"Get.Out."
Fuck. I really messed this up. I hadn't meant to insult her career. Based on the art I saw, I thought she was amazingly talented, and I honestly thought I was complimenting her. But now, going over the words in my head, I could see how they could be misconstrued. "Look, I'm sorry. I know I can be an ass -"
"No. Youarean ass," she growled. "I don't like Maria, and I don't like that you brought her to Barron and Eden's engagement party when you know she's been nothing but a cunt to Eden."
She shook her head in disgust. "But how you treated her - someone you've been sleeping with since they were 'fucking seventeen' by sleeping with their best friend is fucking despicable."
"We weren't serious," I tried to argue, but even that excuse sounded weak to my ears.
"I don't like you, Simon. You're rude, entitled, selfish, and arrogant. Now getoutof my car!"
I stared at her with my mouth agape, struggling to find words but unable to form a coherent sentence. Every word she slung at me felt like a shot to the heart. Was this really how Sofia perceived me?
She stared back at me with a steely glare, her face red in anger. Uncaring that she had wholly annihilated my character.
Without a word, I fumbled for the door handle and climbed out.
I watched with a pounding heart as she peeled off, leaving me and my freezing feet in her dust.
Chapter 6
Simon
"Hey,man."Barron'seyebrowsfurrowed in puzzlement when he spied me standing there. "What are you doing here?"
I pasted on a bright smile, the act feeling forced as the weight of Sofia's words hung around my neck. My usual confidence felt lacking as I attempted to override the sick feeling in my gut.
"Hey, cuz, sorry to just drop in like this." I was slightly offended that my cousin didn't immediately usher me inside with a warm welcome, especially since it was freezing out. Instead, Barron kept a tight grip on the door as his gaze swept me from head to toe.
"What happened to your shoes?"
I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling a little flustered. "Uh, yeah. That's why I'm here, actually. Can I come in?" If I stood out here any longer, I'd get frostbite.
"Shoot, yeah, sorry." Barron opened the door wider with a strained smile. "Eden's still in bed, nursing a hangover."
"Drowning her sorrows being stuck with you for life, ay?"
But my joke fell flat as Barron only lifted his lips in a tight smile. "Yeah."
My shoulders deflated just an inch, and I felt the colossal divide between us for the first time. A lifetime ago, Barron found my humor hilarious. We used to have a familiarity that allowed us to shoot the breeze and shit-talk with each other. Our relationship had been different for years, despite my numerous attempts to fix it.
"So you need shoes? What happened?"
"Uh...," I shrugged as a red flush crept up my cheeks. "Maria and I had a fight, and she kicked me out."
The light from Barron's eyes faded, and a brief look of distaste crossed his face. "Ah." That was all he said to that. "I'll grab you some sneakers." Without another word, he turned on his heel and left the room.
Now that I was alone, I let my façade drop. My shoulders slumped, and the smile I was holding vanished from my face completely. When I left home yesterday afternoon, I never envisioned being here.
With nothing to do but wait, I let my gaze inspect the room around me. I'd only been here a handful of times, but I could already see the changes made to the place since Eden moved in. It had a subtle feminine touch but still felt like it had Barron's personality infused. It was...homely.
The couch was replaced, more knickknacks were on the shelves, pictures were scattered everywhere, and a bookshelf looked to be groaning under the pressure of the books filling it.
My gaze caught an unusual frame on the shelf, and I shuffled closer to peer at it. It was a photo of Barron and Eden as teens, encased in a thick macaroni and shell-decorated frame. It looked out of place among the matching black and white frames surrounding it. Like a funky school art project.
The thought made me think of Sofia, and my stomach dropped when I remembered the cruel words I had carelessly dropped on her in the car. Casually insulting the profession that she clearly loved.
As I stepped back from the photo, I heard low murmurs coming down the hallway. I could make out Barron's deep baritone as he spoke softly, quickly followed by a girlish giggle.
