"That was fast," Brock says, watching as I run past him to the driveway.
I jump in Trystan's car and slam the door, huffing and puffing as he drives off.
"Didn't think you could do it," he says.
"I'm used to getting ready fast." I pull my hair up in a ponytail and wrap the hair elastic around it. "I value sleep over getting ready. I was always late to school."
"Did you get in trouble?"
"Sometimes. It was such a big school, half the time they didn't even notice I was late." I fold down my visor and look in the mirror as I apply my mascara.
"Why do you wear that shit? You don't need it."
"It makes me look more awake. If I had more time, I would've put other stuff on but at least now I won't look like I'm sleeping."
"You stayed at Jackson's last night?"
"Yeah, and don't lecture me about it. Your dad already did."
"What'd he say about Braden getting arrested?"
"Not much. We didn't really talk about it." I go to apply another layer of mascara just as Trystan slams on his brakes. "Hey! I almost poked my eye out!"
"Didn't want to hit a squirrel."
"Since when do you care about squirrels?"
"I don't. I just didn't want him damaging my car."
I put the mascara away, not willing to go blind for thick eyelashes. "What are you doing tonight?"
"Going to the game. Aren't you?"
"I wasn't planning to."
"You should. You'll look guilty if you stay home, like you're trying to hide out or something."
"I don't know why anyone cares. It shouldn't matter what I do."
"It shouldn't, but it does. You need to hang out with people other than Jackson. Just go to the game." He glances at me with a hint of a smile. "I might even let you sit in my section."
"I already got an invite to sit with Alyssa. She's not cheering and your girlfriend isn't going to be there to sit with her."
"Girlfriend?"
"Peyton. She's not going to the game."
"Shut-up about that," he says, getting angry.
"About what?”
"Peyton. She's not my girlfriend. She's a girl I fucked and nobody's supposed to know. I told you to keep your mouth shut."
"I will, but it's just the two of us in the car."
"Don't be talking about that shit, even when we're alone. I don't want people knowing, and that includes Braden. And Jackson."
"If you didn't want people to know, why'd you tell me?"
