Page 21 of Get Even

I SEE RED - EVERYBODY LOVES AN OUTLAW

“So tellme again why you couldn’t go out on a date with him?” Liv settled into her seat at our booth inThe Boxon Monday night and raised her perfectly shaped eyebrows at me over the rim of the cocktail she’d retrieved from the bar.

“Like I alreadysaid– I’m busy.”

Kat looked between the two of us knowingly and I shot her a look. She knew exactly why I was busy every Wednesday night and teased me mercilessly about my resolute dedication.

“You’re busy the whole night?” Liv’s mouth screwed up on one side and I sighed, better to get this over with than let her speculate something crazy. The girl had one hell of an imagination.

“I sing.”

“You what?” she blinked, clearly not expecting that answer and Kat cackled into her rum and coke.

“Every Wednesday night,” I huffed, rubbing my temples and gulping back some of mySex on the Beach, “I come here for open mic night. It’s non-negotiable.”

Liv’s big brown eyes were wide and then a delighted smile took over her face, “Oh my gosh! I didn’t know you wanted to be a singer!”

I could tell she was about to start gushing so I shook my head, “What? I don’t. I just like to sing.”

Kat grinned, slinging an arm around my shoulder and winking at Liv across from us, “So you could miss one night then?”

I frowned, “I don’t miss open mic night. Ever.”

Kat shrugged lightly, turning back to her drink, “Okay, it’s true that you’re somewhat of a regular, but going out with Ryan–”

“–isn’t going to happen.” I finished for her. “It’s not a big deal, okay? It’s just my favorite way to let loose.”

In truth, other than weed and partying, it was the onlyrespectableway I let loose. Talking about my love for music felt awkward. Like, why would I need to drop into casual conversation that I sang? But being on the stage, even just the tiny one thatThe Boxused, there was nothing between me and my emotions. It was therapeutic and maybe a little raw, but that’s what I loved about it. It was the truth, whole and unbridled.

Liv looked set to argue with me when Kat gasped and we both looked at her in alarm. Kat spun to me and started fluffing my hair, smoothing my brows, and I slapped her frantic hands away.

“Are you having a psychotic break?” I said, still trying to fight her off.

“What? No! Aaron just walked in.”

My heart thudded painfully and I buried the feeling,bastard.“So?”

“So,everyone knows it’s a competition when you break up with someone to see who looks the most adjusted.”

I looked at Kat incredulously, she thought smoothing my eyebrows was going to make me look well-adjusted to the fact that my boyfriend fucked my best friend? “Well, I did sleep with Brad and Cody, if that doesn’t scream well-adjusted I don’t know what does.” Liv snorted and I couldn’t help my grin, “Yeah, okay, I hear how that sounded.”

“What should we do?” Kat gripped my arm, her eyes still on the group of guys that had walked in. I could see Aaron’s blond head in the center and I rolled my eyes. Kat loved drama – creating it, hearing about it, it was all good to her. Aaron walked past our table and I could feel his gaze on my skin as latent anger sent a flush through me. He hesitated as he walked by, as if not sure whether to say something or not, and I ignored him.

Instead I smiled at Kat tightly, “If we ignore it, the lack of attention might shrivel its balls.” Liv let out a breath as Aaron walked on and I patted her hand across from me. Other than when he was on something, Aaron wasn’t the type of guy who liked to make a scene – he cared far too much about his reputation. It’s why I had been so surprised that he’d shared that photo of me. Sure it looked bad for me, but the scandal it caused him? I hadn’t thought the preppy little good boy would have the guts. Aaron never had liked getting his hands dirty.

I sucked the last of my cocktail through the straw and then stood, the alcohol making my legs tingle. “I’m going to go pee, back in a sec.” Kat scooted out so I could leave the booth and settled back down into conversation with Liv as I made my way past the bar to the ladies restroom at the back and pushed through the door. I felt… odd, seeing Aaron. I was going to have to get used to it – campus was small and I had now apparently befriended some of the football team thanks to Ryan. We were bound to run into each other, so it was in my best interest to let my resentment go. Or, at least, to pretend that he didn’t exist.The latter,I decided with a smirk as I rinsed my hands and dried them off on a couple paper towels.

Logically speaking, what Aaron and I had wasn’t special. The sex had been mediocre, he had been self-absorbed and then, well, he slept with Taylor. I’d give him one thing – the guy knew how to party.

I stopped short as I came around the corner of the bar and saw Aaron with his hands on the table of our booth, leaning towards Liv with a charming grin on his face. He looked up and smirked when he saw me, leaning down and whispering something in Liv’s ear and then sauntering away. My hands curled into fists. I didn’t know what he was up to, but I didn’t like it.

“What’s going on?” I asked as I got back to Kat and Liv, both unusually quiet. “What did that asshole want?”

“Um,” Kat said, eyes flicking around the room in an effort to avoid looking at me. Her eyes fixed on the big pitcher of beer she’d ordered that was being brought over, relief passing over her face.

“He asked me out,” Liv said and she looked scared, mouth pinched and hands white knuckled around her glass.

“Are you alright?” I squatted down next to her and placed a hand on her arm as I peered up at her. She let out a deep breath, her eyes running over me as she nodded.

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