Page 9 of A Sky Full Of Stars

When Thomas responds, Luke jumps up and heads over to the other group, presumably setting a bet like he did for the last game. The second his back is turned, Thomas grins. “Short Stuff?” he says, turning to face me.

My cheeks heat but I smile. “For now.”

“For now?”

“Yeah, it’s…” I trail off because it’s embarrassing, that’s what it is. “Luke does this thing—”

“You better be telling the truth, Kelly,” Luke calls out as he approaches again. “I’ve got a lot riding on it if you’re lying.”

“What did you bet?” I ask, leaning forward with interest.

Luke smirks before ruffling my hair. “Nothing for you to worry about, Squirt.”

I roll my eyes and sit back, trying to appear unaffected, but when Luke’s friend laughs, I openly cringe as a warmth coats my cheeks. Luke’s antics never bother me—I’ve been living with them for years—but I don’t usually hang out with his friends, and I’veneverhung out with Thomas.

I fall quiet after that, keeping to myself, until Luke steps up to bowl and Thomas leans in, bringing me into his orbit. “I know what the bet is, and you’re better off not knowing,” he whispers as my head snaps to his and I laugh.

“Are you a lip reader?” I ask, letting my smile show.

“Nah, I’m not. But I know your brother, and it will be something woman related.”

“How can you bet on a girl?”

“Don’t ask.”

“No, I want to know.”

“Okay, but remember I didn’t want to tell you, and… Yes! Go, Bennett!”

I startle at his sudden change in volume and spin to see my brother celebrating his strike.

“And that’s how it’s done,” he booms as he takes a bow and heads straight over to the other group to gloat.

When I look back at Thomas, he’s focused on his phone, as though our conversation is over, but I can’t let it go. Taking a deep breath, I ask, “Soo…the bet?”

Thomas doesn’t look up. “My guess is that it’s related to the next time they share a girl,” he says nonchalantly, while I choke on thin air.

Ew.“What?” I did not need to know that about my brother.

“You heard me.” He laughs.

“Is that common?” I hesitantly ask, because…What the hell? They share?I feel a little nauseous.

Thomas is still distracted by whatever he’s typing, but his brows furrow as he responds. “For Luke?”God no, I don’t want to know about Luke.

“For…ahh…guys in general.”You. I mean you.

“It happens.” He shrugs, giving me nothing. “But it’s not for everyone.”

It's not until he finally finishes what he's doing that he glances my way, pinning me with an intense stare. One that neither confirms nor denies if he’s in the “it happens” camp. And I wish I could ask. But it’s not really something I want to keep harping on about. Especially now with this weird energy surrounding us. A one-sided energy that’s basically just me being awkward.

Regardless of whether or not Thomas likes… Nope, I refuse to think about it. No matter what he does or doesn’t do, he lives in an entirely different world from me. A world I’ve never been a part of.

And I probably never will be.

When I get up to take my next shot, Luke sits in my seat, and from then on, I don’t get another chance to talk to Thomas, but it doesn’t stop me from stealing glances. I even catch him looking back a few times. In a purely platonic that’s-my-friend’s-little-sister kind of way.

To no one’s surprise, except apparently Luke’s, we lose the second game.

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