by A. R. Perry
“You wanted answers, and I tried to get them. For what it’s worth, he seemed shocked about the bet.”
“Yeah, well, he’s a convincing liar.”
My door flies open, and Jay sticks his head in. “What the hell is going on? It sounds like you’re demoing your room.” His gaze lands on us still tangled on the floor and his eyebrows shoot up.
“Get out!” I shout, throwing the closest object at him, which ends up being a neon pink bottle of nail polish.
His shocked face disappears for a second before coming back into view. “What is your problem?”
“Did you really have to drag her out of the restaurant like a toddler?” Scarlett asks, shoving my legs out of her lap.
“Shut up, Scar,” I hiss.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He steps into the room, arms crossed over his chest.
“Sounds like you don’t either, but you strike me as the kind of person who doesn’t let people explain themselves. You heard a rumor and were quick to think the worst of your best friend. Friends don’t do that even when they do stupid shit.” She cuts a glance over her shoulder at me and it’s clear she’s referring to her antics at camp. “Did you even let him explain?”
Jay’s scowl falters for half a second. “No. There was no need to. Because in the next breath he was spewing bullshit about thinking he’s in love with my sister.”
Scarlett and I both gasp at the same time.
In love?
“You’re such an idiot!” Scarlett screams and starts shoving him into the hall. “Go fix this right now!”
The door slams in his face before he can respond, and Scarlett flicks the lock for good measure.
“Hey. Are you okay?” She crouches down in front of me.
“In love?” I swear my heart is trying to beat a hole in my chest. He said he liked me, but I never got the impression it was more than a simple crush.
“That was years ago if that makes you feel any better?” Her knees bump mine as she takes a seat next to me.
“It doesn’t.”
How should I even feel right now?
“I’m not gonna lie. This is better than any of the rom-coms we were watching. Lifelong friends torn apart by a misunderstanding? Classic.”
“How do we even know it was a misunderstanding? What if he was trying to use me?”
“Come on. Deep down you realize how stupid that sounds. I saw him when you were around. He got this gross, lovesick look on his face.”
“But how can I ever know for sure?”
“You could talk to him.” She jostles my arm. “You’re good at reading through all that fake BS. That’s why you figured out Dax and Jason were nothing but turds.”
“Turds?” I crack a small smile. “I haven’t heard someone called a turd since elementary school.”
She shrugs. “I call a spade a spade. Now, you need to clear the air with Shane. You won’t feel better until you do. If it ends up being some lie, then great. And if it’s the truth, we’ll take our revenge on his truck.”
When she stands abruptly, I whip my head toward the door, ready to deal with Jay’s wrath. He’s picked my lock before when I stole his comics when we were kids.
“Call him.” She hands me my phone but then groans when we both catch sight of the destroyed screen.
“I won’t be using this any time soon.” It must have hit the wall because it’s so cracked nothing is legible.
“Do you remember his number?” When I shake my head, she thumbs toward the door. “Come on then. I’ll drive you to his house.”
“I’m not going to ambush him. Clearly, he doesn’t want to tell his side of the story or he wouldn’t have ditched me at lunch.”
“Uh, your brother can be scary when he wants to be. I wouldn’t want to go toe-to-toe with him at a restaurant where we might get arrested.”
“Let it go, Scar.” I lean my head against my bed. If he was concerned about clearing his name, he wouldn’t have left.
I’d never imagined in a million years that this was how my summer would turn out. One last summer of freedom with my best friend before college, and now here we are. My heart is broken, which I never saw coming, and Scarlett is taking the side of the breaker.
“Do you want to finish our movies, then?”
“I think I want to be alone.” I can tell she wants to argue. Instead, she nods and stands, typing something into her phone. “I would say call me if you need to talk but…”
“Yeah. I have my computer though so I can text you or video chat later.”
“I can stay—go for a run or something and give you a second.”
“Might need a million seconds to sort out my thoughts.”
