The Boy Next Door

After ten more minutes, I fire off a third and final text. I’m losing my patience. Scratch that, I’m fresh out. Hell, for all I know, he and Mia are still going at it. Although, she was pretty pissed off when I walked away, so that’s doubtful.

You know what?

Screw this, I’m out of here.

I jam the key in the ignition as Beck yanks open the door and slides onto the seat beside me. “Took you long enough,” I bite out. “I was just about to take off.”

“Too bad you didn’t do that when you realized I was busy,” he shoots back, clearly irritated.

“Give me a fucking break,” I snort. “We both know Mia can’t stand your damn ass. What were you gonna do? Fuck her in the pool? You might not realize it, but I did you a solid. That girl would have hated you even more than she already does.”

He presses his lips together and glares in stony silence.

Here’s the thing—he knows I’m right. The tension gathered inside me loosens when he fails to respond.

A grin slides across my face as I cup my fingers to my ear. “I’m sorry, what’s that?” I pause for a beat. “You’re welcome, Colton? Thanks for saving me from myself?”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” he mutters, slouching on the leather and staring straight ahead.

“Please. I couldn’t get Mia to come out with us if there was even a slight chance you would show up.” I cock my head. “Doesn’t that tell you something?”

Of course it does, but Beck is nowhere near ready to acknowledge it.

“Just drive,” he mutters.

“You know I’m right,” I say smugly, starting up the engine and squealing out of the driveway before punching the gas. “I hate to be the one to break it to you, but it’s never gonna happen with that girl. You need to move the fuck on.”

He slumps further into the black leather. “Maybe,” he bites out, “you should do yourself a favor and take your own advice for a change.”

My jaw tightens as I stare at the dark ribbon of road stretched out in front of us. “Don’t think I’m not trying,” I mumble. “Every damn night, I’m trying to get over that girl.” There’s no point in specifying which one I’m talking about.

He knows. Just like he knows why I’ve been in a shit mood for the last five months. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out.

“You screw so much,” he says, “that I’m surprised your dick hasn’t shriveled up and fallen off. Remind me to buy you some balm for your birthday.”

A hint of a smile lifts my lips, although it doesn’t quite reach my eyes. “Don’t I know it, brother.”

A heavy silence falls over us as I crank the steering wheel and turn onto the main stretch of road. It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask about Alyssa. I haven’t seen her around for a while. And she blocked my ass on all her socials. Which...I can’t exactly blame her for. But tell me how I’m supposed to stalk that chick if I can’t see what she’s up to?

I try to swallow down the words, but they refuse to budge. It’s only a matter of time before they burst free.

One second slips by.

Then another.

“Did Mia mention Lys at all?”

Fuck me. I’ve done my best to scrub that girl from every part of my life. Evicting her from my head and heart has turned out to be more complicated than I assumed.

Beck scrutinizes me silently before tossing a crumb my way. Not that I deserve it with the bullshit I just pulled. He’s a better friend than I am. “Guess she’s studying abroad in London for the year.”

His answer takes me by surprise. I blink and stare straight ahead as my lips tug down at the corners. “No shit?”

“Yup.”

My heart constricts. It’s like there is a vise squeezing it.

“Huh.” That’s all I’m capable of forcing out.

It’s weird to think of Alyssa not being here. At the same school. In the same town. In the same damn state. Hell, the country. Even when I was trying to ignore her, she was here. I could keep an eye on her. I caught glimpses of her around campus when she didn’t know I was looking.

And now she’s gone.

A heavy pit settles in my gut. I’m so fucking tempted to pelt him with more questions. This time, I keep them buried deep inside. In the months since our breakup, I’ve done my damnedest to move on. It hasn’t worked. So maybe...maybe this is for the best.

Out of sight, out of mind...right?

Let’s hope that turns out to be the case.

Chapter Twelve

Alyssa

March of junior year...

Jack grabs hold of my hand and laces our fingers together before flashing me a cheeky smile as we take in the shops on Oxford Street. The skies are overcast, but the weather is seasonable for this time of year in London, which means it’s about fifty degrees. We’re both bundled up in jackets. I can’t help but return his easy expression.