All the I'm gonna fuck with you falls off his face. His eyes turn down. His lips curl into a frown. "But you don't have to."
"I want to."
"Why? You don't trust me?"
"You know I do."
"How the fuck do I know that?" He shakes his head. "You've been M.I.A., Walker. You like this girl. I get it. I like her too."
"You do?" Leighton's face screws with confusion. She shoots me a really look.
I shrug.
He flips her off.
"Seriously, Dean, you've been a total dick to her," she says.
"I'm working on it." He looks to me. "And I am fucking sorry I've been an asshole to your… whatever she is. But you need to work on this shit too. You forget I've known you forever. That smile you plaster on every day is bullshit. I've known it's bullshit. Just not why."
I press my heel into the ground. "It's not bull—"
"Yeah. It is. If Bree showed up at your place high…" He shakes his head. "You're freaking the fuck out. Imagining the cops notifying you they've found her dead in a fucking alley."
I suck a breath between my teeth. "Sometimes. So what?"
"So, you tell your fucking friends shit is messed up." He takes a step backward. "We can help. I can help."
"How?"
"It was barely a month ago you dragged her to rehab. You think I've forgotten? You were a fucking mess."
Maybe.
"I'm not an idiot. I get that we're not fifteen anymore. I get that you're gonna meet someone one day and it's gonna change shit. But you're better than this."
"Than what?"
"Than ditching your friends for a girl." He nods to his customer, now moving back to his suite. "You barely know her. How do you know she's worth it?"
"I do."
"And if you're wrong?"
"Guess I'm not telling you about it." I fold my arms.
"Fuck, you're stupid." He shakes his head. "Go home. Go to her. Whatever. Gym's off today. Gym's off for the immediate future."
"Dean, come on."
"Dean, what? You're gonna throw me some scraps? No thanks." He turns, shakes his head, saunters back to his suite.
Leighton presses her palms against the counter.
"You think he's right?" I ask.
She stares at her coffee cup. "You really found your sister high in your apartment?"
"Yeah."