“Cool, cool,” Kyle replies, bobbing his head up and down. “Ya know, I noticed you guys don’t have a dog. Is it because your mom doesn’t like pets? Because that’s why we don’t have one—Mom doesn’t like pets.”
“Kyle,” Mom says, now aware that a conversation has been happening without her, “it’s not that Mommy doesn’t like pets…now just isn’t the right time for us to get a dog, sweetie.”
“See?” Kyle asks, raising an eyebrow at Brayden. He then proceeds to let out a loud sigh. “The struggle is real.”
Brayden smiles, and I feel my heart squeeze at the sight.
The struggle is most definitely real.
Chapter 15: It’s Not Happening
“You said his next practice,” I whine to Mom, crossing my arms, “not game.”
I can’t go to Kyle soccer’s game—what if Brayden decides to show up? And I don’t want to spend my Saturday afternoon watching a bunch of seven-year-olds run around before tripping over their own feet because they have no coordination whatsoever.
“He really wants you to be there, Megan,” Mom says with a tsk, “and you haven’t been to any of his games this season. I mean, even your sister went to a few of them.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s because she knows Ricky’s little brother is on Kyle’s team.”
And every time she’s gone to a game, she’s come home disappointed, because Ricky is never at the games.
“You’re going,” Mom states in a firm tone, “it’ll only be an hour or so, and it’s not like you have plans already.”
“My plans are to stay home in my pajamas,” I inform her, motioning to my cartoon zzz-zebra top and matching zebra-print shorts, “because it’s the weekend…I shouldn’t have to go anywhere.”
She raises an eyebrow at me. “Megan.”
“Fine,” I huff, throwing my hands up, “I’ll go. Okay?”
Arguing with her any further would just be pointless.
“Good,” she replies with a nod, “we’re leaving in twenty minutes.”
Yay.
I squint my eyes, give her a forced smile, then I turn on my heel and go upstairs. Again, if I had some hobbies this wouldn’t be happening.
“So,” Hailee drawls, standing in her bedroom’s doorway with her arms crossed, “you’re going to the game?”
“It doesn’t concern you,” I tell her, opening my bedroom door. “Don’t you have something to be doing on your phone?”
“It’s charging,” she states in a matter-of-fact tone, “and I can’t exactly use it at 10%, now can I?”
Oh great, that means she has nothing better to do than bother me.
“Do you think Brayden will be there?” she asks with a mischievous look. “Is that why you’re going?”
“Knock it off, twerp,” I say, pointing a finger at her, “or I really will throw all your boyband merch in the trash.”
Oh yeah, the threats were real last night once we got home…and there were almost tears. I’m surprised she’s even talking to me.
“Why won’t you just admit that you still like him?” She lets out one of her infamous, dramatic sighs. “It would make things so much easier.”
“Because I don’t still like him,” I snap at her, going into my room. And she trails after me before I can close the door. “Hailee—”
“Come on, Megan!” she whines, throwing herself on my bed. “You guys are so cute together! Gianna and I ship it so hard! The chemistry and history between the two of you is beautiful! How dare you deprive us!”
Clearly, I’m not the only one who needs to find some hobbies. Too bad they kicked her out of that dance class…
“Please just let it go,” I all-but-beg her. “Seriously. Brayden and I were hardly a thing to begin with, and we’re definitely not going to be a thing now.”
“By why not?” she pouts. “I mean, I get that you’re still a little bitter about what happened between you guys…but what about second chances?”
Well, I have no desire whatsoever to give a second chance to Brayden. Why should I? And even if I wanted to, it’s not like he’s interested in me anyway, so it doesn’t really matter.
Hailee gasps as she scrambles to sit up. “Wait, are you thinking about giving him a second chance?!”
“What?” I scoff. “No, of course not. He’s not interested in me. I’m not interested in him. It’s not happening.”
“How do you know he’s not interested?” she asks, pursing her lips. “Because I saw him walk right over to you last night, and it was literally like he couldn’t keep his eyes off you.”
“You look nice.”
“There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
“Thinking about what?”
“Relax, Meg.”
“What’s the problem?”
Don’t go there, Megan…
But it’s too late.
“You know I’m right,” she insists, crossing her arms, “and you can deny that you still like him all you want…but I’ve seen the way you look at him.” She widens her eyes at me. “So, what are you going to do about it?”
“Nothing,” I force myself to say, “I’m not going to do anything. Now, will you just let it go and get out of my room?”
“You are so frustrating!” she exclaims, sliding off my bed. “Ya know, I was supposed to stay home today, but now I’ll have to go to the game so I can babysit you. Unbelievable!”
“Wait, what?” I ask as she starts to leave the room. “What the heck are you talking about?”
“I know you probably won’t bother with makeup,” she says, ignoring my question as she pauses in the doorway, “but at least do something with your hair.” She wrinkles her nose, then walks out into the hallway, closing my door behind her. “SEE! I can be respectful and close doors when I leave other people’s rooms!”
Instead of shouting something back like I usually would, I begin to pace my room while thinking about all
