Page 52 of The Lie
I look at Grady. His jaw is ticking, and I can see he’s upset.
Jace, whenever you don’t have balls…it’s always with Britney around. No one likes her. Can’t you see she’s bad for you?
When he doesn’t answer, I do. “You’re not wanted here. Just go, Britney.”
Her nose scrunches up, and she sneers toward me, Sadie, and Cadence. “You let two losers sit at your table. They’re no one. How pathetic.”
I internally say to myself,Just be nice, don’t say a thing, and ignore her like everyone else.
“Get up, losers, make room for us. You’re in our spots. Make them move. Emerson, make them move.”
Emerson starts to stand, and I’m just done. I stand up too and turn to Britney. “Britney, no one wants you here. You hang around unwanted…likeherpes.”
The whole table laughs together at that, and I smirk at her. I hate being mean; I never want to be a bully, but I’m done with her.
Britney just stands there, her mouth gaping open like she didn’t think I had any fight in me. I’ve ignored her all week. Let her play her childish shit with Jace. But if she wants to start messing with my friends for no reason other than to be mean, that’s a hell no from me. Sadie and Cadence don’t deserve it. Britney is the loser. No one wants to sit with someone with such a bad attitude.
I take a seat and turn back to the girls, who are holding their hands over their mouths. But I can see the smile in their eyes.
“So, anyway, I was thinking we should paint my cast to match. Get rid of some of the dick drawings on there.” They merely blink at me. I guess I just went from zero to one hundred and back again.
“Do you need help?” Hunter asks me, and he holds my fingers and gently turns my hand over so he can see the underside. He rubs his thumb over one of the little dicks he drew on there yesterday.
“Not from you. You’ll just draw more dicks on there.”
He chuckles, and Emerson does too. They high-five. Boys are so childish.
“You should ask Roman. He’s good at tattoos. He’s gotta be good with a paintbrush too.”
I kiss Hunter and smile.
As soon as Roman drove me home Saturday, I called and told Hunter what had happened. He gave me the same lecture about walking to the trailer park in the rain.
Hunter came over, and we talked about everything. How Roman and I kissed, and how it made me feel. It was weird at first, telling my boyfriend I kissed his best friend. But he just smiled and even said, “Good for Roman,” which made it easier.
I know my wanting to not choose between them is hard for Hunter. It would be hard on anyone. But I’m glad that Hunter is so on board with it all. Even now, telling me to go ask Roman. To spend more time with him. I love that about Hunter. He cares for everyone. And I care for him.
Still, I didn’t tell him about Asher. That’s…a clusterfuck.
Are my butterflies off-kilter? When I saw Asher on Sunday at dinner, they had been there. They were small in my belly, but they were there. Maybe they’d been there all along, and I’d pushed them down so far because I didn’t feel them. Not until Saturday morning, and now that’s all I can see and feel.Butterflies.I’m so confused and conflicted.
Asher watched me when he didn’t think I was watching him, but I was. Our usual, impassioned conversations over the dinner table had been reduced to, “Can you pass the beans?” And everyone picked up on it. I told them I was tired, and Asher did the same. Which only made them even more suspicious.
I won’t have to see Asher tonight if I’m with the girls, since I can have dinner out with them. But I can’t avoid this topic forever. I have to tell Hunter. If only I knew what to tell him. Just that Asher wants to be more than friends? That I do? I don’t know if I do. I’m lost on this one.
Maybe some girl talk tonight will help me clear it up. I can’t go to Asher about my guy problems anymore. Maybe Grady can help me? My stomach aches; there’s too much going on, and I don’t know what to do. Every smile Hunter has given me today reminds me that not only am I lying to him about the accident, but I’m lying about Asher and me as well.
I need to be the one to tell Hunter. Before Asher apologizes to him and tells Hunter the truth about why he was a dick.
Why is this so fucking messed up?
Ibought the dress, and it’s perfect. More than perfect, and Hunter is going to love it with the big slit up the side. I hope Roman comes to the dance. I tried to talk to him today after school about painting my cast, but he just nodded and walked away like I was finished talking. Does that mean he’s going to help me?
Since the heels I got to wear with the dress are black and silver, the girls and I decided that we should paint the cast to match them. Sadie suggested that I should use a silver marker to draw the moon and stars on it. The theme for the dance is star-crossed lovers and it would be so perfect.
Which means I need Roman to be there more than ever.
There’s a knock at the front door, and I run down the stairs. Hunter’s coming over. Dad said he can’t stay long and that he will be home soon. And not to go into my bedroom alone with him. Hello, Dad. Sex doesn’t just happen in bedrooms. We can do it almost anywhere. But I didn’t tell him that. I’m glad he’s cool with Hunter being here with me. Alone.
