Julian didn't pull away. He actually chuckled.
Lyvana felt a sharp, cold sting in her chest.
Wait. Am I jealous? she asked herself. The feeling surprised her.
Sasha squeezed his arm affectionately before letting go to reach for her green juice.
Lyvana's throat felt tight.
"Well," Sasha said, taking a long sip of her juice. She gazed at Lyvana with a friendly but piercing gaze. "I hope you don't mind if I steal him for an hour. His muscles won't fix themselves."
Julian looked at Lyvana. He seemed to notice the change in her expression.
"Sasha, let's have a raincheck," he said.
Sasha froze with her green juice halfway to her lips. She blinked, her playful smile faltering for the first time. "A raincheck? Julian, your back is probably like a board. If we don't do the alignment now—"
"Not today," he interrupted. "I'll call you tomorrow to reschedule."
Sasha looked from Julian to Lyvana, and then back again. She realized she was being dismissed.
