Page 34 of The Drop

I finish and stare at him. I realise it’s like looking at a stranger. I haven’t seen him in a month. I thought when I saw him, I would be heartbroken and crushed all over again, but I just feel like I’m staring at any other guy.

I mean, I’m waiting for the sadness, and I’ve got nada.

“Just give me a chance to explain. It’s not as bad as it seems,” he pleads with me, taking a step forward, and I take one back, making it clear I don't want him near me. “I was planning our lives together. You’ve got to understand it’s not what it seemed like.”

“Seriously? I don’t think there is anything you can say that would make me understand how you could do that to me.” I say with an indifferent shrug, I'm done talking with him. I turn to scan behind me, up by the pool tables, my friends and the hockey team are having a good time.

“The hockey guys? Seriously, Brooke, they are bad news,” Josh scoffs, noticing where I’m looking. “When I heard you were hanging with them, I thought you were just trying to get my attention, but you enjoy spending time with those assholes.”

He’s so delusional, he thinks I would block all his messages and calls, but still try to get his attention? “It’s a good thing what I do or don't do is none of your concern anymore, huh?” I say before I turn around to walk up the steps. “Those assholes have been there for me every day since you ruined us, and I promise I’m not trying to get your attention, Josh, so quit bothering me.”

“I’ll be waiting when you get bored with this little project and friends,” he fires the hurtful shot as I walk up the steps to the raised pool area away from him, and I try not to let it stingafter my conversation with Grant’s conversation about pressure getting to me this week.

“He give you any trouble?” Grant nods behind me as I approach, setting my drink on the table and not touching it. I don’t need Josh’s tainted drink.

“Oh, so you could see the damsel in distress,” I tease, smiling, trying to shake off my talk with Josh, my bravado having left me when I walked away.

“If I didn’t think you could hold your own, I would have been over in a heartbeat,” he says, looking concerned, and I draw my lips in and turn away so he can’t see me blush.

“Anyway,” I sing, deflecting. “He didn’t give me too much trouble, just told me to stay away from hockey guys. Did you guys know you’re all assholes?”

“Ah, of course.” He sidles up next to me, giving me a nudge as I smile, not looking at him, pretending to ignore him while watching Cami and Gunnar play Adam and Bear at the pool. “Are you going to listen to him?”

“Of course,” I say seriously, finally looking him in the eye. “I always listen to my ex-boyfriend’s advice.” Smirking up at him, he slowly smirks back at me, and there it is. I swear, if I weren’t leaning against the table, my knees would have given out.

“Can you two play now? Cami is kicking our asses and I’ve only got ten dollars left,” Bear whines, coming over putting his forearms on the table to lean against the it as Cami and Gunnar set up again.

“I love it when she hustles.” I snort out a laugh, taking Grant’s drink from his hand and having a sip since I got rid ofmy own. “Let me guess, she plays bad enough times that you forget she’s good and then bets you boys large when you’ve been drinking, and you take it?”

“Son of a bitch.” Grant’s mouth is open in shock, and Bear's eyebrows are furrowed in confusion like he’s unsure what I've just explained, because that’s totally what’s been happening.

“Shh, don’t tell anyone I told you that.” Grant and I walk over to the table, and he leans down next to my ear to whisper.

“You can’t drop information like that and tell me not to tell anyone.”

“Sure, I can. How are we going to beat her otherwise?” I whisper back, and he nods as we watch Cami play Gunnar like a fiddle.

“I don’t know how I got so lucky with that shot.” Cami smiles widely at Gunnar, who looks down at her with pride.

“Oh, she’s good,” Grant whispers from behind them as he passes a cue over to me and grabs one for himself.

“Right?” I laugh as we walk back round to the opposite side to face them. “Okay, Cam, what’s the bet, and before we even go there? No money.”

“No fun.” She pouts before tapping her chin with her pointer finger. “Hmm, what do I want from you two, Gunnar?”

“If we win, Grant just got a new TV. I could use a bigger screen for my movie nights with Sasha.” He replies, leaning his hip against the table, smiling over at Grant, who flips him off.

I notice Cami’s smile deflates a little, but she shakes it off like a trooper.

“Woah, hey! You won't bet money, but you will bet my TV.” Grant bursts out laughing. “That’s not happening.”

“Ooh, I know, Brooke, if you win, you can get rid of the mattress, but you can’t sell it to Adam,” Cami smirks my way, knowing I’ll do anything to get that mattress out of my room. It takes up so much space against my wall, but I refuse to sleep on it. It's too weird.

“What the hell?” Adam splutters. “That was an under-the-table deal; how do you know about that?”

“Do I need to list the many reasons it’s gross to you again?” Cami glares over at him, taking a sip of her drink.

“I was getting it professionally cleaned at Brooke’s request,” Adam pouts, dropping down on a nearby stool defeatedly.

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