Page 90 of Finding Delaware

“No. Because if I go any further without saying this to you, I’d be such a selfish asshole, and I’m trying not to be that person anymore.”

Keyword:trying.

Huck goes still, eyes growing cautious as his brows pinch together.

“Okay,” he says slowly, waiting.

Licking my lips nervously, I brace myself. “We need to talk about prom.”

He goes rigid beneath me, face immediately hardening, and I almost physically feel the wall he slams up between us. “No. Hard fucking no, I’m not talking about that.”

“We need to get it out, Huck.”

“Get it out?” He curls his lip incredulously. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Getwhatout?”

“This shit between us!” I almost shout, starting to feel frustrated. “It’s fucking toxic, man. Poison. It’s like a cancer that’ll only get worse unless we talk about it–”

I realize I fucked up as soon as that word leaves my mouth.

“Shit.” Releasing one of his arms, I run trembling fingers through my hair. “I’m sorry, Huck, I shouldn’t have put it that way. I didn’t think.”

“You never do.” His dark eyes burn like coals as he glares up at me. “You don’t care about anyone or anything else other than yourself and your bike, Taylor.”

“Maybe at one time, yeah. I admit that I was a prick, but I’m trying to make up for that now.”

"Bull-fucking-shit." He starts to buck again, trying to free himself from under me. “You’ll always be the same, and you can go fuck yourself with your half-assed apologies.”

I know he’s upset because I brought up prom and cancer, but his words still sting. My legs tighten as I try to maintain my hold on him, but he uses his free arm to shove me over onto the floor, and I hit ithard. Right on my shoulder, the collar bone popping as an ache shoots down my arm.

“Goddammit,” I hiss, lifting to my feet with a wince. “You know what, I’m not doing this with you. Not anymore. When you can have a conversation without getting violent, come find me.”

Grabbing my blanket off the floor and wrapping it around myself like a fucking toddler, I climb the steps up to the loft where Logan and Salem are currently snuggled up.

“Scoot over. Huckslee’s pissing me off.”

“Seriously, Taylor,” Logan grumbles groggily but shifts himself and Salem closer to the middle so I can slide in behind him.

Loud stomps come from the stairs, and suddenly, Huckslee is rounding the bed to the other side. “Nuh-uh, no way. If you three get to sleep in the bed, then so do I.”

He pulls back the covers but hesitates when he realizes he’ll basically be spooning Salem.

“Either get in or leave,” she snaps, shivering. “It’s fucking freezing.”

Making a decision, he crawls in behind her, as close to the edge of the bed as he can, before pulling the blanket up. His glare meets mine over both of their heads, making me even more irritated, so I decide to make everyone uncomfortable because now I’m in a bad mood.

“If we all had a foursome, who would go where?”

“Jesus Christ.” Logan burrows his face into Salem’s neck while Huck curls his lip at me.

“Are you kidding me, Taylor?”

“Hypothetically, of course.”

Everyone’s quiet for a long moment, and I settle into my pillow, smirking when I think I’ve accomplished my goal. Then Salem’s sleepy voice breaks the silence.

“I’d be in the back with a strap on,” she mumbles, “obviously.”

That gets a snort out of me.

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