I take a seat on the bed as she gathers up all the nail products she brought over. One by one she places them into the holder, in color coordination no less. I swear it’s almost as if she’s stalling, waiting for me to change my mind. She hates being home, so I guess I can’t blame her.
As selfish as I am, I can’t bring myself to ask her to stay. At this moment I need to figure out what I’m going to do, with not only Shane, but also Jay. He’ll be impossible to ignore and judging from my mom’s family togetherness, we’re going to be forced to spend a lot of time together.
Right as she finishes collecting all of her stuff, the doorbell rings and we both freeze. My heart jumps into my throat, and a satisfied smile spreads across her face.
“What did you do—” is all I get out before shouts ring out in the living room.
I can’t believe I’m standing on this porch. The night Jay told me to stay away I figured I’d never be back in town, let alone this house.
When Lyla’s name flashed on my phone, I almost knocked a pan of soup on the floor in my urgency to pick up. After what happened at the diner, I never expected she’d speak to me again. Not when I left her there to fight with Jay. I was too much of a coward to reach out first. If my mother hadn’t called and said she mixed her meds, I would have stayed and hashed things out, and maybe I wouldn’t be here now with my heart threatening to burst from my chest.
I can only imagine the things she’s thinking, especially after Scarlett told me they are under the impression that dickhead Donnie and I had a bet to sleep with her back in high school.
Of course, Jay would only know half of the story because he was so quick to assume I was the bad guy.
So, when Scarlett texted me on her phone, I hopped in my car and raced over here before thinking it through. And now here I am, shifting from foot to foot, hoping it’s my unlikely ally, Scarlett, who opens the door.
When it swings open and a pair of dark, angry eyes greet me, I realize this will go downhill. Quick.
“What are you doing here?” Jay asks, but it comes out a snarl.
“I came to explain my side since no one ever asked.”
“Didn’t seem important this afternoon when you raced out of the restaurant.” Jay leans a shoulder against the doorframe, the picture of ease as he stares at me with judging eyes.
I clench my fists to keep from punching him in the face. How could someone call himself my best friend, then ditch me the second a rumor hits his ears?
God, I never realized how pissed I was about the whole situation until this very moment.
“Not that you deserve an explanation, but my mom needed me.”
His face softens for a second, before hardening back into a scowl. “Whatever. Lyla doesn’t want to talk to you. So, you can leave now.”
“If that’s true, she can tell me herself.”
“Don’t make me throw you off this property. Might be embarrassing for you.”
“Like how I kicked your ass freshman year when you asked Licia Huffman to homecoming when I planned on asking her?” His anger falters and his mouth drops open, but no words come out. “Yeah. Don’t pretend you’re some great guy. In all the years we’ve known each other, you’ve done some shitty stuff.”
“Leave, Shane.” His voice is rising now, probab
ly from a mixture of embarrassment from me calling him out and anger after seeing me with Lyla.
“Not until I see Lyla.” I take a step forward and that’s all it takes to break the thin grasp he has on his composure.
He rushes at me, fisting my shirt in his hands once again. “I said leave before I break your nose.”
“Let go, Jay.”
“I don’t want you anywhere near my sister ever again! You don’t get to use her in some popularity scheme, then bail to another state when you’re called out.”
“You told me to leave! You told me to accept the offer to Texas Tech, so you didn’t need to worry about me prowling around town.” I shove at his hands, and he stumbles to the side, taking me with him. My elbow slams into the railing, but I ignore the pain shooting up my arm. “You’re the one who never asked my side!”
“I didn’t need to. I saw how you drooled over Lyla every time she entered the room! I noticed the way you couldn’t take your eyes off her.”
“Guys?” A small voice breaks through our screaming somehow and both of us whip our heads toward the house.
Lyla is standing next to Scarlett, her eyes shimmering, no doubt from unshed tears. In all these years she’s never seen us this close to a brawl. And right now, she’s the reason. Her good nature could never take that.
