“About what?”
“Aubrey. Does she know we’re meeting?”
“No. I told her I’m having a guys’ night with Parker, and he told Scarlett the same thing.”
“Why didn’t you tell Aubrey the truth?”
“Because she doesn’t like me being around other girls. She doesn’t even want me talking to them, not that I listen to her.”
“But she knows you hate me. You could’ve just told her we were forced to meet because of this assignment.”
“Trust me, it’s easier if she doesn’t know.”
Ella pauses, looking at me. “Do youlikeAubrey, or do you just go out with her because she’s pretty?”
“Honestly?” I shrug. “I don’t really know anymore. It seems like all we do is either fight or have sex. I like the sex part, but I’m getting tired of the fighting.”
“Then why do you stay with her? You could easily get sex. You don’t need Aubrey for that.”
I lean back. “Why do you care?”
“I don’t. I just don’t know why you’d stay with someone you don’t really like.”
“I never said I didn’t like her.”
Ella looks down at her laptop. “I started to make a list of ideas if you want to see them.”
That was abrupt. I guess she’s done giving me advice about my love life. Why was she questioning me about it? And why was she telling me to break up with Aubrey? Does she want me for herself?
This night is suddenly getting more interesting.
Chapter 19
Ella
Why did I ask Briggs about his girlfriend? I was basically telling him to break up with her. Now he’s going to think I’m interested in him, which I am definitely not. I admit he’s hot, so I’m attracted to his looks, but that’s it, other than his intelligence, which I also find somewhat appealing. I used to think he cheated his way into being second in the class but in the brief time we’ve spent together, I’ve realized he’s actually really smart, and I like smart guys, but that doesn’t mean I like Briggs. He’s still a bully who uses force to get his way, like with this valedictorian thing. He hasn’t mentioned it all week, but I know he hasn’t given up. He’s just been too preoccupied with the accident.
“You think I should break up with her?” Briggs asks with a smug grin. He definitely thinks I’m interested in him. He’s so full of himself. Just because every other female in school wants him doesn’t mean I do.
“Can we just focus on the assignment?”
He comes around the table and sits next to me on the bench.
“What are you doing?” I ask, moving over. I can smell his cologne, and damn, it smells good. Why did he wear cologne to meet with me? Did he think something was going to happen? He has a girlfriend. And I hate him.
“I need to see your screen.”
“I could’ve turned it.”
“This way we can both see it.” He slides over, removing the distance between us.
Is this one of his pranks? Another way to humiliate me? Flirt with me and then make fun of me later for thinking it was real?
It’s not going to work. He can flirt all he wants, but he’s not going to get a reaction from me. I’ve been fooled enough times by his pranks to know better than to fall for another one.
“These are the ideas I have so far.” I turn the laptop toward him.
He turns it back so we can both see and points to the screen. “What’s this one about? It just says cars.”
