Will is lying to me.
And I’m going to figure out why.
Will
Getting into my car and slamming the door, I slump into the driver’s seat, eyes fixed on the texts Alex just sent me.
Alex: Dude, why the fuck haven’t you been taking Kendrick’s calls?
Alex: He said to call him ASAP. He needs to talk to you.
I cringe. Kendrick’s been calling me since the day I came back into town, but I can’t bring myself to pick up. Why does he need to talk to me? Does he know? While I’d love to believe no one has been cruel enough to pull the rug from under me and tell Kendrick the truth, the odds aren’t in our favor.
Blake, Luke, Zoey.
All people that know about us.
Also people that hate our guts—to help our case.
Objectively, Blake is nothing to worry about. I don’t think Kendrick would ever believe anything he said after what he did, not to mention he’d kill him on sight if he showed his face. As for Mr. Football-Fucking-Scholarship, Luke already tried to get Kass fired and failed. I don’t think he would go as far as to get involved in Kass’s family for a bruised ego. The most likely culprit is Zoey. Although I did threaten to sell her out to her trash boyfriend about screwing Blake if she exposed us. Kass and I haven’t even been together for a month yet. How do we already have so many loose ends to worry about?
Conclusion: we fucking suck at keeping this a secret.
We need to step up our game. Now. No more being careless. Going out in public. We got wrapped up in it. The second we step foot inside school today, we need to be strangers.
There’s a good chance Kendrick will never forgive me for touching his sister. But what he would definitely never get over? Finding out from someone else. He’d never trust me again. I will tell him. Eventually. But it has to be in person.
Only reason I haven’t done it yet.
I start my car, firing Kass a brief text.
Will: Leaving now.
Her shitty car broke down again, which means she needs a ride to school. She said she’d take the bus, but I’m not letting her. I’ll just have to drop her off a few blocks early so no one sees us together.
My phone rings.
It’s Kendrick.
Shit.
You have to pick up. He’ll be suspicious if you don’t. I curse, press Answer, and guide the phone to my ear.
“Hey, man.” I hold my breath.
A beat of silence.
“About fucking time. Thought you were dead for a second there.” Laughter erupts down the line.
My body unwinds.
“I know. Sorry. Just been busy.” I shift in my seat. “What’s up? How’s the penthouse treating you?
“Can’t complain. I play video games all day, and Winter’s healing pretty good. But that’s not why I’m calling.”
“Yeah?”
“Listen, I know this is going to sound weird, but… I’ve heard a few things and I wanted to ask you about it.”
My stomach drops.
“Shoot.”
“It’s Kass.”
He knows.
He so fucking knows.
“What about Kass?”
“A friend of mine told me he saw her driving around town with some guy late at night last weekend. Couldn’t tell who, but I’d be surprised if it was Luke Jenson. Dude probably has a curfew.”
I curse myself for thinking we could get away with it.
That was a close one.
“Can you like… check up on her something? She’s been a mess since this thing with my dad, and my mom says she just started talking to her again. The last thing she needs right now is for some asshole to break her heart, you feel me?”
I’m going to hell for this.
“Look, you want to protect your sister, fill your old man’s shoes, I get it, but have you ever thought that maybe… this guy could be good for her?” I ask.
Kendrick scoffs. “Yeah, doubt it. She doesn’t know what’s good for her right now. So… will you do it? Keep an eye on her while I’m gone?”
I’ll keep an eye on her all right.
“Sure,” I choke out.
“I didn’t want to ask Alex since they have a past, you know?”
It’s my turn to scoff.
“Something funny?”
“Sorry. I coughed.”
“Oh, and there’s something else. You guys need to start recruiting again. Find a replacement for Blake. Fast. Rumors are spreading. Word is we’re weak right now. We can’t have that.”
“Will do.”
“What about you, man? How is everything? We haven’t really talked lately. Not to be a girl, but I thought you were mad at me or some shit,” he jokes.
Not mad. Just fucking your sister.
“I’m okay. Tired but okay.”
“Did the asshole come back?”
I tense. He knows I hate when he goes there.
“No, he hasn’t. And he better not,” I growl.
Thankfully, he takes the hint.
My phone pings with a text from Kass.
Control freak: Are you there soon?
Control freak: No, wait, don’t answer that. You’re driving. Don’t die.
I can’t help my smile.
“Got to go. Some of us still have to go to school, dipshit.”
He snorts. “Since when do you care about school?”
I don’t. But I care about Kass.
And she cares about school.
Which means I care, too.
“Quicker I get there, the faster it’s over.”
“Fine. Don’t be a fucking stranger, okay?”
“I won’t,” I lie.
Kassidy
Weaving my way through the crowded halls, I try reassuring my best friend to no avail. Morgan walks by my side, arms full of notes, going on and on about an exam she is terrified of failing. She spent our entire lunch break studying and still says she’s not ready.
Seeing Will walk into Morgan’s house with that breathtaking smile on his face this morning felt surreal. I ran into his arms, he picked me up, twirled me around, Ethan faked gagged—it was perfect.
The guys spent breakfast bouncing jokes off each other. Will eventually made Morgan laugh so hard she choked on her
