Hold on. Is the ice queen taking responsibility for once? This is new. Back in high school, she was so fucking flippant about it. It’s why everyone in our friend group took Allie’s side and dropped her. There was no remorse. Not really. She didn’t like that she’d been caught. But she wasn’t sorry for hurting Alejandra. For being Ryker’s side chick for who the hell knows how long.
Adriana pretended like she didn’t understand why the rest of us were pissed on Allie’s behalf. It was fucking infuriating for all of us. Julio most of all. He was the closest to her in our group. He’s always been sorta like the girl's big brother. And Adriana’s betrayal, it came out of left field.
We were ride or die.Familiato the bitter end. We would have forgiven her mistakes back then if she’d shown even an ounce of remorse. That’s how important she was to our group. Our family.
But she made her choice. Too late to go back now.
“I’m not throwing anything in your face. I’m just reminding you of your proven track record and how un-nice you really are. Cecilia’s been through a lot. She doesn’t deserve whatever?—”
She holds her hand up. “Enough. It’s been years, Gabriel. Three long years. Get over it. Everyone else has.”
Bullshit.
She shoulder-checks me and storms past, but I follow, my longer stride easily keeping pace with her. “I’m serious, A. You don’t know the kind of shit Cecilia’s been through. If you hurt her, Adriana, so help me?—”
She stops abruptly and spins to face me. “You’ll what?”
My jaw tightens, and I glare down at her pint-sized frame. “She’s important to me,” I admit. “I don’t want to see her get hurt. So if you’re using her to get back at me or?—”
“And your feelings should matter to me, why?”
“Because we were like family before,” I bite out.
Adriana throws her head back and laughs. But the sound is empty and unnatural. “Family? We were never family.” She stabs her finger into my chest. “Families don't turn their backs on one another. That’s what you always told me.” She digs her finger deeper into me. “Family forgives. They have your back.” She shakes her head. “So no, Gabe. I don’t think so. You and I, we were never family.”
I blink at the bite in her tone. For a second there, it almost sounds like she’s …hurt.But Adriana doesn’t do hurt. Shit always just slides right off her back. “You and everyone else threw me away. I don’t care if Cecilia is important to you. That’s not why I’m being nice to her. You aren’t even part of the equation.”
“Then why?—”
“Because I like her,” she snaps. “It has nothing to do with you. I like her. I was a shitty friend to Allie. I admit that. But I’m being a better one to Cecilia. Or at least, I’m trying to. So back the fuck off. I’m not doing this to get back at you or hurt you or whatever bullshit reason you’ve dreamed up in your head. I’m doing this for me.” She sucks on her teeth and stares over my shoulder, refusing to meet my gaze when she mutters, “When I saw her, she looked like someone who could use a friend. And ifI’m being honest with myself, so can I. There isn’t anything more to it. So, you can go away now, safe with the knowledge that I’m not going to fuck this up.”
I search her expression, allowing her words to sink in. She’s not wrong. Cecilia can use a friend, it’s just … I don’t trust her.
What’s to keep Adriana from turning her back on Cecilia if it suits her?
“You have her back?” I don’t know how much her words are worth these days but I need to hear her say it out loud.
She nods. “I already shoved some asshole in the pool who was harassing her.” She crosses her arms over her chest and flicks her narrow eyes back toward mine. “So yes. I have her back. You don’t need to question that.”
“What? Who the fuck was harassing her?”
She shakes her head. “It’s handled. Leave it alone. I get the feeling Cecilia doesn’t like you fighting her battles for her.”
The corners of my mouth twitch. “She told you about that, huh?”
“We’re friends,” she reminds me.
“Alright, I’ll back off,” I tell her, taking a physical step back. “You can be her friend.” For now. But if Adriana fucks up, we’re going to have words again. I’m not going to stand by and let anyone hurt my girl. Not again, and not on my watch.
“I’m so glad to hear I have your approval,” she says, rolling her eyes.
“I’m trying here, A. You and I have a lot of history, and it’s not all good.”
She huffs out a breath. “I’m not that person anymore, Gabe. Let it go already. We’ve both grown up. I’m not the same girl who screwed her friend’s boyfriend. And you’re not the same boy who was always stuck in his twin’s shadow.”
Her bringing Carlos up cuts fast and deep, and I wince. It’d hurt less if she punched me in the gut.
“Don’t bring up my brother.” My voice is a growl. Carlos has been gone for years now, but hearing people talk about him, having him brought up in casual conversation, it hurts the same every time. It never fucking lessens.
