Page 130 of Collided

Sebastian smirks. “Unless you like her.”

I pin him with a glare. “I don’t fucking like her.”

Rolling his eyes, he sighs and runs his gaze across the parking lot searching for someone. His girlfriend. Marie Anderson. When he doesn’t see her, only then he turns to me

“So, this Adrian guy, what he’s like?”

“Asshole.”

“Heath,” he drawls out in a dry tone.

I sip my shake. “Google didn’t write much about his attributes, so I don’t fucking know.”

“Is he a guy or a man? Wait, are there men or there can be guys too in books? You know, under eighteen.”

“I don’t fucking know.”

“I’m sure you wish you did.”

“He’s some famous golden soccer player at school who’s loved this girl since they were children. Have a nickname for her and shit. And he’s always only loved her.”

I see Sebastian grin from the corner of my eye. “You know a fucking lot.”

“Google mentioned it.”

“What else did it say?”

“Nothing.” That was the annoying part. I have no idea who this Adrian fucking Hayes is.

“So, from what I see he sounds like a good guy. Loves the girl, only wants her, and has a nickname for her. I see the appeal.”

“Are you fucking serious?”

“What’s wrong?”

“How about we start withhe’s fictional.”

“No threat to your reign, your majesty.”

Exasperation clings to my nerves. I’m seconds away from slamming his face into the window and making him realize how much it bothers me that Hope likes this guy.

With a chuckle, he playfully punches my shoulder. “Look, it shouldn’t matter when you have no feelings for her. She can like a tree for fuck’s sake becauseyou don’t like her. So why fret over some fictional guy or man? You continue being her friend.”

Friend. Right. It’s better if Hope and I stay friends because nothing good will come out if we—

Why the fuck I’m thinking about going beyond friendship? I don’t want that.

Besides, she needs a friend, someone she can confide in because there is something very wrong in her life. If I want to help her, save her, I can’t ruin what little progress we’ve made as friends.

“Look, here they come.” Sebastian gets out of the car, and I follow him.

The second Marie steps out of her car he’s holding her by her waist and kissing her deeply.

Hope watches them with a small smile, then comes over to me. Today she’s wearing a light sweater and jeans and Converse. As usual, there’s a book in her hand. I inspect it closely, it’s Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

I cock my head to the book. “Book number…”

“Two.” Life fills her eyes.

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