“Have,” Duane once again speaks for me, smirking. “We’re still together. And it’s not going to change any time soon.”
My mouth is full-on gaping as I bounce my still-wide eyes between them. What is going on right now? Is there really a tension in the air and I'm not just imagining it? But for what? And why do they look like they’re sizing each other up?
“Right.” Justin clears his throat, breaking the tension. Then turns to me with a forced smile. “Guess I’ll just catch you later, Allie.”
I just nod, speechless, watching him head toward a group of his fellow Maple Grove Prep students a few tables away.
“Who the hell was that?” Duane demands as he pulls up the chair next to me instead of the one across the table.
I frown at him. Why is he acting weird? “Well, if you had let me speak first, you would have known that I met him at Indie Reads.” The name I accidentally uttered a couple nights ago, but I don't add that part.
“Right. The potential new boyfriend,” he scoffs, sliding the other cup of rocky road toward me as he starts diving into his.
So, he remembers. Is that why he's acting strange right now?
Not knowing what to make of his weird behavior, I glance toward Justin and his friends. He’s staring this way so I lift a hand and wave.
He responds with a wide grin.
At the same time, I hear Duane scoot his chair closer. Then before I can ask him what’s up, his arm is already draped over the back of my chair, making me freeze and my heart stutter.
When I whip my head to him in silent question, he simply taps my nose and smiles. Seriously, what’s going on with him?
Shaking my head and mentally taking note to ask him later, I shovel a spoonful of ice cream into my mouth, relishing its flavor.
“So, uh, when did you meet him?”
“Who?” I ask without raising my head, taking in another spoonful. This is why I love this place.
“This Justin guy.”
“Just over this weekend.” I glance up at him. “Why do you want to know?”
“You have something in the corner of your mouth.”
“Huh?”
He gestures to the side of his mouth.
Oh. Ugh. How embarrassing.
Blushing, I put my fingers to my mouth to wipe it off.
But then, Duane grabs my hand, his eyes suddenly dark and determined. “Let me.”
"Uh, okay."
But instead of wiping off my mouth, he takes my glasses off.
"Wait. What are you—" I’m not able to finish what I was about to say. Because the next thing I know, Duane’s lips are on mine.
I gasp in shock, my eyes flaring wide. Why is he—
But then his lips move against mine, soft and gentle at first, effectively obliterating the question in my head. Then his hand grips the back of my neck, applying pressure on the kiss, delving his tongue deep in my mouth, as if to demand a response from me.
And I'm helpless against him. My eyes close as my lips answer his demand, matching the intensity of his movements. My hands shake. My heart beats wildly in my chest. My skin heats up deliciously.
This kiss—it's nothing like the first one. That was quick and only lasted for a few seconds, but this one seems to go on forever, threatening to suck all the air out of my lungs and leave me breathless.
Who am I kidding? My lungs are already emptied out.
When he pulls away, I slowly open my eyes, staring at him in a mix of wonder and confusion. I have some questions.
But Duane isn't staring back at me. There’s a triumphant look on his face as he stares ahead. When I put my glasses back on and follow his gaze, I see Justin frowning at us.
Did...he kiss me because of him?
CHAPTER 9
Staring up at the ceiling of my room as a Nirvana song plays on my iPod, I bring my fingers to my lips and grin.
Duane kissed me. Not a simple three-second kiss, but a full-on kiss kiss.
And now I can't stop grinning like an idiot. Especially since there was no real reason for him to do that. Heather wasn't around—nor any of her friends to report it to her. The only one there was Justin.
Which is exactly why I can't stop smiling. Because why else would Duane kiss me in front of Justin?
He wanted to stake his claim. Because he was jealous.
I mean, it doesn't make any other sense. Justin had nothing to do with Heather. He doesn't even go to our school. So the only explanation I can come up with is that Duane was jealous—plain and simple. And I didn't just make the conclusion due to the kiss, it was because of his open hostility toward Justin, too.
Does it mean he's starting to develop feelings for me? I know I shouldn't get ahead of myself, but I can't help it. Not when his actions are giving me hope. It doesn't help that he doesn't even seem keen on getting back together with Heather. I saw her give him an opening, but he didn't take it.
At least, as far as I know. When I asked him about it, he simply said no. He didn't even elaborate.
But then, doubt starts to creep in, slowly tearing down the hope in my chest. Maybe he's just making her wait, playing hard to get. I advised him to do as much, didn't I?
Groaning in frustration, I bury my face into my pillow. I'm so stupid. One kiss from him and I'm already making crazy assumptions.
I can't have my hopes up only to end up with a broken heart.
What makes you think your heart isn't going to end up battered and bruised, anyway?
Letting out another groan, I force myself out of bed. I have a party to get ready for. I can mope about my unrequited love for another day.
As if on cue, my phone pings with a text. Grabbing it from the middle of the bed, I stare at the message.
It's from Indie: I'll go get Gray. You get your man. See you in an hour.
My man? I have to bite my lip to keep from smiling. Ugh. I'm so hopeless.
Shaking my head, I text Duane about the party—which he already knows about—and get a response a minute later.
Duane: Okay. I'll come pick you up.