“Let go of him, Jay.” When he doesn’t comply, she walks over and tugs on the collar of his shirt. “Seems we have a few things to discuss. Like adults.” Her gaze flicks between us, the disappointment clear in her tone. “Come inside before the neighbors call the cops.”
Jay growls and releases me with a hard shove. I catch myself on the banister and I glimpse his smirk as he walks inside.
“You okay?” Lyla asks with a hand on my arm.
Even in this crappy situation, her touch lights up my insides with a thousand tiny explosions. “Yeah. Are you?”
“Let’s talk.” She nods toward the house.
Full of apprehension, I follow her inside. This conversation will be hard no matter what, but with Jay here butting in with snide comments, it’s going to be harder.
“Okay.” Lyla claps her hands together as Jay and I take seats on opposite sides of the living room. Scarlett is off to the side, watching everything unfold with a slight smirk on her face. “Let’s start with today. Jay, Shane and I are together. Or were as of this afternoon. I guess this conversation will determine if we still are.” Jay leans forward, and she glares. “Not a word. You’re over here acting as if you have a say in what I do. You don’t, but I’ll give you a chance to say your piece.”
Jay crosses his arms over his chest and flops back into the couch.
“Good. Now, Shane.” She turns her narrowed eyes on me. “You’re a dick for leaving me at the restaurant to deal with Jay on my own. We never hashed out a plan to tell him, but you could have at least stayed to back me up.”
I run a clammy hand over my face. “My mom called. She mixed up her meds.”
Her features soften as she nods. “Is she okay?”
“What’s wrong with your mom?” Jay asks and for once there is actual concern in his voice.
“She’s been sick for a couple of years. Something you would know if you hadn’t cut me out of your life.” The words come out far more bitter than I mean them to, but I guess I’ve been holding more resentment toward him than I realized. “And yes. She’s okay. The doctor just told her to skip her next dose.”
Lyla’s warm hand wraps around mine. I didn’t even see her move closer. “I’m glad she’s okay.”
“I’m glad she’s okay too, but the clock is ticking before your mom gets home.” Scarlett points at the clock above the mantel.
“You’re right.” Lyla lets go of me, leaving my hand cold. “So, let’s start at the beginning? Jay says you made some nasty bet with Donnie to see who could bone me first. True or false?”
I sigh. I never wanted her to find out about that grotesque bet. “False.”
Jay snorts, and both Lyla and I throw him dirty looks.
“I’m sorry. Do you have something you want to tell the class?” Scarlett asks.
“Yeah.” He stretches his arms out across the back of the couch, looking like a king ruling over his kingdom. “This whole feelings-circle is a waste of time if people lie.”
“I’m not lying. There was a bet, but I had nothing to do with it. You would have known that had you bothered to ask me.”
“There was no need when Donnie had half the football team backing him.”
“Of course they did, because they were in on it.”
Lyla gasps next to me, her hand coming up to cup her mouth.
“Donnie was always trying to one-up everyone—always running his mouth. He claimed he could get whoever he wanted and when people started throwing down money on it, he doubled down. Then they threw out Lyla’s name because everyone knew she was untouchable. The deal was to ask her to prom and seal the deal that night.”
“Yeah? Well, how are you privy to so many details about a bet you had no part in?” Jay asks.
“Because I overheard them talking about it, you dickhead. That’s why I asked if I could take Lyla to prom. When you flipped your shit, I admitted that I had feelings for her and you threatened to end my life if I ever came near her again.”
Jay opens his mouth, then closes it.
“I’m assuming Donnie got to you before me, yeah? Much like you, I threatened to castrate him if he even so much as glanced Lyla’s way. I’m assuming that’s why he spun his story just in case I told you. Guess it was better to go against one pissed-off brother than the both of us combined.”
After everything went down, I decided to leave town without a fight. Jay made it clear that night that I was not good enough for his sister. He made me believe it. Now I can see it was just an angry brother doing whatever he could to protect his sister. I never knew Donnie spun his lie. No wonder Jay lost it when I mentioned prom.
