Page 11 of The Spider & the Storm

Then, he gave her a little push in my direction.

“You know what, Mel? I think Charlie boy likes you.”

My mouth fell open as I shook my head rapidly. “W-what? No, I—”

“Yeah, I think hereallylikes you,” he said, nodding and ignoring my protests. “Why don’t you give her a little kiss, Charlie, huh? You want to, right? You think she’s hot?”

Melanie’s throat bobbed with a forced swallow as her eyes locked with mine. She wasn’t smiling anymore, and neither was I.

“Rich, stop it,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to stand her ground.

“Aww, come on,” he coaxed, giving her back another nudge. “Don’t you think he’s kinda cute, in a weird, fucked-up sorta way? ‘Cause, you know, heisweird and fucked up. Right, Charlie boy? Especially when you”—he wrapped his arms around himself and began to shake—“getbad feelingsand f-f-f-freak the f-f-f-fuck out,” he said in a whiny, mocking tone.

That feeling I’d had earlier, standing in the hallway outside my parents’ door—the one that made my chest ache and my bottom lip wiggle—it came back with an unrelenting force at the words coming out of Ritchie’s mouth. And I didn’t even knowwhy. I didn’t like him, and I knew he didn’t like me. Why did I even care what he thought?

Or was it just that he was saying it in front of her?

Why did I care whatshethought?

God, where is Luke?!

“Sh-shut up,” I muttered, weak and warbled.

“Oh no, are you gonna cry, Charlie boy? Poor baby. Melanie, you’d better kiss him and make it—”

“Rich, what the hell are you doing?”

The tension in my shoulders was released the second Luke appeared at his best friend’s side. I looked at my older brother, gratitude pulsing heavily in my heart, and I was relieved to find his eyes narrowed with rage.

I just hoped it wasn’t directed at me.

“Hey, man.” Ritchie’s demeanor changed the second he noticed Luke beside him. “I was just keeping Charlie company while you were—”

“The fuck were you doing with my brother, man?”

Before Ritchie could reply, Luke reached out and grabbed the cup from my hand and peered inside.

“Dude, you gave himbeer?”

Ritchie just laughed and shrugged it off. “I was trying to help him have a good time.”

Luke shook his head and shoved the half-empty cup against Ritchie’s chest. “Are youtryingto get me killed?”

“Nah, man. Just trying to help you get laid.” Ritchie clipped his knuckles against Luke’s shoulder, and I glanced at my big brother, wondering if that was what he’d been doing this whole time.

Had he beengetting laidwhile his mean friend kept a watchful eye over me?

The betrayal hurt more than Ritchie’s words, and the guy I’d thought was my hero just a few seconds ago was suddenly no better than the jerk he called a best friend.

I looked at Melanie, still standing in front of me, as if she was too scared to walk away. Her eyes met mine, and she gave me a small, weak smile, like she felt bad for me.

I didn’t want her pity.

I just wanted to go home.

“Oh, don’t you worry aboutmegetting laid,” Luke said in the voice he used when he was showing off. “Becky’s not gonna be able to walk tomorrow.”

Ritchie snorted and slapped him on the back. “Hell yeah!”

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