Meant To Be (The Callahans Book 4)
Page 4
Those last words she mumbles under her breath. And thank God it wasn’t up to her.
“I’m grounded for a week, and that’s fine. I deserve it. I probably deserve more. I broke yours and Dad’s trust, and it’s going to take a while for me to earn it back. I know this,” I explain.
Mom turns to face me, crossing her arms and leaning against the kitchen counter. “Funny you bring this up. Your brother wants to go to the dance too.”
Ooh, this can work in my favor. “I’m sure he does.”
She watches me for a while, her lips pursed. She’s thinking, and that’s always a good sign. “I’m a complete pushover.”
“No, you’re not,” I say, my tone completely innocent.
“Yes, I definitely am,” she says with a sigh. “I’ll let you both go, as long as your father agrees. But there’s one condition.”
“What is it?” I ask.
“You and Jake have to go together.”
I completely deflate. “But he’ll want to take Hannah.”
“Oh, he can take her. The two of you can go pick Hannah up,” Mom suggests brightly. “Together.”
“He’s still mad at me.” And I’m still mad at him.
“Well, this will be a great way for you two to get over your differences. And if you can’t manage that tonight, then maybe you should stay home after all.” Mom smiles, looking very pleased with herself.
“Okay, fine. I can handle this,” I say softly, more to myself than her. “You’ll really let us go?”
She nods. “You really want to go? I figured you’d be miserable after what happened last night.”
I’m completely miserable. But I’d rather distract myself with the dance than stay home and cry into my pillow. I’ve done that enough already today. If I go to the dance, I can make my appearance as homecoming princess, and possibly see what’s being said about Eli and me.
More than anything, I need a distraction.
Jake chooses that exact moment to enter the kitchen, coming to an abrupt halt when he spots me. “Can I talk to you, Mom? Privately?”
“We’re all in this together. You can talk to me here,” she says sweetly.
My brother doesn’t even look in my direction. “Dad says I can go to the dance, but I have to take Ava.”
“That’s right.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
“Then you can’t go,” Mom says evenly, her gaze shifting to me. “You two are a package deal tonight.”
“I’m sorry I hit you,” I tell him, deciding to get it over with. “Even though you made me mad.”
His jaw locks. Mom covers her mouth, like she might laugh. “That was a bit of a backhanded apology, don’t you think?”
I shrug. Don’t bother saying anything else.
“Hannah will be devastated if I don’t take her to the dance,” Jake says.
“You can take her. Your sister is going to tag along. And when the dance is over, I expect you two to come straight home. When is the dance over?”
“Ten,” I tell Mom.
Jake glances over at me with annoyance. What? Did he want me to lie?
“Then I want you home by ten-thirty at the absolute latest. You call or text us if something happens.” She smiles. “I hope you two can work out your differences on the drive to the school.”
“Yeah,” I say.
Good luck with that.
I know some high schools make their homecoming dance a big deal, but ours isn’t one of them. There’s no need for the girls to wear a fancy dress or the boys to wear nice pants and a tie. It’s causal, it’s fun and yes, I’m wearing my tiara and sash because this is the last time I get the chance to, and yes, I’m even wearing a dress. Though it’s a simple one. Sleeveless black that hits about mid-thigh. I found a gold chain for Eli’s lost pendant and now I’m wearing it, safely tucked beneath the high neckline of my dress.
It might burn his ass to know I’m wearing it, but too bad. I’m not going to give up on him—on us yet.
Jake sends me a text fifteen minutes before we’re supposed to leave.
Meet me at my truck at 6:45.
I’m sure if things were normal, Jake would be taking Hannah out to dinner first. They’d go to the dance, but bail out early and do God knows what.
If I were still with Eli, we’d do much of the same. Everyone would talk about Eli’s arrival, he’d jump all over the dance floor and act like a fool, making me laugh. Then we could leave and go back to his house and do…
Whatever we want.
