Page 36 of Something Like Sunflowers

Dustin whips his angry glare toward her, and I can feel the energy coming off him in waves. He’s rightfully worried. There are some shady guys on the team from not-so-great upbringings. Devyn loves with so much of her heart, but you can’t just trust everyone in our little town. Dustin…well, he and I both, we’ve always protected her from that, even as kids.

I feel kind of sorry for her. She shouldn’t have been up here, no. But she’s not a little kid. Not in the way her brother just made her feel. If I’d told her how I felt by now, she’d already be with me.

Tears like those would never touch her face.

“Not a single fuckin’ one of them is good enough, Dev,” Dustin spits out, disgusted, it seems, that she’d even consider it. “And if you don’t get your ass home—”

But she cuts him off before he finishes, slamming the door to the hangout.

Dustin rubs his hand across the back of his neck, kinda like how my dad used to do before he’d rip us a new one. He chats with Robbie for a bit, gesturing to the table we just shattered. They must come to an agreement, because they bump hands before Dustin makes his way back to me.

“Thanks for looking out for her.” He helps me to my feet. I pull my shirt off with a groan that I feel over my whole body and wrap it around my busted knuckles. There are little pieces of glass embedded in my fist, and no matter how I hold my hand, it’s going to feel like hell until they come out.

“Shiiit.” I wince. “This is all my fault.”

“Your fault? Are you kidding me?” Dustin squeezes my head in his hands and checks my eyes, like he’s worried I’m concussed. I might be. Shane hits hard.

“I should have taken her downstairs the minute she showed up. I thought I could protect her, ya know?”

Dustin furrows his brow like he’s holding something back, and it isn’t the first time I wonder if he doesn’t know my secret.

That Devyn is more than just his sister to me. So much more. Even if she can’t be.

Even though I know that.

“Why’d you hit him?”

I open my mouth but don’t immediately answer. We both just let the silence sink in. It does a good enough job of saying what I can’t seem to get out in words.

The room has cleared out now, and it’s just Robbie and a few senior girls from the cheerleading team, cleaning up the glass and wooden splinters I created. Dustin clears his throat, breaking our silence.

“Did he kiss her?”

“He would have.”

“And would that have been so bad?”

“Bro.” I step back. “It’s Devyn…and Shane!”

“I know.” Dustin smirks. “But I’m her brother. I’m supposed to wanna hit a douche like Shane if he tries to kiss my sister.”

I look at him.

Yeah, without needing to say it, he knows.

I always felt like letting that out would feel huge. A secret I’ve kept since we were kids.

I’m in love with my best friend’s little sister.

“You knew?”

“For pretty much ever. No ten-year-old boy in his right mind gives away that many of his holographic Pokémon cards to a girl without motive.”

That makes me laugh. Yeah, I did that. And I’d do it again.

Truth be told, I’d give her anything she wants.

“So…” I clear my throat, avoiding as much eye contact as possible and pretending to inspect my injuries.

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