All these years wasted all over a lie.
“That’s…” Jay scrunches his face up as if he can’t comprehend the fact that I’m not the monster he made me out to be in his head.
“Did you know that Shane protected not only me but Scarlett from some douchebags up at camp? Scar was harder to convince because she doesn’t listen to anyone.” Lyla glances at her friend who sticks out her tongue. “But he made sure they didn’t try anything. That’s how Shane has always been.”
Jay works his jaw from side to side. “I guess I was just prepared to think the worst. I always knew you had a thing for her.” He’s talking to me this time, his gaze laser-focused on me. “You were never good at hiding your emotions. No clue how it got past Lyla, but it didn’t get past me. Donnie talked to me the day before you did. I blew it off because you would never do that to Ly. But then you mentioned prom…and I lost it. I spent most of my life trying to keep boys away from her and, of course, my best friend had to fall. You finally admitted it and I couldn’t handle the thought of you two together.” He shrugs, resting an elbow on his knee. “I guess I overreacted. But I still don’t approve of you two dating.”
“That’s not for you to decide.” Lyla grabs my shoulder and squeezes. “I’m eighteen and although I appreciate this big brother routine, it’s time you back off. Deal with your own relationship drama before you insert yourself in mine.”
Jay’s jaw clenches as he glances away. “I guess if Mom finds out you two are dating, she might not be as mad at me…”
“Nice try,” Lyla laughs. “You are one-hundred-percent telling her first. Besides…I don’t know if I even have a boyfriend anymore since my bullheaded brother stuck his nose in my business.” She peers down at me with eyebrows raised in a silent question.
It’s a question I want to say yes to, but our lives are going in such different directions at the moment I’m scared in the end we’ll just hurt each other. For the time being, I’m stuck here taking care of my mom. Lyla hasn’t even told me where she plans to go to college. And how w
ill she feel dating a townie while all her friends are out having fun and experiencing college life?
“Let’s talk?” I motion toward the front door.
She nods. “Stay.” She points a finger at Jay, then Scarlett. “And don’t try anything funny. He has a secret girlfriend.”
“Ly!” Jay shouts as Scarlett giggles.
Lyla tugs on my arm, pulling me outside into the warm pre-dusk air. “So…”
“So.”
“I wish you told me all this when I asked at camp. It might have prevented some unnecessary drama.”
I shrug. “I didn’t know all the gritty details. Plus, Jay and you have a close dynamic. If I told you he was the one who wanted me to move out of state it would have upset you. I didn’t want you to blame him.”
“I mean, I blame Donnie. But Jay is—”
“Jay.”
He’s the most stubborn person I’ve ever met. Once something is in his head, it’s hard to get him to change his mind.
“Well, it’s all out in the open now. So, I guess the only question is if you’re still willing to give us a try. A real one this time.”
“Lyla.” I grab her hands, giving them a squeeze. “There’s nothing more I would ever want. But you’re still in high school and I’m going to be here, finishing my degree at UCLA and acting as nurse to my mom. Are you really going to be happy only getting my spare time?”
“Listen, I like you, Shane. I think I always have, but I threw that thought in a dark corner of my mind and locked it up because I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. We’ve already gone down that road now. I’ve experienced life without you and it kinda sucked.”
“What about Jay?”
“He’ll get used to it. Besides, he will be so busy with my mom down his throat after he tells her about his secret girlfriend, he won’t have time to focus on me.”
“Secret girlfriend, huh?” I throw an arm around her shoulder, tucking her to my side. “Bet that ends in disaster.”
“Or maybe it will end up being the best relationship of his life.” When she glances up at me, I get the feeling we’re no longer talking about Jay.
It’s a lot of pressure to live up to this perfect idea of a relationship—one Lyla has never experienced thanks to Jay and me. But as I peer down at her, I know I’m willing to at least try.