Page 85 of Just a Little White Lie

Luke’s head jerks back so he can face me with the full force of his glare. “What do you expect me to think when I walk in here and see your hands all over my sister? It’s not exactly a snapshot I’ll cherish. When you told me you were helping her with some dance stuff, I didn’t expect this! You made it sound so casual, like it was no big deal.” He points between us, his voice rising to a bellow. “This is a big deal!”

“You know what?” Lauren raises her finger and launches into a tirade about how Luke is only four years older than her, and he has no right to dictate.

She’s right, and I try to back her up, throwing in comments when I can. This sends Luke down a rant about loyalty and friendship turning to betrayal.

Ouch, his words are kind of brutal, and it’s hard to find rebuttals to statements like “I thought you were my friend” and “I trusted you!”

But Luke’s not holding back. Even when I shut up and stop talking.

The cannons are still loaded, though, and the siblings are firing blasts at each other until Mallory steps through the door and shouts above us all.

“What is going on in here?”

Luke spins to face her, huffing like a rabid dog. She quickly reads the room and is smart enough to put the pieces together.

Taking Luke’s hand, she coaxes him toward the doorway. “I think everyone just needs a minute to calm down. Luke, you come with me. You two, stay put.”

Luke growls, and I roll my eyes, letting out a growl of my own and then heading out the door before anyone can say anything.

I feel bad walking out on Lauren this way, but I want Luke to stop yelling at her, and getting out of the equation for a minute should definitely calm the storm.

Slamming my door shut, I slump onto the end of the bed, my leg bobbing like a jackhammer. I’m not going to leave Lauren for long, but I know when I’m fired up and pissed this way, I always want space.

We all just need a few minutes to calm down and breathe normally again.

Gripping my mattress, I stare at my wall and take in a deep, slow breath.

I don’t know how I’m gonna make this right with Luke, but I’ll have to think of something.

I’m not giving up Lauren just to appease my best friend.

But we all have to live together, and if I’m as serious about my new girlfriend as I think I am, then I need to find a way to make this work.

No matter what happens, Luke and Lauren are brother and sister. I won’t go tearing a family apart, and I don’t want to lose my best friend either.

So, I really only have one option. I have to make Luke understand how much his little sister means to me.

LAUREN

Well, that went well. Not!

My insides are raging as I stand in my room, glaring at my bedroom door.

I don’t know what Luke and Mallory are doing right now, but as long as they stay away from me, I don’t really care.

Part of me wants to barge into Jack’s room just to stick it to Luke, but maybe it’s best if we all just cool off for a minute.

Slumping onto the edge of my bed, I end up landing on the corner of my bag.

“Ow,” I snap, giving it a shove.

It drops onto the floor, and I suddenly remember my laptop is in there.

With a gasp, I reach for it, scrambling to check that it hasn’t been damaged. I pull it out and inspect each corner, then open the lid and am relieved to see the screen come to life.

A picture of Maverick’s face gazes back at me. I was looking at his file during last period, when the class had settled down to do some quiet work. I read over it again, skimming the heartbreaking contents and wondering exactly what I was going to do with him. I need to figure out the right thing to say. My expression crumples as the weight of this task feels like the world rather than a small conversation.

It’s not a small conversation. It’s a big talk.

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