Page 44 of Little Do You Know

“Thalia, can you wait and let me explain?” I call out as she stomps away from me. I climb out of the truck bed, following after her.

Thalia stops and yells at me in French, almost identically to how she did on the day at the beach after I threw her into the ocean. If this keeps happening, then maybe I need to learn how to speak French. Seriously? What is wrong with me? She has me contemplating learning a whole new language just so I can understand her when she’s mad, and Thalia thinks I want to be fuck buddies with her. We are clearly on two different wavelengths.

“Je suis confuse et tu veux savoir si je peux être ta putain de pote que tu baisse? Sébastien, t’es un connard encore plus gros que ce que pensais si tu penses que c’est quelque chose qui m’intéresserai puisque nous avons couché ensemble une fois. Cela devait nous débarrasser de la tension mais bien sûr, tu en demande plus. Que veux tu de plus de moi?’”

She’s breathing heavily when she finishes, and I warily step toward Thalia. “Lia, you don’t understand what I’m saying, just like I can’t understand what you’re saying. The only difference is I’m speaking English. I guess I’m doing a shitty job at it. I’m not good at this, but I think about you all the time. I can’t get you out of my head. I thought once would be enough, but do you know how badly I want you to be someone else’s sister?”

I look down at her and see the same vulnerability in Thalia that she only lets make an appearance in the middle of the night. This is the girl I kissed the night before she went to France for fifteen months. This is the same girl I have feelings for that I can’t will into nonexistence.

“Do you know how long I’ve wished you weren’t Owen’s sister? How guilty I’ve felt for wanting to be something other than your brother’s best friend to you? You are the most frustrating person I’ve ever met, but I can promise you I don’t want you for only your body, no matter how fucking unbelievably pretty you are.”

Thalia bites her lip to keep from speaking, and I have to put my hands behind my head to resist reaching for her. I’ve been burned by this girl one too many times. I should sit in my car and wait for the tow truck to arrive. This was stupid.I need to forget Thalia and this ridiculous notion.

She shakes her head slowly. “What are you saying?”

Does Lia really need me to spell it out for her? Have I treated her that awful?

My hands drop, and I tilt my head, trying to keep my nervousness off my face. “I’m saying that I like you. I want to try being with you. I don’t want the ceasefire because it means no more banter between us. It means boring and nice. Lia, you said it yourself: you don’t want nice.”

“What makes you think I want you? What about my brother?” she asks, holding her head high.

“If you can honestly say you feel nothing for me, I’ll walk away. I’ll leave you alone and only be your brother’s best friend.”

Mimi, I hope you’re right about this. I hope that Thalia is worth me risking my best friend.

“You would do that?” she asks, and I suck in a sharp breath before nodding once.

“I would,” I admit quietly. “I hope I don’t have to.”

“I’m scared to let you in, Sebastian,” Thalia whispers, taking a small step forward. My hands are itching to reach for her. “We hurt each other, and I don’t want to get hurt.”

“We don’t have to hurt each other.” I close the gap between us, almost expecting her to spook. My heart is pounding erratically in my chest. Am I imagining things? Have I made all of this up in my head? Thalia exhales slowly, peering up at me through thick lashes. She curls her fingers around the fabric of my shirt, pulling me down to meet her halfway. The second I feel her lips brush against mine, I kiss her back immediately.

Thalia wraps her arms around my neck, and I smile against her lips before pulling back. She still looks reserved, so I kiss her again, hoping to get rid of her fears. I’ve been such an idiot. She’s always been right in front of me, and now I will have to figure out how to explain to Owen I have feelings for his sister.

I’m not quite sure what this all will look like, but I think this means she’s willing to try with me. It’s probably more than I deserve.

The loud honk of the tow truck breaks us apart, and Thalia chuckles before smiling. “Guess it took them the right amount of time.”

I debate asking the driver to come back in twenty minutes. “Only you could make a joke right now. Do I even want to know what you yelled at me in French?”

“Probably not,” she answers, and I smile, appreciating the honesty.

Thalia gives the keys to the driver, who is trying to keep a straight face when looking at us.

“That’s a pretty sweet ride,” he says, looking at my car. Sometimes, I feel stupid for having gotten the car I did. I guess it’s an expected decision after turning twenty-one with a stupid amount of money in my account. I’d trade the money for my family back in a heartbeat. A year later, I still love it.It might sound stupid to anyone else, but the car makes it a little easier to stomach how alone I feel sometimes.

“It is,” I agree, clearing my throat awkwardly. “Will you take the truck to Frank’s shop? He has a separate inventory specifically for this truck because it breaks down so often.” I force a laugh while Thalia busies herself, putting her stuff in the trunk of my car, and he nods.

“You got it. Can I get a copy of your license for the paperwork?” the driver asks, and I pull my wallet out of my pocket, handing it over without a second thought. “Hey, aren’t you the quarterback at Duke?”

I rub the back of my neck, feeling slightly embarrassed. “Yes, sir.”

“Consider this tow on the house. Just keep winning games for us. The program wouldn’t be what it is without you.”

“I appreciate it, but I have to refuse due to regulations. Thank you; I’ll do my best.” I smile politely at him, but I hate it when people tell me that. The program was there long before me and will be there long after. A player doesn’t make the team. It’s the work that everyone puts into it.

I shake the hand that he offers me before turning to meet Thalia at my car. She looks at me curiously. “What’d he say to you?”

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