The Problem with Forever

Paige ran her tongue along the inside of her mouth. “What about after?”

Rider looked away, rubbing a hand across the center of his chest. “Paige...”

“What? You can’t talk to me now? I thought we were still friends?” She folded her arms across her chest. “Friends talk.”

He opened his mouth and then closed it. A moment passed. “We are friends, Paige. You know that.”

“Hey,” Hector spoke up, stepping toward her. “Walk with me?”

She snorted. “Uh. No.”

“I think you should,” Hector insisted. “Because you really don’t want to do this right now.”

“Do what?” she shot back. “I just want to talk to Rider.”

“It’s okay.” The two words spilled out of me, and all of them looked in my direction. I swallowed hard. “I mean, it’s...okay if you two need to talk. I’m going to head...out to the car.”

“Don’t.” Rider reached out, catching my hand. His fingers threaded through mine.

Paige’s gaze sharpened on me and then dropped to our joined hands. Her glossy pink lips parted as understanding flashed across her face. Her chin jerked up as her brows rose. “Seriously?” Her question was directed at Rider. “You...you did break up with me to get with her?”

Oh, God.

Keira pursed her lips and started backing up. Hector closed his eyes.

“I never said I wasn’t,” Rider said so quietly I almost didn’t hear him. He squeezed my hand.

Paige unfolded her arms, and I tensed, because for a second I thought she might come across that desk and strangle one or both of us, but then her lips curled into a smirk and she barked out a harsh laugh. “Yeah. Whatever. Like I didn’t see this coming the moment she showed up.”

I wanted to hide, but that would make me a coward, the worst kind of coward, so I forced myself to stand there.

“I don’t know what to say,” Rider said, and his hand tightened around mine again. “I really don’t.”

“That’s okay, because I do.” Paige lifted her chin once more. “Don’t come crawling back to me when she lets you down. Because that will happen.”

My eyes narrowed and the words burst from me. “That’s not going to happen.”

Paige looked at me and laughed again. “Whatever. You and I both know how this is going to play out.” She wiggled her fingers as she pivoted. “Peace out.”

Standing there, I watched Paige stalk out of the class while Hector twisted toward us. “Shit,” he said. “That was awkward as hell to witness.”

“True dat,” Keira murmured.

“Try being in my shoes,” Rider said, sighing. He pulled me into his side. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” I blinked. “Why...wouldn’t I be?”

Rider raised a shoulder in response. I started to ask if he was all right, but Paige’s words had left me cold in the chest, because she’d said them with such certainty.

Like she knew Rider and I wouldn’t last.

We wouldn’t be forever.

Chapter 26

“Hey, bebé.”

The words came from behind me as I rummaged through my locker Tuesday morning. Recognizing the voice, I looked over my shoulder.