The Boss Crush - Penny Wylder Page 0,38

this? Why are you still thinking about something that happened so many years ago? It doesn't matter anymore.”

Scoffing, Dalia crumbles her napkin into a ball and throws onto the table. “You know what, forget I asked.” Standing up, she grabs her wineglass, and downs the rest of it.

She starts to turn and walk away, so I call out, “Where are you going?”

“I'm leaving.”

“Dalia, come on, come sit and finish lunch.”

“Yeah, I lost my appetite. Don't worry about driving me back, I'll grab a taxi.”

Slouching in my chair, I chug the rest of my drink and watch her leave.

Go after her! The voice in my head screams. I want to listen to it, it sounds like the right thing to do,

but I don't move. I just sit in my chair, watching her disappear out the front door and onto the sidewalk. She throws her arm up, waves down a cab, and climbs inside.

You're a fucking idiot, Lyle!

What the hell were you thinking?

Resting my elbows on the table, I rub my face. I feel like a fool.

Deep down I know who my sister is. I know how she treats others. But as her brother, I have the instinct to protect her no matter what.

I'm going to have to figure out a way to balance the girl I'm falling for, and the girl I shared a life with.

Loyalty or love. . .

How the hell do I choose?

7

Lyle

Senior Prom

“Can't you just talk to her for me?” I ask Kira as she stands at her locker. Leaning against one of the locker doors, I hold my books at my waist, trying to give her my best puppy dog eyes. “You're her best friend, she'll listen to you. There's got to be something you can do, some way for you to get through to her. It would mean so much if you would just help me out here.”

Poking her head out from behind her locker door, she stuffs a couple books into her bag, and then slings the bag over her shoulder, almost hitting me in the face with it. Ducking back quickly, I feel the wind off the bag as it whips by my face.

Kira doesn't even acknowledge the fact she almost knocked me out, but I see a slight smirk as she moves stuff around on the shelf in her locker. I think she was trying to hit me.

Don't say anything, Lyle, just let it go. You need her help.

“So? Do you think you can help me out?” Brushing the hair out of my eyes, I keep my voice level. I don't care that she just tried to smack me with her bag, I need a favor, and I'm willing to give her whatever she wants to make it happen. “You know I there are no boundaries. Ask and you shall receive, simple as that.”

“You're really trying to bribe me? Do you honestly think you have something I want?” Holding the thin metal edge of the door, she keeps her eyes forward, jumping them around from shelf to shelf. “Are you kidding me? Did your bitch of a sister put you up to this? Because I know you're smarter than this, Vox.”

“What? No. Sandy doesn't have anything to do with this.”

Kira pauses for a second, staring off into space. “Well, the answer is simple. No.”

“No?” It's hard for me to acknowledge her rejection. So hard I don't even hear it at first.

“Let me make it easier for you to understand if that word it too big for you. Not a chance. I can't help you and I won't help you. There, understand that?” She glances over at me quickly, our eyes meet, and I can see she's pissed at me too. The hint of attitude in her voice is a nice addition that also gives away her true feelings.

What the hell did I do wrong?

What did I ever do to her?

I should expect this. It shouldn't be a surprise to me that she's angry. She and Dalia are best friends. That's how this all works. Everyone sticks with their group, with the people they fit in with.

Dalia and I aren't meant to fit, which is probably why this is all so damn messy. We're like water and oil, coming from different worlds that don't usually mingle. Well, not here at least, not when everything you represent gives you some sort of status.

High school isn't for the weak. Anyone will tell you that. High school is where the weak and the strong divide, where the