She took me to her room, where all her makeup was.
“I’m glad to see you already showered,” she said, touching the still-damp tendrils of pink hair near my shoulder. “Straight or curled?”
“Michelle,” I whined, really not wanting to go. This would not end well; I could see it now. She and Kyle were perfect for each other, but that didn’t mean his brother and I would hit it off. I didn’t know nearly anything about him, besides his name and the fact that he was Kyle’s older brother. I did know he was a few years older than me.
“Girl, you’re coming,” Michelle said. “Don’t worry, it’s not going to be a crazy date or anything. Just dinner and a movie. You can handle that, can’t you?”
I could handle that as long as I didn’t see my sister and her long-term boyfriend get handsy in the theater or the booth across from me. I’d be miserable, but then again, that wasn’t anything out of the ordinary for me.
“I guess,” I muttered, frowning as Michelle sat me on the edge of her bed.
My sister ended up dressing me, putting makeup on me, and curling my pink hair into soft waves. I was her silent doll, a frowning doll, a doll who did not want to go out and do anything tonight.
Today had been rough already, with everything involving Mason. Why couldn’t I catch a break?
Chapter Four – Calum
Coming home had been a split-second decision. I had an apartment with a few friends in the city, the same friends who I worked with. I just…I couldn’t be there right now. Not after what happened. My mind still reeled after what I found out, after what I saw.
My girlfriend with someone else. My girlfriend with one of my roommates, one of my best friends from college.
Yeah. Not a good sight. Not something any man wanted to see where his girl was concerned.
Which was exactly why I did not want to go with Kyle and his girlfriend on this weird setup. I was more than fine lounging around at home with Mom. I just wanted a break from everything, before I had to go back and fix the shitstorm that was my life.
Even after all these years, Mom hadn’t changed my room. I sat on my bed while Kyle stood in the doorway, giving me a come on look. “Dude, you’ll be fine,” he was busy saying, his hands stuck in his jean pockets. “She’s nice.”
Nice. Yeah, that’s what everyone said about Hilary.
Wait, no. Maybe they didn’t say that about her.
I had no idea who Michelle’s sister was. I’d graduated from high school before she’d become a freshman, so I’d never met her before. Didn’t really want to, either, but it seemed my little brother would not take no for an answer.
I was twenty-five years old, being set up by my eighteen-year-old brother. Talk about pathetic. Besides, now was the last time I wanted to be set up with anyone. Another relationship was the last thing on my mind. Right now, I just wanted…fuck, I didn’t even know what I wanted; I was that fucked up from seeing Hilary with Trent.
Kyle had sprung the date on me out of nowhere, so I had no time to tell him no. He was forcing me to get ready, and I…I was doing my damnedest not to do anything of the sort. Me, trying to look good for a date. Yeah, right.
I’d go, but I wouldn’t be happy about it, and I sure as shit wouldn’t try to impress her.
What did he say her name was again? Bree? Yeah, I think that’s it. Bree.
Kyle went on, “She, uh, doesn’t get out of the house much, but she’s nice.” Again with the nice comments. It made me wonder if she was some overweight ogre who I’d immediately hate Kyle for trying to set me up with her.
I had a type, okay? Every guy did.
“So is she a recluse, or what?” I asked, resisting my urge to roll my eyes.
“No, she goes to SCC. She just…doesn’t get out much.”
Sumit Community College, the local school meant for kids who either wanted to get their general credits done cheap or those who didn’t know exactly what they wanted to do with their life. Great. A college girl that was, quote, nice.
My brother was really talking her up, wasn’t he?
I got up, went to the restroom after pushing past him, and checked myself in the mirror. My blonde hair