Rebel at Spruce High (Spruce Texas Romance #5) - Daryl Banner Page 0,142

… except the love is unrequited, Hoyt Nowak. And it infuriates you that you and I only shared one stupid, meaningless kiss in a bathroom instead of the special love Vann and I had—before you ruined it. It infuriates you so much, you had to pull half a Carrie and pour punch on us.”

It’s only now that I realize Julio has returned from his car, and he stands there at the foot of the walkway, staring at us with wide eyes, astonished at what he’s heard. Hoyt’s face is contorted with a mixture of anger and panic, rendered speechless by my tirade.

I wouldn’t have said as much, had I realized Julio was within hearing distance. It wasn’t my intention to let that last part out, Hoyt’s secret—which he himself may not even have processed yet.

But with it being too late now, and seeing as I am unable to magically unsay what I’ve said, I step back, all my anger vanishing at once. “S-Sorry,” I mumble, nearly inaudible.

Hoyt clears his throat, scoffs at me, then shakes his head. “No idea what you’re talkin’ about. You’ve …” He lets out a laugh. “You have lost your dang mind, boy.” He looks at Julio, who has a stone-hard, knowing look on his face. “Toby’s lost his mind,” he says to him now, gesturing carelessly at me. “He’s makin’ stuff up. Gettin’ himself all worked up. Hell, I bet he’s the one who … who’s got …” He clears his throat and runs a hand through his hair. “Who’s got some kinda obsession with me, that’s what I think. Hey!” he calls out at me when he notices me walking away. “Where are you goin’ off to? I’ve got your bag of things at my house! Hey, Toby! Y’know what? I deserved to have fun at that party! It was my birthday! I got to watch you guys kiss on my birthday! Happy birthday to me!”

I leave him there, yelling to himself, or to Julio, or whoever’s going to listen. Even when I reach Main Street, I think I can still hear the ghosts of his hollering as he desperately spins together a believable enough cover-up for the truth, but I’m pretty sure Julio isn’t buying a lick of it.

After a while, I can’t hear him at all. The long road that winds into my suburb is quiet and undeservedly peaceful. I feel like I’m a bunch of broken pieces sewn together, magically able to walk. I’m so emotionally stressed out with life in general that there isn’t a single thought still dwelling in my head about Hoyt Nowak by the time I make it back home. I might even argue that I’m thinking of literally nothing when I push into my shed, kick off my shoes, and drop onto my bed with a lifeless grunt. I shut my eyes and fight off a random urge to cry, too tired even for tears.

My non-crying only lasts two and a half minutes before there is a noise, and then my shed door creaks open. I lift my head up to find a head poking inside. “Toby …?”

I sit up. “Lee?”

“I didn’t know you were, uh …” My stepbrother comes in and shuts the door. “Didn’t know you were coming back tonight.”

“Me neither. Wasn’t planned. I’ve had my fill of the world out there, I guess.” I lift a tired eyebrow. “Is dad still gonna kill me?”

“No. He’s been weird since Thanksgiving. Emotional and … I dunno. Not himself. Heh. It’s just weird.” Lee invites himself to my desk chair with a grunt, then looks at me. “Where’d you go these past few days? Were you staying with that weird girl?”

I chuckle. “Her name’s Kelsey, and no, I didn’t go to her. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you where I’ve been.”

“Huh. Vann’s? Did you go to Vann’s?”

I deflate a little at the mention of his name. “No. I … I don’t think we’re gonna … get back …” I sigh, then shake my head.

“I had a bad girlfriend my sophomore year. We were good at first, but then she got in my head, and I couldn’t figure out what I wanted ‘til I ended things with her.” He picks at his fingernails. “I dunno if Vann’s like that, but … maybe it’s good you ended it.”

“Maybe.” I bite my lip. “He said the ball’s in my court.”

“Huh. Alright. Oh, by the way, all Thanksgiving break while you were gone, Marly and Dad were having