My heart aches at the lost opportunity. At the loss of Eli. I hate this. I hate that he’s blocked me—because yes, he also blocked my phone number and unfollowed me on Instagram. It’s like he wants nothing to do with me. He’s erased me from his life, like we were never together.
Like I never existed.
Ellie’s meeting me at the dance. Lindsey and Dakota tried to get me to come over and get ready with them, but I knew Mom wouldn’t let me, so I told them I couldn’t. Going to this dance will either be the distraction I desperately need…
Or a huge mistake.
I’m outside waiting by Jake’s truck when he approaches with a blank expression on his face. Again, he won’t look at me. I wonder how difficult that is, not making eye contact with someone? He’s been doing it for the past twenty-four hours and I’m impressed he’s kept it up this long.
Impressed and hurt, because come on. I’m his sister. I wasn’t with Eli to get at Jake. He has to know that.
Jake rounds the front of his truck and climbs into the driver’s seat. I get into the passenger seat. He starts the engine. Backs out of the driveway. Starts down the road.
We don’t say a word to each other.
I mess around on my phone for a little bit, but I can’t concentrate. The tension between us is like a living, breathing thing in the close confines of his truck, and when I can’t take it anymore, I break first.
“Are you going to be mad at me forever?”
He remains quiet for what feels like an eternity before he says, “Maybe.”
“We never did this to get at you.”
“That’s what you keep saying. God knows what Eli’s plan was,” Jake mutters.
“His plan had nothing to do with you, and everything to do with me.” I poke my thumb against my chest, making contact with the pendant beneath my dress. “You were basically begging him to start a fight with you, considering all the shitty things you said. You do realize this.”
“Right. Sure.” His snarky response makes me curl my fingers into fists. “That asshole was begging for a reason to throw punches.”
“You definitely gave him a reason. And now he hates me,” I say.
“He sure dumped your ass fast,” he says with a smirk.
If I could smack that smirk off his stupid smug face, I so would. “Because he thinks I told you about his family.”
“His fucked-up parents are nothing new, you know,” Jake says. “I heard that rumor a while ago.”
“From who?” I ask, my mind racing with the possibilities.
“It doesn’t matter,” he says with an indifferent shrug.
“It totally matters. That’s the entire reason Eli dumped me,” I tell him, annoyed.
“It’s a secret,” he says. “Can’t reveal my sources.”
“Please.” I roll my eyes. “Stop acting like you’re trying to protect someone and tell me who said it.”
“You might not want to know,” he says cryptically.
“Oh, now I definitely want to know.” Especially since he’s acting so shady.
He says nothing for a while and I say nothing either. I just wait. My temper rising with every second that passes. “You know, I’m not that sorry I hit you,” I tell him, after he still hasn’t revealed anything.
Jake actually has the nerve to laugh. The jerk. “No shit. I don’t regret fucking up your boyfriend’s face either.”
“He’s not my boyfriend anymore,” I say bitterly.
/>
“Thank God,” he mutters.
“Just tell me who told you that stuff about Eli.”
He glances over at me quickly, his mouth set in a firm line, his eyes dark and mysterious, until he finally blurts it out. “It was Cami.”
My mouth falls open. “You’re telling me Eli opened up to her and confessed all of his messy family secrets? And now you’re trying to actually protect her?”
Why does everyone do this kind of thing for Cami? Protect her all the time? She’s not a nice person.
At all.
“It didn’t go down like that. She happened to be over at his house once, and was waiting outside for him when his mom walked out and spotted her. Eli’s mom came at her, ranting and raving and calling Cami one of her husband’s sluts,” Jake explains.
“Oh God.” That sounds awful.
“Yeah, so Eli had to step in and break things up between them. I guess he tried to explain to his mom that Cami was actually there for him, but his mom didn’t believe him. Cami told me she was really drunk. And borderline violent,” Jake continues.
