. “Is this the mysterious study group?”
    Giving a half smile, he said, “Be back in a bit,” and left her with the two strangers.
    Fi wasn’t sure what to do. Should she check her texts or look otherwise busy? The place was packed with people talking loudly, even shouting across the room, yet the two boys at her little table silently looked into space. Quite deliberately not at her.
    She was studying the little tabletop menu when Fair Guy pointed to the corner, where a microphone was sandwiched between two brown plants. “Here for open mic night?” he asked her.
    â€œOh. Uh, yeah—I guess so.”
    Fi and Fair Guy stared at the personless microphone for several long, painful, silent moments. The boy shifted his gaze, looking to where his fingers toyed with the edges of an old book in front of him. Then he smiled and reached a hand across. “I’m Marcus.” He looked over his shoulder to Tan Guy. “And my antisocial brother’s name is Jackson.”
    â€œFi,” she replied, taking Marcus’s hand. Jackson narrowed his eyes when they touched, like she was diseased.
    â€œ Fee? ” Marcus asked.
    â€œF-I. Short for Fiona.” She pointed toward Ryan, now bentso far over the counter he risked falling onto the other side. He was saying something to the girl—what was her name? Gail? Gwen? “ My antisocial brother nicknamed me when I was little. It just stuck.”
    Marcus glanced over at Ryan before nodding toward Jackson. “We’re twins, too.”
    Fi looked between the two boys, who, outside of the wavy black hair, looked