“I wouldn’t go that far,” I mutter, knowing there’s no way in hell Brooke would consider me a friend. She could barely tolerate my presence for the five minutes or so that we were together before hightailing it away as fast as she could.
“Just do me a favor and stay the hell away from her.”
I straighten to my full height as my muscles stiffen. “Excuse me?”
He steps closer as a dull red flush seeps into his cheeks. “You heard me. Don’t mess with her. Just stay the fuck away.”
I narrow my eyes. “That’s funny. You certainly didn’t have a problem when I messed with her before.”
Even though his lips crook at the corners, his blue eyes remain glacial. “Honestly? I liked that the two of you couldn’t fucking stand each other. I didn’t have to worry about her falling for your bullshit broody charm the way all the other chicks do.”
I can only stare as his words roll around like marbles in my head. When I think back, I realize that Andrew never bothered to defend her. Sure, he’d comfort her, but he never told me to knock that shit off. At the time, I figured he didn’t want to get in the middle of our verbal skirmishes. Only now do I realize how wrong I was.
I shake my head, losing even more respect for him. Pretty soon, there won’t be anything left.
“You’re a real fucking dick,” I snap.
When a slow smile spreads across his face, I realize he’s aware of it but doesn’t give a damn.
“You gotta know that Brooke actually loved you, right?” Before he can fire off a response, I step closer and growl, “She would have done anything for you. She was the perfect girlfriend, and you threw her away without so much as a second thought.”
Fuck.
Why the hell did I allow all of that to escape?
The smile disappears as his lips twist into an ugly scowl. “Seriously, Rhodes? It almost sounds like you have a hard-on for my ex.”
There’s a beat of uncomfortable stillness.
Instead of firing off a firm denial that will get us back onto solid ground, I remain silent. I’m so damn tired of lying to him and myself about what I feel. I’ve been doing it since I first saw her on campus.
“And I know that can’t be true. Right?”
The words sit perched on the tip of my tongue. It wouldn’t take much to push them out and tell him the truth.
Tell someone the truth.
Then I can let the chips fall before picking up the pieces. Part of me feels like it would be easier than constantly guarding myself and keeping everything shoved deep down inside where it can’t see the light of day. Because that’s exactly what I’ve been doing, and it’s killing me inside.
He advances another step before shoving a hand against my chest and forcing me back. The barely-contained aggression is enough to knock me off balance.
“You never answered the question. You’re not trying to get with my girl, are you?”
A couple guys turn and stare as Andrew’s voice escalates. As much as I want to come clean, this isn’t the time or place for this conversation.
My shoulders collapse as the lie escapes. “No.”
Even though he nods, he continues to stare suspiciously. I don’t think he’s ever looked at me like he doesn’t know who the fuck I am.
Is this really what I’m intent on doing?
Blowing apart our friendship?
Fuck.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Because this is a foolproof way to do it. He’s not going to move on until he gets her back again.
“Good. I don’t want you even looking sideways at my girl.”
“She’s not your girl,” I remind him. “She dumped you six months ago.”
“No matter what happens between us, Brooke will always be mine. She’s angry and needs more time to cool off. You watch, she’ll come to her senses and crawl back to me.”
It takes everything I have inside not to snort. Hell will freeze over before that happens. But there’s no way I’m going to tell him that. By the intensity written across his face, he believes it wholeheartedly. And, more than likely, he’ll spend the rest of senior year trying to make it happen.
“Stay out of my way, or I’ll fucking take you out.”
My eyes widen at the pent-up rage vibrating off him in thick, suffocating waves.
“You need to settle the fuck down.” If he thinks he can intimidate me, he’s out of his mind.
“Do I?” His hands bunch and release at his sides. It wouldn’t surprise me if he tried to throw a punch. There’s a red haze clouding his vision. He isn’t seeing clearly. If he were, he’d walk away.
“Yeah. You’re acting like a fucking nut.”
It takes a moment for his shoulders to loosen and him to twist his head from side to side, cracking his neck as if working out the tension. “I just can’t stand the thought of her with someone else.”