This doesn’t surprise me at all. She doesn’t sound like a pleasant person, and that’s an understatement. I also don’t think she cares much about what Eli’s doing, which I think is why he acts the way he does.
Careless. Rude. Reckless. Mean. Crude.
He doesn’t give a shit because no one else does either.
Except me. I care. Probably too much.
“Why would Cami tell you all of this, when she knows how angry Eli makes you?” I ask, curious. Eli is supposedly the main reason Jake and Cami broke up one of the—two? Three?—times they were together. Cami spilling her guts and giving him all of these details is surprising.
“When she tried to get back with me recently, she confessed everything one night. Figured I could use it against him someday.” Another smirk appears on my brother’s face. “Guess it finally worked.”
Anger simmers in my belly. I can’t believe this happened because of stupid Cami. She ruins everything. She’s in the middle of everyone’s business, always making a mess of people’s lives.
It still hurts Eli would be so quick to believe I’d rat him out like that. Did he have so little faith in me? Did I not matter to him at all?
It feels like it.
Though I guess everyone in his life has let him down at one point or another. Maybe he expects it and is almost—used to it. Deep down, maybe he always believed eventually I would betray him too.
“When you said that to him, it took everything out of him,” I tell Jake. “And he believes I’m the one who told you. Not Cami. Not anyone else. Me. That’s why he ended it.”
“Listen, do you want me to be real with you right now?” He quickly glances over at me.
No, I want to tell him. Absolutely not. Please keep your opinions to yourself.
My answer is a shrug.
“You’re better off without him, Ava. That guy isn’t good for you. He’s crazy. He’s a total fuckin’ wild card and you never know what you’re gonna get. I can’t stand by and let you be with that guy, knowing everything I know about him,” Jake explains. “I know you’re pissed at me. I’m still pissed at you, too. But someday, you’re going to thank me for getting that guy out of your life. I know you will.”
I just stare at him in shock. He firmly believes every word he’s saying. He did me a favor. He saved me from Eli.
No. He drove the boy I love out of my life, and now I’m alone.
“I love him,” I whisper. “Maybe you don’t understand what that’s like, being in love, though maybe you do with Hannah.” My voice raises as Jake comes to a stop at the light in the middle of town. “I’m in love with Eli Bennett, and nothing is going to change my mind about him. I will do whatever it takes to get him to talk to me, to listen to me. I will tell him what you told me, and I will make him see I didn’t do this. What happened isn’t my fault.”
“You can’t tell him shit,” Jake mutters, glaring at me. “This is between me and you.”
“I’m telling him,” I say firmly. “You can be mad at me for years over this, but I’m telling him the truth.”
“Such bullshit. I knew I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“I love how loyal you are to me,” I throw at him.
“I just fucking love how loyal you are to me!” The words explode out of Jake’s mouth, making me rear back so I can get away from him. “I’m your brother. Our dad is my coach. You cheer for our team. Yet you’re fucking around with our biggest rival’s quarterback? What the fuck is wrong with you, Ava? He’s nothing special! He’s all talk and no action! Stop being such a follower and quit falling for his bullshit!”
I blink at him, shocked by Jake’s outburst. Why does this all have to be about the rivalry? Last night’s game was the last time they ever have to play against each other again. The rivalry is done. Dead. Jake needs to move on.
So does Eli.
“Pretty sure he’s over you anyway,” Jake continues with a sneer on his face. “I saw on his IG story earlier that he’s having a party at his place with all of his fellow loser bros, and there are a bunch of chicks there too.”
“Stop talking,” I tell him, irritated. “Just—I don’t want to hear it.” And I can’t look at his story, thanks to getting blocked. Can’t ask Jake to look at it either. I’m sure he’ll offer up a running commentary during the entire thing, every word a slam against Eli and his friends.
“Truth hurts, right, baby sister? Lizzo doesn’t lie.” The light turns green, and Jake turns onto the street that leads to Hannah’s apartment building.
