Page 81 of The Fallen Ones

I looked at him and then Jace. We’d never spent any amount of time getting to know each other. It felt like maybe we should since we would all end up together if things worked out with Lily.

“What are you majoring in?” I asked Damien.

He smirked. “Pre-med.”

I snorted at him, unable to believe what he was saying.

“What’s so funny?” He raised his brows at me.

“You don’t even do your own homework. Who the hell is going to take care of your patients for you if you become a doctor?” I asked.

“I give the bullshit work to lower classmen. I take care of what needs done.”

I scoffed at him and looked to Jace. “What about you? Law?”

Jace shook his head. “I’m going to play pro ball. Hopefully.”

He was certainly good enough. I’d heard scouts had come looking at him.

“And if that doesn’t work out? What are your plans?”

“I’m business as well,” Jace said with a shrug. “Take over my old man’s real estate firm. Then the city. Nothing big.”

I’d have laughed if I didn’t think it was true.

“Well, I guess we have it all figured out, don’t we?” I asked, looking from Jace to Damien.

“Now we just need the girl.” Jace visibly swallowed, looking vulnerable for the first time.

“We have the girl,” Damien said fiercely. “Caleb just needs to get his ass over there and deal with shit.”

“I’ll go.” I got to my feet, deciding I couldn’t take another moment of worrying and not knowing what Lily wanted or needed.

I followed the guys to the driveway and bid them goodbye as they got into their cars. I watched them pull out before I got into my car and left, heading in the direction of Lily’s apartment near the edge of campus, my heart in my throat.

“Caleb, hey,”Lily greeted me as she pulled open her door. She looked adorable in her white long sleeve shirt and tiny shorts, her dark hair in a high ponytail. I took in the brightness of her gray eyes, deciding she looked more happy than anything else.

Happy people didn’t tell their best friends to fuck off.

That offered me a little comfort.

“Hey,” I said, stepping into her living room awkwardly.

She twisted her fingers in front of her. “Have a seat.”

I did so, feeling out of place and nervous. The last time I was there didn’t go so well.

She sat beside me and turned to face me.

“Can we talk?”

“Of course,” I answered stiffly, my stomach twisted in knots as I waited for her to drop the hammer on me.

“I want to apologize about the things I said. You’re not gross. Not even close,” she said, in a small voice. “I was hurt when youdidn’t kiss me back and really just felt embarrassed.” Her cheeks heated with her words. “I understand now it was a mistake and I crossed a line. To try to make it better, I said things that only made it worse. I’m so sorry, Caleb. You’re my best friend in the entire world and I shouldn’t have done any of those things. I don’t want to ruin our friendship. Ever.”

I absorbed her words. They still hurt because she said she didn’t want to ruin our friendship. What she didn’t know was that I already had. That was gutting me.

“Kissing me wouldn’t ruin our friendship,” I said in a soft voice. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry I didn’t kiss you back. I should have, but I guess I didn’t want to ruin things I had going on either. I shouldn’t have gotten so offended what your words. I just don’t want you to think of me as your sibling. I’m Caleb. Your best friend. Never your damn sibling. OK?”

---