Still Jaded (Jaded 2)

"You what? What could you do? You can't do anything, Bryce. Not anymore. You shouldn't have even called me." My throat hurt so much. It felt too tight.

He sounded strained. "Sheldon, I still love you. Things aren't clear with us right now, but I'm always going to be a part of your life. You can't cut all those years. Since seventh grade—it's been that long for us. I'm a part of you."

"I'll adapt. I always do." What the hell was I saying? I didn't want him out of my life, but everything was so confusing. I counted to ten and tried to calm myself. "It's just harder when you call me." My voice broke.

"I know. I'm sorry," he whispered.

I bent over to rest my forehead on my knees. Why was everything so painful? When I drew in a shuddering breath, someone sat beside me. I felt them take my phone, and a second later Corrigan spoke into it, "Hey. I'll call you later."

Bryce responded, but Corrigan closed my phone. His hand found mine, and then he hugged me against him. I couldn't think or say anything. The pain was almost numbing—it blasted me completely. Slowly, so slowly, I lifted my head back up and blinked away some tears. Corrigan's eyes were concerned, but there was something else.

I frowned. "Are you angry?"

He blinked and the unnamed emotion was gone. With a brief smile, he hugged me again. "Don't worry about me. Are you ready to go?"

No deep talk. No words of explanation. No soul searching. This was why Corrigan knew me so well. I nodded.

When we got into his car, I asked, "What do you know about a girl named Carolina?"

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The next few weeks went by without much drama. Corrigan and I went to our classes. I didn't have any more run-ins with Grace or Cadence's group. Carolina and her girls flanked me everywhere I went. They must've felt that I needed protection, but I didn't mind. The girls were just there. They didn't pester me for information or try to play social games with me. I was happy with that. Leah came over at night. Carolina came once and I saw how she was fascinated with Corrigan, but as I got to know her more, I knew she kept her cards close to her chest. She wouldn't want him to know about her captivation.

Corrigan drove me after school and stayed every night. Bryce didn't call again. I wasn't sure if I was happy or relieved. I tried not to think about it and pressed on like a robot.

"Hey," Corrigan greeted as he came into the kitchen. He had showered and now wore his fraternity's polo. The royal blue looked official.

I whistled in approval and lifted my coffee cup in a salute. "You're looking official. What's up?"

"The House is hosting a banquet tonight on campus. It's for the pledges and their families."

"Are you taking donations?" I grinned. "That sounds like something used to pimp the purses of your alumni."

"Maybe." Corrigan chuckled as he took my cup and finished it. "After classes, we're heading to the Wilshire. Is your car still there? I'll be stuck at the banquet most of the night so…"

…I might need it.

"Right." My pulse jumped a beat. I hadn't thought about the hotel or my car in a long while. I'd been putting off the moment of going back. It was where she was. It was where I knew Bryce was probably going every night.

Corrigan's eyes measured my reaction. "If you'd like, I can run over there with Matt. I'll drive your car back after the banquet."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. As I fished out my keys, I murmured, "Thanks, Corrigan. It's parked in the back lot. I'm not planning on going anywhere tonight anyways."

"Okay." He took them and squeezed my hand for a moment. "I'll drop you off after classes and then head back to the house."

And that's how the rest of the day went.

We went to classes, and then he hurried to the fraternity while I was stood on my front patio. I had an entire evening to myself. I hadn't had this much freedom or alone time in awhile, which was a good thing. Probably.

I heated up some soup and settled in the media room with a textbook. I knew Miss Connors and knew her final wouldn't be easy. However, I nabbed the remote and turned on a movie first. Studying came later, always later. Halfway through, the gate buzzer went off. When I checked the monitor, I was surprised to see Denton, flashing a blinding smile with shades over his eyes.

I couldn't help grinning as I pushed the talk button. "You're a bit too Hollywood sometimes, you know."

He chuckled and pressed his button. "I only dress up for you, Sheldon. I'm in my best attire."

"Your jeans look like you've been trying your hand at being a mechanic, and your shirt—pink, really?"

Denton looked at his tee shirt and laughed. "It's tie dye. I thought you'd like it."

Chuckling, I pressed the entry button and met him at the front door. He pulled the car through and hopped out of the convertible. "I felt like taking you for a drive tonight. A little birdie told me you needed to let your hair loose."

"I thought you had a jeep?" Arching an eyebrow, I shook my head. "A birdie, huh? Corrigan called you for baby-sitting duty?"

He grimaced and drew close. "I don't do kids. Ugh."

I laughed and led the way inside. "This is coming from a former teen idol? You aren't turning your back on those tween fans already?"

"No turning my back on anyone." Denton's eyes sparkled in amusement as he patted my shoulder. "Come on. Grab whatever you need. I'm taking you away for the night. We'll go to a premiere. We'll get a private box at a club. We'll go sky-diving. Come on. You're going to have fun tonight."

Entering the kitchen, I pulled out a bag of chips and tossed it over. "I'd rather stay here. Sorry to be a bore, but it's my personal fortress."

Denton tossed it back. "Doesn't this place get broken into on a regular basis, and at least let me order Chinese."

"That's only when I have parties. I have a no-party policy now. And besides, I got an improved security system installed by our very own locally-grown gangster. Hoodum." I handed him the phone book.

"Hoodum, huh? If memory serves correct, Mena mentioned that he had a love-love relationship with Corrigan?" He waggled his eyebrows up and down, grinning.

"Love-love? She was semi-right. Those two bonded over something a long time ago and neither spilled the beans. I'm not sure if I want to know. Anything those two did together must've been criminal or something worse. They might've burned down a house, for all I know."

Denton looked serious. "Uh. You sure about no premiere? I know of one going on in a few hours. It'd be a great way to make Bryce squirm in jealousy. He's on the guest list with her."

I fell silent, shocked. Denton said it casually, but his words echoed in my head. Bryce was with her—I'd known, of course, but hearing about their date and the way Denton said it so easily—like it was a common thing now.

"I can't. Sorry." My voice had grown hoarse. I turned to the counter and held onto it with both hands. I felt off-balance.

"Sheldon?"

"I'm okay. Really." I pushed upright and wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. I thought I'd been doing okay throughout the week, but Denton's words came out of nowhere. I was gutted.

"Chinese?" He opened his mouth to say more, but the buzzer interrupted.

Something dropped in my throat and for a moment, I wondered if my worst fear was going to come true. When I crossed to the monitor, I expected to see Bryce with her but saw Carolina and Leah instead. Relief went through me as I buzzed them through.

"Who is it?" Denton asked behind me. I heard the crackle of a bag and turned to see him pop a few chips in his mouth. He grinned and offered me the bag. "Want some?"

"No," I chuckled. "I thought you wanted Chinese?"

"I do."

He gestured to the door with the bag. "Figured I'd wait to see who the surprise visitors are. Our plans could change." Then he pretended to frown. "I thought you didn't have any friends except the two."

"Ha ha, you're so funny." But as I went to the door, I was a little embarrassed to admit that he was the only other friend I had. Then, wit

h a fake forced smile on my face, I swept open the door. "Hey guys!"

Leah frowned immediately and stayed put. Carolina smiled and moved around me. She went inside first and then stopped in her tracks. She stared, mesmerized, at Denton.

He waved the bag. "Hi."

"You know Denton Steele?" Leah laughed. "Who don't you know? Do you know that Ronaldo soccer guy—wait. You probably do." As she popped on a stool, she muttered, "Figures."