Of course. Arriving together at the party will further emphasize the fact that we're "dating." Didn't he use to show up at parties with Heather? Now, she'll see me with him.
Standing in front of my closet, I stare at my options. Whenever I go to parties—which doesn't happen often—I usually just throw on a simple shirt and jeans. I don't feel like doing the same today. Instead, my eyes lock on the sleeveless teal dress that falls mid-thigh, which Indie insisted I buy for myself during one of our trips to the mall. She said it was a great fit for me.
But I haven't put it on since that day.
Then now's a good time as any to wear it again.
*******
We're here. Where are you? I send the text to Indie the moment Duane and I step inside Brad's house.
The music is pumping through the speakers and there are dancing bodies everywhere. Finding Indie and Gray among the crowd will be hard.
"Let's get some drinks," Duane yells into my ear then pulls me toward the kitchen, keeping his solid grip around my hand even as people bump into us from every direction.
I let out an audible breath when we reach the kitchen. While there are people around, it's not as crowded as the other parts of the house. I'm not feeling claustrophobic anymore.
"Brad sure knows how to throw a party, huh?" I tell Duane with a chuckle as he procures two bottles of beer from the large ice bucket on the table and hands one to me.
He smirks. "One of the only few things he's good at."
"Hey, he and Indie are cool now. He's not the enemy anymore." I take a sip of the beer and glance down at my phone.
Still no texts from Indie.
"Have I told you that you look really pretty tonight?" Duane says out of nowhere, making my eyes snap up to his, my breath stuttering.
"Um, no?"
He thinks I'm pretty? My heart flutters wildly in my chest and I suppress the urge to smooth my hair. I'm so glad
I decided to wear this teal dress. It looks so good with my new hairstyle.
But then I quickly check myself and dart my eyes around to see if she's around. Because there's a real possibility that he's being sweet and attentive for her benefit.
But Heather's not in the kitchen. And her friends are nowhere to be seen, too.
Which means he's complimenting me for my benefit.
A shy smile forms on my lips.
He chuckles softly, reaching out to tuck my hair behind my ear.
Our eyes lock for a long, intense moment that it feels like air is crackling around us. And everything around us ceases to exist. Suddenly, we're not at Brad's party anymore. We're not surrounded by people anymore. It's just the two of us, lost in each other's gaze.
I lick my lips.
His eyes trail the movement, darkening. He steps closer.
My pulse hammer in my ears. Is he going to kiss me again?
But before he can do anything, my phone buzzes in my hand, startling the two of us.
"You should get that," he says gruffly, taking a step back.
Swallowing hard, I nod and glance down at my phone.
Indie: Sorry, All. We're not coming. Gray wants to see a movie instead of going to Brad's, and there's no changing his mind. I think he's not really okay with me going to my ex's house even just for a party. I'll think of something else to fix him and Duane, okay? Really sorry, hon. Enjoy the party though!
Seriously? I groan aloud. I came here because of her plan. And now she's bailing? Ugh.
"What's the matter?" Duane asks, picking up on my mood change.
"Indie and Gray aren't coming."
"Oh." Disappointment flashes in his eyes but quickly disappears. "Oh, well. We're already here, aren't we? Who says we can't stay?"
Guy's got a point.
I bite back a smile. "Then I guess we're staying."
"Come on, let's go find the guys."
"Um, guys?"
Instead of answering, he takes my hand in his, drawing me out of the kitchen.
The "guys" turn out to be his lacrosse teammates who are having fun at the beer pong table in one of the rooms. Of course when they see Duane, they instantly rope him into playing. And then to my surprise, they ask me, too.
I gamely indulge them, high-fiving the guys every time I land the ball in the red cups, my heart fluttering whenever Duane rewards my points with a kiss on the cheek. Which makes me blush and keeps earning hoots and cheers from his friends.
"I'm going to the bathroom," I tell Duane after an hour of playing.
"Okay. Don't be long." Then he plants a quick kiss on my lips without any hesitation, as if doing it feels natural to him.
Only I always end up blushing every time he does it.
Which he seems to find amusing—judging from his soft chuckle and the gleam in his eyes.
Grinning like a goof, I make my way through the halls to look for the bathroom, smiling at anyone who calls my name. And there seems to be more of them compared to the last parties I've been to.
Come to think of it, people seem to greet me and smile whenever they see me walking through the school halls. Huh. Is fake dating Duane giving me popularity boost?
I honestly don't know how to feel about that.
"What's taking him so long? You practically told him you want him back."
My steps halt at the female voice drifting through the open door a few feet away. Is that Merritt Wayne? It definitely sounds like her. Who is she talking to?
"I know. I even straight up told him to dump her dorky butt. But he didn't listen, did he? They're still pretty much together."
I freeze. I recognize that other voice. She's talking to Heather. Which means they're talking about me and Duane.
I probably should turn around and walk away. I doubt I'd want to hear whatever they're going to say next, anyway. But as always, curiosity has me rooted to the spot.
"Well, maybe he's just playing hard to get. Boys do that sometimes."
"But Duane isn't like that. He doesn't play games."
