Page 78 of Can't Take My Eyes Off You

‘I know you lost your virginity at seventeen to Alisha Pennington in the back of her Honda at a kegger in the woods, but you lied and told your friends it was when you were fifteen with McKenzie Tipton after homecoming. If I remember right, McKenzie said no to your advances, so you mouthed off to your friends later that she “gave you her flower”. To, ya know, “teach her a lesson”.’

I actually heard this story via Bryce and Bianca but didn’t want to believe it was true because it’s just too awful and Alex does have a sweet side. It rarely surfaces but I know him well enough to have seen it a time or two. I gave him the benefit of the doubt thinking maybe he’d grown up. I am officially an idiot.

‘Do you have any idea what that kind of lie can do to a high-school girl? God, that alone should have been a giant red flag and yet I gave you another chance.’ I say that last part to myself, a hand now on my forehead out of frustration.

‘What are you talking about, red flags?’

‘You get a red card on-field, you’re suspended for the next game, right?’

He nods.

‘A redflagis what should have led to your suspension with me a long-ass time ago, but I needed a distraction from my life and was hopeful that God wouldn’t fuck me over by bringing me two beautiful idiots.’

I don’t evenlikesoccer and I’ve learned about it for this moron.

‘Now I’m an idiot?’

‘You’re absolutely clueless, Alex.’

‘That’s ridiculous,’ he says, propping his feet back on my coffee table. ‘Clueless about what exactly?’

‘Uh,me!’ I let out a long sigh. ‘I know technically we aren’t together but I think we should break up. For good this time. I’m sorry. Trust me when I say you’re not the complete problem here. It’s mostly me. I just can’t do this anymore.’

‘Well, you and the asshole downstairs.’ Alex stands from my couch, slowly getting dressed. ‘I don’t understand why you can’t let that clown go. You realize you’re just his backup ass, right? He shows up here whenever someone better isn’t available. He’s been using you for sex for a decade, and you’ve been using him for money.’

Using him for money? ‘Excuse me!?’

If only I could shoot fire from my eyeballs, Alex would be a pile of ash on my hardwood floors.

‘That’s the rumor around town.’

‘Therumor? What are we, fifteen?’ Ugh! The balls on this guy. ‘Firstly, that’s not true. Secondly, I’m not about to discuss my financial life with you.’

‘All I’m saying is that if itistrue, that kind of makes you a high-profile prostitute. He’s buying you!’

I clench my jaw so hard I’m afraid I might break a tooth. A high-profile prostitute? Is he serious right now?

‘It’s not about money with Will and me.I.Love.Him!’ When the words leave my lips without being in the past tense, I stop breathing. Holy fuck. I didnotjust say that.

Alex catches it immediately, now moving quickly to get the hell out of my place, slipping on his shoes. He grabs the pizza box as he heads for my still-open front door.

‘Sounds like you’ve made your choice here. Good luck with that. He’ll be here for a few weeks, and then he’ll skip into the sunset with someone far more influential than you. That’s how it always goes with you two.’

In Will’s defense, he’s never done that. Looking back, Will’s fought for us for a long time. Alex is repeating old tabloid headlines. Even though he’s tried, Will’s never ‘fallen’ for someone else. Just like I haven’t. We even confirmed it with one another just this morning.

Alex jogs down my stairs, me right behind him.

‘I guess thanks for the ass?’ he says with a laugh, turning to look over his shoulder at me as we walk through my office. ‘I can see why he keeps coming back.’

‘Don’t be a dick.’

‘What? I didn’t say you’re bad at it. You’re not, trust me.’ He laughs under his breath. Finally, he stops walking and turns towards me, his face softening a bit. ‘Truth is, I went out with you for two reasons. Number one, you’re hot as fuck.’ His eyes dart over me with a smile that says he’ll be sad to let me go for this reason alone.

‘I don’t regret that. Number two, Will stole my girlfriend when we were fourteen, so when I found how his lady was hot for me, I jumped all in.’ He says it casually, lifting a single shoulder.

‘What?’ I ask, confused. ‘Did you forget we went to school together and I know the stories. He didn’t steal your girlfriend and even if he did it was over a decade ago. Why would you still be holding a grudge?’

He shrugs. ‘Paybacks are a bitch.’

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