Rich Prick – Tijan Page 0,49
couldn’t risk it.
He knew. I knew he knew, because Zeke was like that, but with me not telling him, the gates were still closed. He couldn’t go fanboy over her brother’s best friend. That’d be weird and awkward, and a scene I didn’t want to deal with.
“Not yet.” I watched him from the corner of my eye, gauging his reaction. “You gotta trust me. It’s too new.”
He settled. “I get that, but you know I know, right?”
“Don’t.” I scowled. “Don’t.”
He frowned. “Why? ’Cause of the girls?”
He knew why, but okay. Let’s go with the girls instead.
I shrugged, stretching my legs out. “Partly. And partly because I care about her and it’s new to me too. I’ve never given a shit like this about anyone, including you. It’s unsettling.”
I was tired of all this personal sharing.
“Why do I feel like we should throw down anyway?” I asked him. “Just for old times’ sake?”
Zeke’s smile was blinding. “Right. I get it. We’re still dicks. Don’t worry.”
“Speak for yourself. You’ve become a pansy.”
“Hey.” He rounded on me, his face twisted before he saw I was joking.
But was I?
He punched my shoulder. “Don’t call me that again.”
I laughed. “Pussy. Your favorite word.”
He scowled, but started to laugh. “Yeah. I love that word. Did you know there was a chick from Roussou telling people she and I were dating? We hooked up a few times, but that was it.”
I shook my head. “I was the one who you told that, and I’m not surprised.” Though, to clarify, I didn’t know she’d been telling people she was dating him, but I was the one who gave her a name since Zeke just recognized her face and would drag her off somewhere private when he saw her. He’d never taken the time to remember her name. It wasn’t an altogether uncommon scenario for him.
“I’m sure you’ve had five girlfriends this year you know nothing about.”
He cursed softly. “That’s not something I’m proud of.”
No, it shouldn’t be. And I wasn’t proud of my own indiscretions.
I sighed. “We might’ve turned into assholes for a while, but we can be better.”
“Yeah.”
If anyone had told me I’d be sitting on these bleachers, having this conversation with Zeke, I would’ve punched them in the face.
But here I was.
And we were having this talk.
And I suddenly felt like I really did have a best friend.
I swore. “No one can know we talked like this to each other.”
He shook his head vigorously. “Hell no. Either of us talks, and the other can punch him in the dick, without pants.”
Sounded perfect to me. “Deal.”
We were heading back and through the empty halls when Zeke slowed up.
“Shit.” He cast me a worried look. “You gonna handle that okay or you want a distraction?”
I thought he’d seen Aspen at first, that she’d come to school, and I got excited. Then I saw Mara loitering by my locker and my chest deflated.
I shook my head. “Nah. I got this.”
It was time, and judging by the look on her face, she knew it. Zeke headed out, but I focused on Mara. She looked as if she’d rather be anywhere else, but she was in front of my locker for a reason.
“Hey.”
She closed her eyes, shaking her head. “Jesus.”
I chuckled. “Sorry.”
I waited. It didn’t seem like my place to start this conversation.
She leaned against my locker, folding her arms over her chest, and she looked away. “So you’re dating her?”
“Yeah.”
My response was quiet, but honest. I’d always promised honesty.
She blinked a few times, her throat moving.
“And you care for her?” Her words came out strangled.
Fuck. More honesty. “Yeah.” She had to know. She deserved that much. “She’s mine, Mara. She’s just… She’s mine.”
A tear slipped down one of her cheeks. She wiped it with the back of her hand. “Okay.” She nodded, blinking to keep more tears from falling. “Okay. I’m probably going to sleep with Zeke to get back at you. Full disclosure.”
I laughed. “Okay.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You’re supposed to care if I do that. Fuck you. I can see now that you don’t.” Her voice rose. “But if she did—”
A burst of anger lit in my stomach, and she saw it.
“Yeah.” She nodded. “Yeah. I see that now. You’d go apeshit if Zeke touched her.”
I sighed. “What do you want me to say? We were never exclusive. I told you that. I never promised anything.”
“I kept myself just for you. We were exclusive on my end. I did that for you.”
The bell rang, and we had a nanosecond