Page 19 of Cross My Heart

Just as I predicted, it begins to rain. We’re probably a fifteen-minute walk away from the car, and I groan, suddenly annoyed. Scarlett stops walking, making me stumble, and she looks up at me with a bright smile. I shake my head because, of course, she’d be smiling right now.

“Let’s go home,” I tell her, and she shakes her head. My eyes narrow on her face. “What do you mean, no?”

But she doesn’t answer, instead she steps up to me and crashes her lips to mine. I’m stunned, my hands up in the air as if surrendering, and she wraps her arms around my neck. Her lips are pillowy soft, and when she teases her tongue against my lips, I open for her. A soft moan escapes her, and I wrap my arms around her waist and bring her closer to me. My skin tingles, my stomach flutters, but I open my eyes.

Noah and I make eye contact, and he looks…disappointed. And hurt. He shakes his head at me and mutters “fuck this”, then walks past us quickly. I pull away from Scarlett, feeling guilty, but she just smiles up at me like I hung the moon.

“Tyler,” Scarlett says softly. “Will you be my boyfriend?”

My stomach drops down to my ass, and I know right away I can’t reject her. I wouldn’t say I’m in love with her, but it’s Scarlett. My best friend. We’re thick as thieves. I can’t fuck this up. Then again, I could really really fuck this up if I were to break up with her.

Sky-blue eyes flash in my mind, pouty lips, a straight nose, dark hair faded on the sides and trimmed short on top. Fuck. I don’t know how to do this without him hating me. I know there’s something between us, I can’t deny that, but he’s not making a move. And I haven’t either. I may not be in love with Scarlett, but Iaminto her. And love comes with time, right?

So I make the biggest mistake of my life.

I say, “Yes, Scar, I’ll be your boyfriend.”

Scarlett jumps into my arms, wrapping her legs around me, and I spin us in a circle. When we pull away from each other, her eyes are shining. She’s looking at me with stars in her eyes, and it’s heady. She’s never looked at me that way before, and it makes my stomach flip. So I grin down at her, and she gets on her tiptoes and presses a chaste kiss to my lips.

Just like that, she grabs my hand once more and we make our way back to the car. Noah is waiting in the driver’s seat even though it’s Scarlett’s vehicle, and we both get in the back. He looks at me in the rearview mirror, and I look away, feeling guilty. I don’t even know why. I am allowed to like a girl, even if said girl is our best friend. But in the back of my mind, I think back to when we were fourteen, and he warned me not to ruin our friendship. In the same vein, I think back to last year, when I saw him with Christian and was consumed with jealousy.

I don’t know what to do.

“Tyler and I are a couple.” Scarlett grins at Noah, and I turn my head and look out the window as he pulls out of the parking spot. We’re going to get hot chocolate at a local coffee shop. But Noah doesn’t reply. “Say something, Noah.”

“Don’t ruin our friendship,” is all he says, and Scarlett scoffs.

“Tyler and I are getting married,” she replies, and I choke on my spit. “So our friendship won’t be ruined.”

At this, I do look at Noah through the rearview mirror, and his eyes are already on mine. He looks sad for a moment, his eyes filled with sorrow. But then he faces forward and it’s as if it never even happened.

And I’m gutted.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

But I guess I’ve already picked.

There’s no going back now.

Chapter 11

NOAH

20 YEARS OLD

It’s almost midnight, and Tyler is supposed to get here any minute. I’ve been waiting for him for three hours, but apparently, Scarlett is holding him up. I don’t even want to think about what they’re doing—it honestly always sends me into a fit of rage. I try not to think about a lot of things lately. Like the fact that Scarlett betrayed me by asking Tyler out. Or the fact that Tyler and I will never be anything. I thought at one point that there was something between us, that maybe he felt it too, but I realize that was a stupid thing to expect of a straight man. Only I’d fall in love with someone who will never return my feelings. But I have to shoot my shot. I have to tell him how I feel and see what he says. If he feels nothing, I’ll never bring it up again. It’s still terrifying though.

What if I ruin our friendship?

Noah: Are you almost here? This is important and I’m getting tired.

Tyler: Here.

My stomach flips as my bedroom door opens, and in strolls Tyler, wearing a gray pair of sweatpants and a black band t-shirt. His Vans are black to match his shirt, and when my eyes slowly trace his body, they stop at the bulge between his legs. I swallow hard, my mouth watering at the thought of?—

“Hey,” Tyler says softly, clearing his throat. My eyes snap up to his, and I cock my head to the side. He looks nervous. “Sorry I took so long.”

“It’s fine,” I lie. “You’re here now.”

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