who exist. It’s hard, though, because I can feel everyone’s eyes on me and it’s making me nervous.
Val takes a bite of her tuna melt. “Reed’s staring at you.”
Of course he is. I shift around and spot him at a table jam-packed with football players. Easton’s there, too, but he’s all the way on the other side of the table instead of in his usual spot next to Reed.
I spare a glance at Reed, who’s watching me with piercing blue eyes. The same eyes that grew heavy-lidded every time we kissed, that blazed hotly every time we were in the same room.
“Are you ever going to tell me what went down between you two?”
I tear my gaze away and force some pasta in my mouth. “Nope,” I say lightly.
“Aw, come on, you know you can tell me anything,” Val urges. “I’m a vault.”
My hesitation doesn’t stem from a lack of trust. Sharing just isn’t natural for me. I’m more comfortable swallowing my emotions. But Val’s expression is so earnest that I feel obligated to offer a few details. “We were together. He screwed up. We’re not together anymore.”
Her lips twitch. “Wow. Anyone ever tell you you’re a terrible storyteller?”
I grimace. “It’s all I’ve got right now.”
“Fine, I won’t bug you about it anymore. Just know that I’m here to listen whenever you’re ready to talk.” She uncaps her water bottle. “So what are we doing tonight?”
“Aren’t you sick of me already?” I tease. After the disappointing meeting with Lucy, I went back to Val’s and we pigged out on cake and watched all three of the Step Up movies. Easton wandered off in the middle of the second one and didn’t come back.
“Hey, I’m in mourning.” She glumly sticks out her lower lip. “I need you to distract me so I don’t think about Tam. Halloween was our favorite holiday. We used to do couples costumes.”
“Aw. Did he text you again?” He messaged her three times last night, but Valerie had ignored them.
“Constantly. Now he’s talking about driving down so we can talk in person.” She looks stricken. “Broken hearts suck.”
Don’t I know it.
As if on cue, my phone sounds the text message alert. I wince when I see Reed’s name on the screen.
Don’t read it, I order myself.
Like an idiot, I read it.
Stop acting like u don’t give a damn about me. We both know u do.
I clench my teeth. Ugh. Arrogant ass.
Another message pops up: U missed me when u were gone. Same way I missed u. We’ll get thru this.
No, we won’t. I want to shout at him to stop texting me, but the one thing I know about Reed Royal—he’s a selfish jerk. He does what he wants, when he wants it.
And his next message is just a reminder of that.
Brooke was a mistake. Happened before we met. Will never happen again.
Just the sight of Brooke’s name has me curling my fist around my phone. Before I can stop myself, I type back a blunt message.
I’ll never forgive u for sleeping with her. Leave me alone.
“You know I’m still here, right?”
Val’s dry remark brings on a guilty flush. I quickly shove my phone in my bag and pick up my fork again. “Sorry. I was just telling Reed to screw off.”
She throws her head back and laughs. “God. I missed you, you know that?”
I laugh too, and for the first time all day, it’s actually genuine. “I missed you, too,” I tell her, and I mean it.
* * *
W hen the final bell chimes , I’m more than ready to get the hell out of here. My first day back was about as fun as being waterboarded. The mean laughter, the whispers, the sneers and nasty looks. I’m ready to lock myself in my bedroom, blast some music, and pretend that today never happened.
I don’t even bother going to my locker. I shoulder my bag, text Val that she should let me know if she’s coming over later, and hurry out to the parking lot.
Then I stop in my tracks, because Reed is leaning against the driver’s side of my car.
“What do you want now?” I snap.
I’m sick and tired
Val takes a bite of her tuna melt. “Reed’s staring at you.”
Of course he is. I shift around and spot him at a table jam-packed with football players. Easton’s there, too, but he’s all the way on the other side of the table instead of in his usual spot next to Reed.
I spare a glance at Reed, who’s watching me with piercing blue eyes. The same eyes that grew heavy-lidded every time we kissed, that blazed hotly every time we were in the same room.
“Are you ever going to tell me what went down between you two?”
I tear my gaze away and force some pasta in my mouth. “Nope,” I say lightly.
“Aw, come on, you know you can tell me anything,” Val urges. “I’m a vault.”
My hesitation doesn’t stem from a lack of trust. Sharing just isn’t natural for me. I’m more comfortable swallowing my emotions. But Val’s expression is so earnest that I feel obligated to offer a few details. “We were together. He screwed up. We’re not together anymore.”
Her lips twitch. “Wow. Anyone ever tell you you’re a terrible storyteller?”
I grimace. “It’s all I’ve got right now.”
“Fine, I won’t bug you about it anymore. Just know that I’m here to listen whenever you’re ready to talk.” She uncaps her water bottle. “So what are we doing tonight?”
“Aren’t you sick of me already?” I tease. After the disappointing meeting with Lucy, I went back to Val’s and we pigged out on cake and watched all three of the Step Up movies. Easton wandered off in the middle of the second one and didn’t come back.
“Hey, I’m in mourning.” She glumly sticks out her lower lip. “I need you to distract me so I don’t think about Tam. Halloween was our favorite holiday. We used to do couples costumes.”
“Aw. Did he text you again?” He messaged her three times last night, but Valerie had ignored them.
“Constantly. Now he’s talking about driving down so we can talk in person.” She looks stricken. “Broken hearts suck.”
Don’t I know it.
As if on cue, my phone sounds the text message alert. I wince when I see Reed’s name on the screen.
Don’t read it, I order myself.
Like an idiot, I read it.
Stop acting like u don’t give a damn about me. We both know u do.
I clench my teeth. Ugh. Arrogant ass.
Another message pops up: U missed me when u were gone. Same way I missed u. We’ll get thru this.
No, we won’t. I want to shout at him to stop texting me, but the one thing I know about Reed Royal—he’s a selfish jerk. He does what he wants, when he wants it.
And his next message is just a reminder of that.
Brooke was a mistake. Happened before we met. Will never happen again.
Just the sight of Brooke’s name has me curling my fist around my phone. Before I can stop myself, I type back a blunt message.
I’ll never forgive u for sleeping with her. Leave me alone.
“You know I’m still here, right?”
Val’s dry remark brings on a guilty flush. I quickly shove my phone in my bag and pick up my fork again. “Sorry. I was just telling Reed to screw off.”
She throws her head back and laughs. “God. I missed you, you know that?”
I laugh too, and for the first time all day, it’s actually genuine. “I missed you, too,” I tell her, and I mean it.
* * *
W hen the final bell chimes , I’m more than ready to get the hell out of here. My first day back was about as fun as being waterboarded. The mean laughter, the whispers, the sneers and nasty looks. I’m ready to lock myself in my bedroom, blast some music, and pretend that today never happened.
I don’t even bother going to my locker. I shoulder my bag, text Val that she should let me know if she’s coming over later, and hurry out to the parking lot.
Then I stop in my tracks, because Reed is leaning against the driver’s side of my car.
“What do you want now?” I snap.
I’m sick and tired
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