"Maybe so, but think about it. You broke up with him. It will make him look like a total wimp if he comes crawling back just because you told him so."
"Ugh. I hate that you're right."
"Trust me, Duane's going to dump Grayson's geeky sister and he'll be back in your arms in no time."
Way to dig a knife to the chest, Merritt.
I've heard enough. Slowly, I turn around and head back to where I came from. I'm just gonna have to find the bathroom somewhere else.
Where there are no truth bombs waiting for me.
CHAPTER 10
Mom is sitting by the pool when I step out, intending to chill out in one of the lounge chairs. It’s what I do during the weekends—usually by myself. Obviously, that’s not going to be the case today.
“Hey, honey.” She waves me over with a smile.
Walking over, I drop down on the lounge chair next to her. That’s when I notice the book on her lap. It’s Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover, her favorite author. Just like Indie, Mom loves to read books. But while my best friend usually goes for fantasy books, Mom is a total sucker for romance novels. She even joined a few reading groups on Facebook and have made friends with other avid readers over the years.
“You don’t have any plans today?” I ask as she takes a sip on her lemongrass iced tea.
Being a stay-at-home mom to grown-up children, she occupies her time by reading books and going out with her friends. It helps with the boredom, she says, since Dad is at work all day. He owns a construction company, affording us a comfortable lifestyle and allowing Mom to manage our household full-time.
“No. I feel like staying in and finishing this book. How about you? No plans with Indie?”
“Indie is probably with Gray right now, so no.”
Mom stares at me. “Does it bother you that she’s dating your brother?”
“When it started, I was a little bothered, yeah,” I admit. “But not because I didn’t want them dating each other. It’s just that...seeing them together felt weird. But it was just a fleeting feeling, I quickly got over it.”
“That’s good to know, honey. Just because she’s in a relationship with Gray now doesn’t mean that she’s already disregarding your friendship. She’s still your best friend. It didn’t change that.”
I smile. “I know, Mom.”
“Now, tell me what’s the problem between your brother and Duane. He hasn’t come around here for some time now. Then you and Gray had an argument when he came over for dinner a few nights ago. What’s going on?”
Crap. This is what I was afraid of. That Mom would finally notice and decide to get to the bottom of the issue. She didn’t demand an explanation after that dinner so I thought she already forgot about it. Of course, she was just waiting for the right time to bring it up.
I can’t tell her the whole truth, but I have to tell her something.
“I’m helping Duane with something and Gray didn’t agree with it.”
Mom frowns. “Why? Is it dangerous?”
“No,” I choke out. It just poses a danger to my heart. “He’s just being a baby about it.”
“Well, I’m sure your brother will come around. Just give him some time.”
“That’s what Indie said, too.”
She goes back to reading after that, while I put my earphones on and lie back on the lounge chair, relieved that she didn’t ask to elaborate on the matter.
*******
Loud noise hits my ears the moment I step back inside the house, and it seems to be coming from the living room. Mom left the poolside ahead of me. Is she watching TV now?
But the sounds I'm hearing don't sound like they're coming from a TV show or a movie. In fact, it seems like it's coming from a video game. Which tells me Gray is already home.
But he rarely plays video games by himself. Does it mean…
Wanting to see for myself, I head for the living room. Sure enough, he's go
t company—and it's not his girlfriend.
"Duane!"
Startled, they both turn their heads in my direction.
"What?" Gray asks, focusing back on the game.
"Hey." Duane gives me a warm smile. "I didn't know you're home."
"Yeah. I didn't leave." I give both of them a confused look. "So, uh, you guys are okay now?"
Duane's grin widens and he nods.
Gray just rolls his eyes.
"Well, okay then." Perplexed, I whirl around and head for the kitchen.
I guess this means Indie doesn't have to come up with a new plan anymore. A wide smile breaks across my face. They're okay now. Which means Gray and I will be okay, too.
Well, he seemed a little uncaring back there. But that's just Gray being Gray.
Still smiling, I grab the pitcher of lemongrass iced tea from the fridge and pour myself a glass.
"Can I get a glass of that, too?"
I glance over my shoulder to see Duane standing at the kitchen archway. "Sure," I say, pouring another glass and handing it to him when he stops next to me. "So, you and Gray—how did that happen?"
He rubs the back of his neck. "Well, uh, I called him and groveled just like you told me to."
Folding my arms over my chest, I bite back a smile as I stare up at him. "Groveled how? Did you cry and beg for his forgiveness?"
He chuckles. "Maybe."
"Now, I really need to know all the details."
His cheeks flame adorably. "You don't want to know."
I bark out a laugh. "Oh, I really do want to."
"Allie."
"Duane," I mimic his tone.
"God, you're cute." He reaches out to pinch my nose.
He thinks I'm cute! Now, it's my turn to blush. I stare at him from under my eyelashes.
Is Duane flirting with me? Because it sure feels like it. He really has to make things harder for me, hasn't he?
His playful grin disappears as he asks softly. "What's on your mind, Beanie?"
I'm thinking, I'm falling harder for you each day.
I shake my head and adjust my glasses. "Nothing. I'm just glad my brother isn't mad at you anymore. No more Grumpy Gray, thank God."
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