Page 30 of Foolish Games

“What the hell was that?” I demand, jerking free of his grasp.

“That was me saving your ass,” Sebastian says.

“Saving me?” I ask incredulously. “You made sure the entire school thinks I’m a complete slut.”

I bite down on my lower lip when I feel it trembling. Sebastian stares at my mouth for a second before shaking his head as if to clear it. A girl comes out of the bathroom and gives us a curious look as she meanders slowly past, obviously trying to overhear what we might be arguing about. It’s not exactly common to see the great Sebastian Swift talking to a nerd like me, and the fact that I’m crying only makes it ten times more gossip worthy.

When she’s past, Sebastian glances up and down the hall to make sure we’re alone, then tows me to the door that leads to the back stairway.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Come on,” he says, leading me down the stairs and pushing open the door to a janitor’s closet. He flips on the light, and we step inside, closing the door behind us.

“What’s with the stealth?” I ask. “Afraid my brother’s going to kick your ass?”

He crosses his arms and frowns down at me. “No one will think you’re a slut if they think we’re dating.”

I stare at him for a second. “Why would anyone think that?”

“Because we’ll tell them we are,” he says. “If I’m your boyfriend, not some rando you banged, it’s not slutty that you slept with me the same week your last boyfriend dumped you. It just means you won.”

“I think he already won,” I say, a tear slipping between my lashes. “He’s actually moved on. He doesn’t have to pretend. I’m totally lame for even considering what you’re saying.”

Sebastian shrugs and sinks down on a stack of overturned buckets. “Have it your way. I’m just saying, we could make him eat his heart out.”

“He doesn’t care,” I say, swiping angrily at a tear. “He’s got Krissy now.”

Just saying her name makes rage and humiliation hammer into my chest with each heartbeat. All that time, he promised they were just friends. How could I be so stupid?

“Oh, he cares,” Sebastian says with a knowing smirk. “If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have made a scene. Besides, it’s already out there. Even if I told people it wasn’t true, it’s too late. Everyone already thinks we fucked.”

I glare at him. “Thanks to you.”

He shrugs and gives me a devious grin. “I mean, I’m not opposed to making it true. It would give our story more authenticity. You’d know how good my dick is, in case anyone asked for details.”

“You’re an asshole.”

“What’s your plan?”

“I don’t have a plan,” I admit, wiping at a tiny tear in the corner of my eye.

“You have to have a plan,” he says. “Otherwise, you’ll lose face.”

“I’m not sleeping with you,” I say, sagging back against the cinderblock wall. “God, why’d you have to say all that? Now I’m going to have to do damage control from all your lies, not to mention Robert’s going to murder me.”

“I think he’ll murder me first,” Sebastian says. “Besides, it wasn’t all lies. I bet the stuff I said about his dick is true.”

“It’s not… Untrue,” I admit. “But it’s definitely not as small as your pinky.”

Sebastian throws back his head and laughs like it’s the funniest thing he’s ever heard. I’m glad one of us finds something amusing in this whole situation. “I knew it,” he says. “Dude totally has Napoleon syndrome.”

“And yet, he’s the one who had no problem getting a girlfriend the day after we broke up,” I say, new tears starting. I didn’t even want to break up with him. I just wanted him to prove to me that he wasn’t interested in her. But he did the exact opposite.

And now I have this humiliation piled on top of that one.

“Which means you need to get a boyfriend just as soon,” Sebastian says, making a sweeping gesture toward his body. “What do you say, Princess?”

“Why would you even do that?” I ask, laughing through my embarrassment.

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