Page 65 of Little Do You Know

I know I’ve had too much to drink, and there is no one to blame but myself. I should have known better than to join that stupid game. I should have told Thalia the truth. There are a lot of things I should have done better.

“Fuck you, Vera. Get over what happened between us because nothing will ever happen again.” Of course, my timing could not be better in the lull between songs, and everyone turns to look at me.

Vera’s jaw drops in disbelief, hurt brimming in her eyes. She throws her drink in my face, the liquor burning my eyes. This is fucking perfect. I wipe my hand over my face, silently brushing past Vera and everyone else to go to my room.

Sitting on my desk is Thalia’s gift that I was waiting to give her until we could just be us, along with another bouquet.I doubt there will still be an us after tonight.

Banging starts on the door. “Go away!” I shout, sounding like Thalia.

Owen listens about as well as I do, barging into the room. He’s sober, unlike me, but I can see the blatant anger on his face. “You slept with Vera?”

“It was a mistake,” I say bluntly.

“No shit. Maybe you should have thought about that before you did it.” He crosses his arms over his chest. “Do you know where Thalia is? I can’t find her out there.”

My stomach twists. “Thalia left. I’m not sure where she’s going, but trust me when I say she wants to be anywhere but here.”

“Whatever happened, fix it. It was nice not having the two of you at each other’s throats the entire time.” Owen’s telling me nothing I don’t already know. For a moment, a part of me is glad that Mimi won’t remember any of this when I tell her what I’ve done. It’s a horrible, selfish thought that only furthers my self-pity.

“Why don’t you stop fucking around with Amelia before telling me what to do? You know you’re screwing with Blake’s feelings and that she’d never cheat on you like Amelia did. I can promise you the games aren’t worth it!” I call after my best friend as he walks away from me.

“Then stop playing them yourself, Sebastian.” He slams my door shut so hard that one of the pictures on my wall falls. This all feels eerily similar to the night of Thalia’s going-away party.

~

“Why did you kiss me?” Thalia asks, cornering me. I’m not interested in talking to her right now, but I didn’t have a good enough reason to warrant skipping tonight. It’s not like I can tell Owen, hey, I heard you talking to your sister earlier because I had my tongue shoved down her throat a minute before, and I was hiding in her bathroom.

I scowl at Thalia, her words echoing through my head. “I shouldn’t have because you’re a fucking child.” If she doesn’t know why I went to her dorm and kissed her, then Thalia should try opening her eyes. I risked my friendship with Owen because I let some girl get in my head. Some girl that’s also his sister.

“And you’re a jerk. What gives you the right to do that?” she demands, stepping closer to me.

“Whatever right you thought you had when you kissed me first.”I have done everything I can to fight how I feel for so long. Thalia initiated this, not me.

Thalia is close enough to me that I can see her nostrils flare in irritation. “I was drunk. What’s your excuse?”

“Don’t you know Thalia? I’m just a dumb jock. I didn’t know any better,” I spit out at her, shaking my head. She has some nerve. I mean, what the fuck? I didn’t know Owen would show up, but she could have said a million other things to get him to back off.

“Maybe if you were good at something other than throwing a ball, I might give you some credit in the academic department. Do you even have a backup plan in case you get hurt? Owen at least cares about his grades, but the only thing you seem to fucking care about is football.”

I don’t even know if I’m entering the draft, not that I’ve told anyone that. I play football for the connection it gives me to my father, but I care about my grades. I have a perfect grade point average because I know how quickly an injury could take me out for good. Just because I haven’t declared a major yet doesn’t mean I don’t give a shit. It means I’m weighing my options to make the best decision.

I can tell the alcohol is starting to go to my head. “At least I’m good at something other than getting drunk and screwing my way through fraternities.”

She shoves me hard, catching me off guard, and I stagger back a step. “I’m not screwing anyone. Which is something you might know if you didn’t avoid me like the plague. Fuck you.” I avoid her because I don’t trust myself to keep my hands to myself. I’ve done nothing but think about Thalia since she kissed me, and I had convinced myself that it wouldn’t have felt so good if it wasn’t supposed to happen.

“You are the absolute last person I’d ever consider fucking. Maybe I wouldn’t avoid you if you weren’t such a bitch all the time.” Hurt flashes on Thalia’s face, but I refuse to take my words back. If she won’t take hers back, then why should I?

“You’re such a presumptuous asshole. What makes you think I even want you?” Thalia asks, lashing out like a wounded animal. “I am so glad I’m leaving because it means I don’t have to see your face anymore.”

Why would she want me? My mom’s parents sure didn’t, and this just…this reopens old wounds. I don’t need this. I smile cruelly at her. “Your loss. I’ve been told it’s handsome.”

“You might have a pretty face, but you lack a heart. I feel sorry for you.”

“What are you two yelling about?” Owen interrupts, stepping in between us while looking at me for an answer. Except I don’t have an answer for him. What should I say to my best friend about kissing his little sister?

“She can tell you; I’m out of here.”

~

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