Page 36 of Give My Everything
REMMY
“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Dominic says, his voice low as we both lean against a wall in the entryway, “but isn’t your boyfriend’s nameLucas?”
I grin at my brother, though I’m sure it looks slightly disingenuous. “We broke up.”
At that little bit of information, Dominic gives me a rare, legitimate, small smile. “When?”
“Oh, things with Lucas have been fizzling out for a long time,” I respond, sticking with the part of the story that’s the actual truth.
Ben and I agreed that vagueness about the length of our relationship is better than saying exactly how long we’ve been ‘together’.
I don’t usually lie to my brother, but with my mother a few feet away, I can’t risk being honest.
“Besides, didn’t you hear he’s dating Lennon Day?”
Atthatbit of news, Dominic’s posture shifts where he stands, his eyes narrowing.
“Lucas dumped you for a Roth?”
My own shoulders straighten, not liking that my brother’s immediate reaction is to assumeIwas the dumpee, not the dumper. “It was a mutual decision. Besides, Ben and I are much better suited.”
Dom grumbles something that sounds a lot like, “Preppy fucking asshole,” and I look toward the front door to hide my smile.
I don’t think Lucas is apreppy asshole, but it’s definitely easier to make fun of your ex than remind yourself of all their wonderful qualities.
“I don’t know how I feel about this. For you to jump right into dating some guy—”
“He’s notsome guy.It’s Ben Calloway. You were in the same year together at school. Stop being dumb.”
“Dating some guy,” he stresses again, his jaw like granite, “so soon after ending things with thepelota—it doesn’t sit right.”
I roll my eyes. Dom loves to call Lucas apelota, has been doing it since we were younger. In Spanish, it literally means ball, so Lucas always assumed Dom was saying he was a ball to hang out with, or the life of the party.
Yeah, in Colombia,pelotais slang for idiot. I never had the heart to tell Lucas my brother had been shitting on him for years and he was taking it as a compliment.
“Something smells off about this whole thing,” he continues. “But if you want to play this little game and pretend you’re not making a mistake, I’ll go along with it.”
Even though he pokes at me and might go overboard with the protective older brother routine on occasion, I love Dom. So much.
I glance at my phone, noting that it’s been ten minutes since Ben sent me a text to let me know he was outside.
So why am I standing inside my house waiting for him to come up and knock?
My mother. And I guess my brother, too, although he isn’t really the one calling the ridiculous shots right now.
My mom is hovering, waiting at the door for Ben to walk up and ‘collect me appropriately’ for our date.
It’s a scene straight out of fuckingGilmore Girls. All we’re missing is the witty banter.
“Can I at least text him to let him know he needs to come to the door?” I say, gritting my teeth. “It’s unfair for him to sit out there and wait when we agreed I’d just come outside.”
“He’ll figure it out.”
I glare at my mom.
Another minute goes by.
“This. Is.Ridiculous.” My voice is ripe with irritation, and I even stomp my foot, just to really demonstrate how I feel. “I’m twenty-three years old. I’ll go on a date with whoever I want, and I don’t have to introduce them to my family first, especially when you alreadyknowhim.”
