Page 175 of Well Played

“What?” I look at Sam. Confusion on his face matches my own as I try to comprehend her question and anger.

“You are! How could you do this to me? What happened to chicks before dicks? How long have you been fucking Sam behind my back?” Laura screams while pointing a perfectly manicured finger at me. Why is she angry at catching Sam and I kissing? She’s sleeping with Sebastian.

“I don’t understand. Why are you upset about me and Sam? You’re with Sebastian. I thought you were really into him.”

Sam looks from me to Laura and back. He still has his arms around my waist as I’m straddling his lap. I ease off him and sit on the couch. Sam keeps one arm behind my back. Something is wrong. Something is very wrong.

“You bitch. I’m hooking up with Sebastian to make Sam jealous. He’s a wannabe musician. What would I want with aloser who’s never going to go anywhere? Sam’s the real prize, and you had no right to steal him from me!”

Sam stiffens at Laura’s words about his brother. They are remarkably close, and he has told me several times how proud he is of his brother following his dreams because he’s a talented songwriter. Her cruel words piss me off as well. I place my hand on Sam’s to calm him. Laura notices and narrows her eyes at me.

“Laura, we thought you moved on. Sam and I recently started dating, after you started sleeping with his brother. We have this connection I can’t explain, and I like him. I never meant to hurt you.” My eyes mist. I should have clarified with her first. I broke the girl code, and my world is starting to crumble.

This cannot be happening. This was a mistake. I made a huge mistake. I betrayed the one person who means the world to me. Well, the second person, as Sam now means the world to me too. But I’m going to lose my best friend. I’m going to lose the one person who never abandoned me. The one person who wanted me around when no one else did.

Sam tightens his arm around my back. It’s too much. My thoughts are spiraling. I jump from the couch to plead with Laura.

“Laura. Please. I’m sorry.”

“Bullshit. This is revenge for me fucking Ricky in Tahoe isn’t it? You figure I slept with him so you’d sleep with my guy? That was so long ago. I was drunk and it meant nothing. But you had to steal Sam from me to get back at me.” Laura spits out.

My eyes widen as tears streak down my face. Ricky? She slept with my boyfriend? In Tahoe? He went to Tahoe in September. We were still dating in September. We didn’t break up until October. I knew she went to Tahoe at the same time as him, but she told me she never saw him and spent most of her time at a lodge partying.

“I was never your guy.” Sam growls as he moves toward me and puts an arm around my shoulders. I shrug out of his embrace and step back. He looks down at me with a frown. Hurt and anger show through in his eyes.

Laura slept with my boyfriend. She betrayed me. I slept with Sam. I betrayed her. But she didn’t love Ricky. I love–.

“You betrayed me Josie!” Laura’s shout interrupts my thoughts. “I thought you were my best friend. My sister.” Laura stomps to her room, her bedroom door slamming a couple seconds later.

“Laura will forgive you. I was never hers. You didn’t betray her.” I’m shaking.

“You don’t understand. My parents were never there. I was always alone. The one constant in my life since I was 10 was Laura. She, Lucas, their dad, even Parker, became my family. And I betrayed that. How can I be worthy of your love when I betrayed the one person who has ever loved me? I–I’m sorry. I need time to think.”

I run to my bedroom before Sam can respond and lock the door. I collapse to the floor and wrap my arms around my legs. Tears fall as I hold back a sob. Someone knocks on my door, but I ignore it. Sam calls my name through the door, but I ignore it. My phone pings. I ignore it. My phone rings. I turn my phone off.

Ricky was a terrible boyfriend, but he was still my boyfriend when Laura slept with him. Anger rushes through me. All this time I’d been chastising myself for my feelings for Sam, feeling guilty for desiring him. Yet Laura fucked my boyfriend. I had no clue. What a fool I’ve been.

Betrayed by another person in my life. My best friend. My sister. I spent countless nights and holidays at her house growing up. Her dad took me with them on family vacations. My home life was a mess at the best of times. Her house was mysanctuary. For a decade we shared everything. She’s my family. Did she ever feel the same? Was it all a lie?

Bright light from the blinds I left partially open wake me the next morning. My head hurts. My eyes hurt. My heart hurts. My entire body hurts. I find my phone and turn it back on. There are dozen of missed calls and unread messages from Sam, Lucas, and Parker. Shit, I bet Lucas and Parker hate me now for betraying Laura. Lucas has to side with his twin. I get that. I’ve not only lost my best friend and sister, but I’ve lost my two brothers as well.

I send a quick message to my manager letting her know I won’t be able to work today and tomorrow due to being sick, and crawl under the blankets. I don’t read the texts or listen to the voicemails. My broken heart can’t handle that. Tomorrow I’m going to have to find a new place to live. It’s only a matter of time before my roommates kick me out.

A knockat my door startles me, but I ignore it. Whoever it is knocks again but doesn’t stop. Over and over until I’m about ready to pull my hair out.

“Please stop.” I croak, my voice raspy from crying.

“Thank fuck you’re alive babydoll.” I hear Parker’s voice from the other side of the door. “I thought I was going to have to kick down the door and it was leg day this morning and would have been quite painful. If I even could kick it down with my jello legs. Oo, jello sounds good. Got any jello in there?” I almost smile at Parker’s nickname and his food obsession. I’m going to miss him. I walk to the door, but don’t open it.

“I’m alive.” I say through fresh tears. “And I’m sorry. Please give me a couple days to find a new place, and I’ll move out.”

“What are you talking about? Please open the door so we can talk. I feel weird talking to a door that still has a Christmas wreath on it.” Lucas’s deep voice booms through the door.

Shit, both of them? Do they want to kick me out today? I need time to pack and find a place to stay. It’s not like I don’t deserve this. My vision is blurry with tears.

“You’re not moving out babydoll. Sam told us what happened. He asked us to check on you and bring you, whatever is in this container. It smells good. Can I eat it if you don’t want it?” I hear a slap.

“No dumbass. That’s for Josie.”

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