Page 82 of Obsessed with my Temptation

“Will you…will you help me, then?” I asked, feeling pitiful and vulnerable.

But they had me. They always had my back.

“Ofcoursewe will, you dumbass. You know we’ve never cared about your popularity and your Princely title. You can start being an asshole to people for all I care,” Eliot said, sliding in beside me and holding my knee to himself.

Antony did the same. “I’ll bring the popcorn, man. I can’t wait to see you shatter people’s expectations, and if anyone has a problem? They’ll have to face the three of us.”

“I have no problem shitting on someone’s shoe if they shit-talk you, Scott. Not to mention, I’m pretty sure your boyfriend will keep them away.”

My boyfriend.

“He broke up with me, Eliot.”

“Well, he might have. But maybe he has just another dumb reason like you to have done it, and unless you tell him that you fucking love him, you’re not going to know.”

Could I really do it? Could I really dare to change and brave the storm?

Travis deserved more.

And I was going to give him more.

My friends pulled me up, and I laughed to myself just at how miserable I’d felt and how happy I was to have them with me.

We hugged. Because that was the only thing you could do after that.

I felt more confident now, because I knew that this fear wouldn’t go away. But it was my want, my need to do better for myself and for Travis that helped me figure out what I wanted to do.

And be strong enough to do it.

Chapter 26

Scott

So that was why the next day, first thing in the morning, I went to see my parents.

They were surprised to see me but welcomed me in like they always did, with kisses on my cheeks and food on the table. I hadn’t talked to them since the fiasco with Candace and their friends, but I’d seen the way they looked at me by the end. They knew something was up.

Their way was always to get me comfortable and then slide into the conversation they wanted to have, but today, I didn’t want to beat about the bush.

For once, I wanted to be the way I was around Travis. Blunt.

“I’ve been seeing someone.”

Silverware clanked against plates, bringing their movements to a stop. I hadn’t even touched breakfast yet.

“Oh, honey, you should have said. Was that why you were like that the other day?” my mother asked, looking apologetic already.

“Yes, but also—It’s a guy.”

My parents blinked.

My mother was the first to react. “Oh, I see.”

My father’s brows were furrowed. “You don’t think we have a problem with that, do you, son? Was that why you didn’t tell us?”

No,but also…

“Do you—” I had to clear my throat. My mouth was dry from the nerves but I pushed on. “Do you remember Candace mentioning me working alongside a guy? A ‘bad guy’?” I added air quotes there, just so they didn’t get the wrong idea.

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