Page 63 of Study Buddies

“Dude, high school is over. You have to get past this. Think of it this way. How many girls do you think Kyle banged over those four years?”

“A lot.”

“Yeah. But which one of you had sex more often?”

I started to answer and then hesitated. No matter how much Kyle had gotten laid on the weekends, Natalie had let me sleep over most nights of the week, especially during our senior year. Her parents didn’t care, and my mom considered us as goodas engaged. So yeah, we slept together a lot. Even if Kyle had been with a girl each weekend, the math was on my side. “Me.” I couldn’t help the small smile that thought produced. Jayden grinned, too. “I know I teased you about it, but you two were happy. Anyone could see that.”

“Until we weren’t.”

“Yeah. But you’ve still been in a real relationship. Most of us haven’t.”

“That doesn’t seem to count for much around here. Apparently groping women on movie nights is what guys do these days.”

“They might if the woman is into it,” Jayden said gently. “He gave her every chance to bat his hand away. To move away from him or use the safeword—and she didn’t.”

“That still doesn’t mean that she?—“

He cut me off with a wave of his hand. “Do yourself a favor and don’t put her on a pedestal, like you did with Natalie. Tori’s not an angel, and believe it or not, Kyle’s not the devil. They’re both just people. Like us. Just people trying to figure this all out. This—real adult relationships—it’s all pretty new for us. Boundaries, consent, we’re all trying to figure it out.”

“Kyle could use a few lessons,” I muttered. “Did you see her afterwards? She was upset.”

“She was upset thatyouwere upset.” A small smile tugged at his lips. “And a little embarrassed.” He looked like he was remembering something specific.

“She told you that?”

“Yeah. We went out back last night while you were yelling at Kyle. You didn’t notice?”

Truthfully, no. Last night was a red, angry blur in my head.

“That’s happened more than once,” Jayden said quietly.

My whole body tensed. “He’s touched her like that before?”

“No. At least I don’t think so, but that wasn’t what I meant. That wasn’t the first time that you two were fighting, and she and I left to get out of the line of fire.”

I scoffed. “I’d never do anything to hurt her. Or you.”

“But youarehurting her. Do you realize how often you’re pissed off? I know having Kyle move back in sucks, but this isn’t the same thing as what happened with Natalie. The main person keeping Tori from becoming closer to you isyou, dude.”

“Then why’d she go on a date with me?”

Jayden grinned. “I have no idea.”

“Funny,” I said dryly.

“But I know what she told me about it afterwards.”

Despite my best intentions, I couldn’t help wondering about that. “What?”

“She said she had a nice time—and that she liked seeing you and Kyle work together without arguing. She’s grateful to you both for putting that creep in his place, and that wouldn’t have happened if you two hadn’t put aside your differences to do what was best for her.”

I looked away, staring at nothing in particular. I hated what he was saying to me—but that didn’t make it wrong. Kyle and I had worked in tandem the other night. And I think we did help her.

“I don’t know how Tori feels about you, me, or Kyle. That’s her business. But I wanted you to know that you’re pushing her away.”

I nodded absently, but then focused on his words. Did that mean he was interested in Tori, too? His eyes had lit up when she’d worn that dress last night. Of course, any straight man would have done the same.

But she was so much more than her looks. On our date, at the restaurant… her eyes had sparkled, so full of life as she told me about her dreams to teach a high school English class. I’dstarted out the evening thinking why the hell would anyone want to do that, but she’d been so enthusiastic. She truly cared about students and wanted to help them. Hell, by the end of the date, I was half tempted to change my major.

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