The Wrong Blue Eyes

“I was trying to make this easier, Noelle. Can’t you see that?”

“Make what easier?”

“This!” he shouted while gesturing between the four of us. “Us! The fact that we don’t belong together, and we never have. We were both with the wrong person, and what’s worse is that the right ones have been standing in front of us all along.”

“You could have just told me you didn’t want to be with me.” I could hear Nick whispering words of reassurance as I cried over his brother in his arms.

This was so screwed.

“It wasn’t that simple, and you know it, Noelle. Even if I told you I was in love with your best friend, you never would have given your blessing, and Fel would never have given me a chance.”

“So you set me up to sleep with your brother? You entrapped me into cheating?”

“No! I-I’m not stupid, Noelle, okay? I know how you feel about Nick and he—” I caught the glance Paxton gave his brother before he continued. “He told me how he feels about you. Believe it or not, I care about you, and I love my brother. I wanted you both happy, and this was the only way we all got to be with who we truly wanted.”

Even as my heart twisted in agreement, it was my pride that couldn’t accept it. I’d given three years to someone who didn’t love me, someone who’d been looking past me all along.

All at once, I felt the fight leave my body—which, ironically, made Nick hold me tighter.

“You can let me go now,” I told him calmly. When he hesitated, I added, “Please.” I couldn’t stand him or anyone else touching me any longer. Just the thought made me ill.

Slowly, Nick released me, and once I was free, I took one last look at all of them. The three of them were watching me warily while pleading with me silently to understand.

Never.

“I hope you’re all very happy together.”

NOELLE

Two days until Christmas

“The only thing missing in this scenario is a cheering crowd as I run to you or maybe me holding a boombox in the rain.” My head shot up, hearing the familiar voice, and my lips parted, seeing who was standing there. “Would you settle for a white flag?”

“Fel?” I gasped. “What are you doing here? I thought—”

“That I’d choose a guy over my best friend?” She rolled her eyes as she sat down next to me. “I’d be insulted if I didn’t understand why you’d feel that way.”

“How did you even find me?”

She tilted her head to the side as she slowly turned a lock of her blonde hair. “Remember that Bound concert we went to last year when they were on tour? After the show, we spent an hour looking for your car and another trying to find each other after we somehow got separated?”

“Yeeeeah…”

Felicity held up her phone, showing me her screen.

I snorted when I saw that I was still sharing my location with her. That night, we both turned on the feature and vowed to never turn it off under any circumstances after that harrowing journey.

I’d never even given Paxton that privilege.

“Yeah.” I couldn’t help the smile that broke free while I nodded. “That was a close one.”

Being the drama queens we were, Fel and I ran to each across the vast dark parking lot as if we’d been apart for ten years and had reunited against all the odds—the odds being a parking lot jam-packed with cars, low visibility, and two tipsy college girls with no sense of direction whatsoever.

“So, do you think it’s true?” Fel asked in a quiet tone.

“Do I think what’s true?” I was frowning now since she’d caught me off guard.

“That Bound’s new guitarist is doing the entire band?”

I laughed. “Have you seen her? Have you seen them? Wouldn’t you?”

Fel and I high-fived each other, and that quickly, it was like old times. “Yeah, I see your point. Besides, they’re not really hiding it anymore. They’re on the blogs like every week.”

“Want to bet your new Gucci boots she gets knocked up within a year?”

“You’re on,” Fel agreed with a conspiratorial grin. We stared at each other for a moment before hugging. “I’m sorry for flirting with Pax,” Fel whispered. “I never meant to hurt you.”

I let her go so I could meet her gaze. “I’m sorry for calling you a bitch and definitely for trying to hurt you.”

“Do you realize this is the first time we’ve ever fought over a guy? Seems to me we were overdue.” She shrugged.

“Maybe, but…do you love Paxton?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. I hardly know him, at least not like you do.”

“I’m starting to think I didn’t know him at all, Fel. Paxton stopped sharing pieces of himself with me a long time ago.” I took her hands in mine and squeezed. “Maybe he’s been saving the rest for you?”