Page 151 of The Casualty of Us
“Dimples.”
“What?” I narrow my eyes at the scolding look she throws my way because it’s all complete bullshit in my not-so-humble opinion.
He makes her uncomfortable. I can tell.
No matter how much she repeats to not make a big deal out of it or that he’ll go away eventually…the piece of shit is starting to make her feel really uncomfortable regardless of what she says. Not that he didn’t from the start, but lately I’ve noticed her shifting more when he’s around. Restless, I guess. Her blue eyes flashing with something that tells me it’s passed the casual annoyance category and jumped to something in her head that she hasn’t shared yet.
It unintentionally drives me a little insane, not because I think she has any feelings for him but because I just don’t trust him. There’s something off there. It’s in the way he stares at her when he thinks she’s not looking, and it’s not in the way I used to, regardless of whatever the fuck Holden says when I mention it. The possession in his stare is more like she’s…I don’t know, an object, something to own instead of a person to love and cherish. But something is off, and I would know, considering that I’ve spent my life making split-second judgments on my mother’s multitude of houseguests.
And the fact that I can’t just pull her into my lap every time he’s around because there’s a second psycho out there that wants my girl isn’t helping keep me sane. Like at all. Half of mewonders if they’re one and the same, and the other half regularly contemplates how mad she would be if I just saidfuck it.
It’s also why I’m failing poli sci and almost advanced debate too, since they’re the only two classes where I can openly observe both of them.
Not that O knows about debate yet.
Fuck. She’s going to make me study with her for real when she finds out.
Her leg goes tense under my hand, and I look around quickly, spotting the fucker in question heading over to our table with a smile that reinforces my gut reaction upon meeting him. Someone needs to punch him in the fucking face.
“Kyler.” Ollie clears his throat on the other side of O, and I barely keep the scoff in at how overjoyed he sounds. “How are you doing?”
“Good, thanks, man.” I watch as he gives a fake-ass chuckle before looking around at everyone and sliding casually into the seat across from O. “Gang’s all here, I guess.”
Who the fuck does this guy think he is?
“Yeah.” Ollie gives a tight laugh as Marley turns her head, staring at Kyler like she’s about to start dissecting him. “They were all around and wanted to come.”
He pauses, gaze moving to stare at my girl with that fucking look before giving her a small nod. “O.”
“Kyler.” She clears her throat the same way Ollie did before looking down to grab one of the bottles of water I got for us off the tray. It further reinforces my suspicion that his attention is starting to really grate on her as his eyes move over to me with obvious suspicion, and he barely jerks his chin down.
I don’t bother returning the gesture. We probably already would have come to blows if it wasn’t for Ollie regularly running interference between us during football. Not that either of us has mentioned that to O.
Marley tilts her head like she’s imagining removing his spleen or something before popping off cheerily. “So how are you liking Pinecrest, Kyler?”
It makes me feel a tad guilty for the advice I gave Ollie at the end of last year about living his life still, considering that the girl definitely came to lunch swinging for my side.
“It’s not bad.” Kyler gives her an annoyed look before turning himself back to Ollie and O mainly. “I heard that there’s a Halloween party at the Ruins in a couple of weeks.”
“Yeah, there is.” Ollie nods, picking up his burger. “Are you going?”
O’s body leans the barest inch more into mine as she starts to pick the fries off my plate, and I squeeze her thigh, starting to rub small circles on the inside with my thumb.
“Yeah, I’m going with Thomas and some other guys.”
See, that’s my other problem. Out of all the friends he could have made in this school, he went with the guys I would deem the most morally questionable.
I didn’t even know Graham had let Thomas come back to the Ruins.
“What about you O?”
“Uh, yeah.” She picks another fry off my plate, tossing out offhandedly, “I’m helping Graham and Lisette set up beforehand with some of the other girls from cheer.”
“No way.” Marley giggles, losing some of her scariness that O steals with the scowl quickly growing on her face.
“Yes, way,” she snaps quietly. “They’re not bad, okay?” A little huff leaves her that’s adorable enough to have my lips twitching even though she hasn’t mentioned this to me yet either. “They’ve been nice, and they asked, so I said yes.”
“Well, all right then.” Marley’s voice softens, and the two girls stare at each other for a beat as some kind of understanding passes between them. “Guess I’ll meet you there then, Bookish.”