His smugness makes me want to choke him. I don’t normally have such violent thoughts toward my brother, but his nonchalance about this entire situation is maddening. My world has just collapsed, and he’s treating it like a big joke. Instead of being sympathetic, he’s hitting me with, “I told you so,” platitudes.
We say nothing else as we drive to Hannah’s. Once we pull into her building’s parking lot, I switch to the backseat of the truck while Jake goes to Hannah’s door to pick her up. And once she’s in the car, I talk to her, acting like nothing is going on.
But deep down, I’m quietly seething. How dare my brother dismiss my feelings for Eli so easily?
How fucking dare he?
Five
Eli
Goddamn, there’s a girl grinding her ass on my junk.
With my vision blurred, thanks to all the weed and whiskey I’ve consumed the past few hours, I lean the chair back, so it’s only on two legs, trying to get away from her swiveling backside. Music is playing, the beat throbbing, it’s so damn loud. We’re still in the backyard, and it’s way past quiet hours in the neighborhood, but no one’s said anything yet. I figure we’re home free. The lots are pretty big here, and I’ve had giant parties before, somehow never disturbing the neighbors.
Thank God.
The girl turns and I shake my head a little, getting the hair out of my eyes. It’s Josie Price. She’s smiling at me, the look on her face hungry, her eyes glowing as she stares at me. “Girl, you need to leave before something bad happens.”
She comes for me, throwing one long leg over my thighs, before she settles in, straddling my lap and resting her arms on my shoulders. “That’s exactly what I’m hoping for.”
I guess those were the wrong words to say. This girl is dying for someone to fuck her raw, and I assume I’m her target tonight.
Shit, I’ve been her target for a while. And I’m so damn drunk, I might not be able to control myself.
“You need to go,” I tell her, trying my best to hold back the burp that wants to escape.
But I can’t. Out it comes and she makes a disgusted face, but otherwise does nothing. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m a taken man.” God, I sound drunk as hell.
Maybe because I am drunk as hell.
Her eyebrows shoot up. “By who? I don’t see anyone around here staking their claim
on you.”
“She doesn’t go to our school.” A hiccup slips past my lips, and I blink Josie back into focus. “She’s beautiful.”
A scowl forms on Josie’s face. “Who is she?”
“You don’t know her.”
“I’m sure I do.”
“Nah. Doubt it.” I lean in close, my mouth right at her ear. “Her pussy feels like heaven. Tastes like it too.”
This would drive a normal girl to run away from me, pissed off I’d bring up another girl’s pussy.
Not Josie.
“I’ll let you taste mine right now if you’re interested,” she purrs.
Nope. Don’t want to taste that.
“I’m gonna pass,” I say, as I lean back in my chair once more, trying to get away from her.
She mock pouts. “That’s a shame. I think we’d make a perfect couple.”
“Really.” I take her in. Like, I really look at her. She’s pretty, I can’t lie. Long dark hair. Glossy red lips. Very nice tits, can’t lie about that either. She’s been into me since forever, and I’ve always pushed her aside. Not sure why.
Definitely can’t jump on it now.
“Really,” Josie says with a firm nod as she leans in, her face in mine. Those glossy lips coming closer. “If you’d let me, I’d rock your world.”
I burst out laughing. “I think it’s the other way around, sweetheart.”
“Oh I know you’ll rock my world, Eli. Like I told you, I’d give you a taste of what you could have. Right now.” She takes that moment to slowly grind her pussy right on top of my jean-covered dick. Pretty sure she’s not wearing any panties either. “And I’d taste you right back.”
Something Ava and I never did. Her giving me a blow job. It is the stuff of my fantasies, especially because it didn’t happen between us.
“You offering up a free BJ?” This isn’t the first time Josie’s done this. Probably won’t be the last.
Why doesn’t Josie go hit up some other guy? She’s hot. Nice enough. Why is she always chasing after me?
She nods slowly as she gyrates her hips. “Let’s go up to your room.”