Clipped by Love (Bellevue Bullies 2)

Jayden: lol. Fine. They are telling me to get off the phone so we can do gifts. Which, by the way, yours is waiting for you.

Me: I have yours too.

Jayden: Maybe I’ll sneak out tonight?

Me: Please do. I miss you.

Jayden: I miss you too.

My cheeks warm as I look around to make sure no one is looking. They aren’t, thankfully; I doubt they even know I’m here. They’ve actually started to clean and I should help.

Me: Okay. Enjoy, Merry Christmas.

As I stand, he texts back.

Jayden: Merry Christmas, Bay.

With a small grin on my face, I tuck my phone into my pocket and begin cleaning. When everything is out of the living room, we all settle on the couch and Markus lays his head against my feet as A Christmas Story starts.

“Hey. Question,” my dad says, and I look over at him, pausing the movie.

“What?” I ask as Markus looks over at him too. “Do you need another beer?”

“No, Bay,” he says, a small grin pulling at his lips. But then he presses his lips together, giving me a stern look and then one to Markus. “Are y’all together?”

“What?” I shriek as Markus bubbles with laughter.

Surely, I heard him wrong, but he’s just looking at us, and I can tell he really believes this.

“Us?” Markus chortles as he turns to his back, laughing, but I’m still in shock.

“Markus and me? No, Dad, no way,” I say sharply, but then I pause, touching his shoulder. “Not that you aren’t a great guy.”

“No, I know,” he agrees with a nod, his laughter subsiding. “We are friends, Coach. Strictly friends. She’s honestly like a little sister to me.”

“So, you’re not like friends with benefits? Or whatever you call it?” he asks, and I can tell he’s very uncomfortable. I know it is for me. Markus, though, he is dying laughing.

“Oh my God, please strike me dead,” I mutter, looking at the ceiling as Markus falls off the couch laughing.

“No way, Coach, we are friends. Just friends,” Markus reiterates.

“Yeah, Dad, promise,” I say with as my conviction as I can muster as I meet his gaze.

“Okay, I was just wondering why he’d be here if y’all weren’t.”

“Because I didn’t want him to be alone. He’s my friend, Dad.”

“Sure, sure, it’s been great having you too, son,” he says with a nod. “You have to understand why I asked though. I mean, with everything going on, we don’t need any distractions, and a boy would be a big one,” he reminds me, and I nod.

“I know, Dad,” I say as Markus’s gaze falls on me, but I ignore him.

Biting into my lip, I hit play and the movie starts back up, but I can’t pay attention. I saw it in his eyes; he was really worried and didn’t seem to like the idea of me being with anyone. My main thing is I don’t want to disappoint my dad, so I know I can’t tell him until after the season ends. Since there is no way in hell I’m breaking up with Jayden. I am also not choosing between him and my dad, so we’ll keep the secret going. Especially since he doesn’t suspect anything.

When my phone dings, I look to see it’s Markus. I look over at him, and he looks at back me and then cocks his head toward my phone. Rolling my eyes because he’s an idiot, I read the text.

Markus: He’s gonna flip if he finds out about you and Jayden.

> Me: Thank you, Captain Obvious.