I drain my latte, feeling like I need all my strength for whatever she’s about to tell me. “What the fuck did she do?”
Sarah fiddles with the charm bracelet I got her for her birthday years and years ago; she never takes it off and she always plays with it when she’s nervous. “Remember how I told both of you that I had a crush on Niko last year?”
I nod. “Yeah. We were joking about how cool it would’ve been if Darrius had finally noticed me and if Niko liked you, so we could both date guys on the Angels team.”
She exhales, shakily, as if trying to keep from crying. “Yeah. Well, shortly after you left, Niko asked me on a date and we hooked up. I was so excited, despite being sad about you leaving. When he suddenly stopped texting me back and taking my calls, at first I thought that he got what he wanted and he was just ghosting me, until—”
I slam my fist on the kitchen table, making her jump. “No. She fucking didn’t!”
Sarah confirms my worst fears. “She knew I slept with Niko on the first date and she went after him. Niko told me he found her naked in the locker room one day after training. He hesitated because he knew Kiara and I were close, but apparently she promised him that he could do anything he wanted to her and he couldn’t resist that kind of offer. She dated him for a few weeks last summer, before she left to go to college.”
Fuck.
“And you let her get away with it?”
Sarah sighs. “No, I didn’t. But you know Kiara, right? She cried some crocodile tears and she made me believe that she didn’t realize that I really cared about Niko or she wouldn’t have done anything to jeopardize our friendship.”
I run a hand over my face, feeling even more betrayed than before. “Do you believe her?” I ask.
The answer doesn’t surprise me. “No. She knew I’d liked Niko for a while, just like you knew. Sometimes I think that she went after him just because he paid attention to me. She wanted him because she couldn’t bear for me to have him. And I’m convinced that she wants Darrius exactly for the same reason, because you’re in love with him.”
I’ve always thought that Kiara was a little selfish, that what she wanted took priority over everything else in her life, but never to the extent of willingly hurt me or Sarah. “I’m afraid you’re right, Sarah.”
My best friend looks almost as sad as I feel. “So what are we going to do? You aren’t thinking about forgiving her, right? Because you know she’ll try to make it sound like she didn’t do anything wrong.”
I take her hand into mine. “No, I’m not. She tried to call me a million times since last night but I don’t want to talk to her. There’s nothing she can say that will change what she did. She knew what Darrius meant to me. She’s always known how much I loved him. I’m done with her and if she’s smart enough, she’ll stay the fuck away from me.”
Sarah nods, meeting my eyes with concern in her blue ones. “I know you’re feeling like shit right now babe, but ... you aren’t going back to France, right?”
I shake my head. “No. I’m not going to let those two chase me away again. I don’t know if I should tell her what happened last night on the beach, after I cried all my tears for Darrius.
I’m still trying to decide but my best friend knows me better than I know myself sometimes and she picks up on my expression.
“What aren’t you telling me, Lenley?”
I decide not to tell her everything just yet, because I haven’t decided if I want to take the Devils’ offer. Or The Heartbreakers, like everyone loves to call them in town.
But I know Sarah can tell that I have a secret and that she won’t let it go until I fess up, at least partially.
“I met someone last night on the beach, after I spoke to Darrius. I—he thought I was trying to drown myself and ...”
I tell her what happened with Peyton but I leave his name out, at least for now; until I decide what to do about the deal he offered me.
Fortunately Sarah focuses on the juicy part of my story. “He kissed you? What do you mean, he kissed you? You’ve been waiting for Darrius all this time and then you go and kiss a total stranger? Someone you just fucking met? Who are you and what have you done with my sweet, shy best friend? I don’t think your makeover changed just your looks, Len. I think in France you grew a pair.”
I giggle at the way she’s highlighting her words with not very ladylike hand gestures, but I’m secretly preening under her praise.
“Well fuck, he was kind and hot and it was more than obvious that I’d been waiting for Darrius all this time with absolutely no hope, right?”
She agrees. “Yeah, that’s true. But getting an instant rebound? Damn! You’re my new myth, Lenley.”
“He asked to see me again,” I explain, without mentioning the other two guys and why they want to see me again.
“Do you want to see him again?”
I nod. “I need to think about it really carefully, because I know that if I do that, there’s going to be no way back to Darrius. Ever.”
Sarah rolls her eyes in a way that sways me a little toward accepting Peyton’s offer. “Look Len, if that’s the only thing that’s holding you back from seeing this mystery guy again, I think you should totally give him a chance. I know what you had with Darrius but after the way he acted, even if he dumped Kiara tomorrow, would you want him?”
I shake my head. “I think Darrius’ behavior has made it impossible for me to trust him ever again. He knew how I felt about him and he didn’t try to protect my heart like I would’ve done with him, had the roles been reversed. He actually fucked one of the two people who would hurt me the most.”
Sarah nods. “I know I’m the other person, but babe, I hope you know I would never.”
I know and I tell her.
“Then I don’t think there’s anything wrong in seeing this other guy. As long as he isn’t a serial killer or something like that.”
I laugh at her choice of words.
Peyton and his friends have a bad name all over Star Cove but if I started seeing a serial killer, it would be easier for Darrius to accept it than his rival. Actually no, scratch that, his three rivals.
Darrius made it abundantly clear that he absolutely despises Peyton and the Cove Devils.
The lack of any comment from me causes Sarah to widen her eyes. “Wait, is he a serial killer? Is this why you aren’t telling me who he is?”
I snort, laughing at the look on her face. “No, babe. I’m just not sure if I want to see him again. I promise that if I decide that I do, you’ll be the first to know.”
Sarah slaps her hand on the kitchen table. “Deal! There’s just one condition for me to approve of this entire thing.”
I smirk, knowing that whatever she’s about to say is going to be sassy. “He’d better be eye candy, or I won’t allow it.”
I shake the hand she offers. “Deal. I think there’s no danger of anyone thinking that he isn’t hot.” All three of them to be honest.
***