“The real reason you turned me down.”
Chapter 21
I put my hands on my hips. “I turned you down because you’re my cousin.”
“But I’m not. And you still didn’t want me, which didn’t make sense. But now it does.” He sits up. “Who is she?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your girlfriend. Who is she?”
“Nobody. I’m not dating anyone.” I turn away from him and walk to my dresser. “Get out, Braden. I mean it.”
I feel him behind me, his hands resting on the top of the dresser, trapping me. He leans in, and I feel his breath on my neck. “Is she hot?”
“Get the hell away from me,” I say through gritted teeth, my fists clenched. I could try to whip around and punch him, but his reflexes are too fast. He’d grab my hand before it even got close to him.
“What’s going on?” Trystan says, walking into my room.
“Your brother’s being an ass,” I say. “As usual.”
Braden steps back and turns to Trystan. “Did you know Rumor’s into girls?”
“Since when? Didn’t you used to have a boyfriend?”
“I’m not dating anyone. Braden’s just making stuff up.”
“Kristen said she saw Rumor at the beach,” Braden says. “Making out with some girl.”
I turn to face him. “Kristensaid that?”
“Who’s the girl?” Trystan asks.
“She won’t say,” Braden says. “But I was about to tell her I’m up for a threesome if the girl is hot.”
“You are so disgusting.” I walk to the door. “If you guys aren’t leaving, I am.”
Braden saunters to the door, stopping right next to me. “Let me know what you decide.”
Trystan laughs and follows him out.
I slam the door shut and call Jackson. “Hey, can you talk?”
“It has to be quick. I’m at practice.”
“Kristen’s telling everyone I’m a lesbian. Her dad must’ve told her. Why would she tell people that? She knows it’s not true.”
He sighs. “Because she assumes you’re the reason I kicked her out last night. I’ll have a talk with her.”
“It’s too late. By now the whole school thinks I’m a lesbian.”
“Maybe that’s not so bad. If people think that, they won’t think there’s something going on with us.”
“They wouldn’t think that anyway unless they saw us together.”
“Which could happen. Now if we’re out and anyone saw us, they wouldn’t even consider that we’re dating. Hey, I need to go. I’m supposed to be on the field right now. I’ll call you later.”
He still doesn’t see it. Jackson refuses to believe Kristen wants him back, even though her actions make it very clear that’s what she wants.
