On The Rebound (Steinbeck U #1) - L.A. Cotton Page 0,55
out... but why?
What did she stand to gain?
“Calli?” Joel said, a hint of hurt in his voice. “Were you and Zach friends?”
“Hardly.” The word spilled from her lips without hesitation. She might as well have taken the plastic knife on her tray and stuck it straight in my back.
“And Callum?”
“I...” She gulped, her face as red as beets.
Everyone else watched on, hanging on the tension swirling around the two of them. Joel looked at her with such disappointment it was almost as bad as hearing her say we weren’t friends.
“They’re not friends,” I said waiting for the flicker of relief in her expression. When it was firmly in place, I delivered what I knew would be a crushing blow.
But hearing her dismiss me so easily had fanned the flames already raging inside me.
“Calli is Callum’s little sister. Isn’t that right, sweet pea?”
“W- what?” Joel recoiled, confusion clouding his eyes. “You’re Callum’s sister?”
“Fuck me, that’s some bad luck, man.” Brad whistled through his teeth, and Joel shot him a hard look.
“I... I need to go.” Calli scrambled to her feet, almost slipping. She managed to right herself and took off into the crowds.
“I’d better...” Josie jumped up and went after her.
“So dramatic,” Victoria snickered. My eyes slid to hers in question and she smiled innocently. “What?”
“You knew,” Joel accused me. “You knew and you didn’t say a word. Why?”
“Wasn’t my story to tell.” I scrubbed a hand over my jaw.
“That’s kind of messed up that Callum didn’t mention her,” Saul said. “Did you know she was coming here this year?”
My shoulders lifted in a small shrug. “I was as in the dark as much as the rest of you.”
Joel’s eyes burned into the side of my face. He probably had questions, a ton of them. But I wasn’t about to sit around and argue with him over Calli.
“I need to get some air.” He got up and ran a hand through his hair. “Fuck.”
“Come on, bro.” Saul and Dev flanked his side.
“What the fuck, Messiah?” Brad hissed. But I wasn’t about to do this here, not with Victoria and Kira salivating for more gossip.
“Just think how Joel’s going to take it when he finds out you’re messing around with his sister.”
“Fuck you, Vic,” he snarled at her. “Just because you’re hurting doesn’t give you the right to—”
“Brad,” I warned.
“Seriously? You’re going to defend her?”
I ran a hand down my face letting out an exasperated breath. Victoria went to speak, but I cut her off. “You and Kira should take off.”
“W- what? But we came together.”
“Victoria, just go.” I met her scowl with my own. “You’ve done enough tonight.”
“Zach, don’t be such a—”
“Come on, Vic. I think we should go.” It was the first sensible thing Kira had said all night.
“Yeah, okay, whatever.” Victoria hovered, no doubt waiting for my apology. But it never came. My eyes remained straight ahead, my jaw clenched so tight my teeth hurt.
The second they were gone, Brad exhaled a long breath. “I know she’s hurting, but she’s a real bitch at times.”
He wasn’t wrong.
But then I was asshole most of the time too.
Maybe that’s why it was so easy to be around her. Pain and grief hardened you. It made you all jagged edges and sharp toothed.
“Want to talk about it?” he asked.
“No, I really fucking don’t.”
“I’m sensing there’s more to the story than you’re letting on. You know—”
“Brad, I said leave it.”
“Fine.” He held up his hands. “But seriously, what’s with Callum not telling any of us about her? That’s fucked up.”
“I don’t know. I’m not exactly friends with the guy.”
We were teammates.
He was my brother’s best friend. His second. And his loyalty and friendship was the one thing I hadn’t inherited since arriving at SU.
Callum didn’t want me here, any more than I wanted to be here.
Josie stormed over to the table, glowering at me. “Seriously, Messiah. What the fuck is your problem?”
“Whoa, Jos, relax.” Brad gawked at her. “This isn’t on, Zach.”
“Oh really?” she seethed, narrowing her eyes at me.
“Josie, babe—”
Her lips parted on a surprised gasp and Brad paled. “I didn’t mean... fuck...”
“Yeah, the two of you clearly have this,” I wagged my finger between them, “under control.”
“Can you give us a second?” she asked Brad. He nodded, sliding out of the bench.
“Can I trust you with my girl, Messiah?”
“Brad!”
“What?” He shrugged. “Zach knows, there’s no use in hiding it.”
“But Joel—”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Messiah?” His brow flicked up.