Page 5 of One Lovely Lie

“They’re not.”

“We barely see each other anymore, and you’re going to get kicked out.”

“I won’t get kicked out.”

“Really? With the way you’ve been going, you won’t last the rest of the year.”

“I will.”

“Seriously, stop saying that.”

“It will be okay because I’ll stop.”

My eyes snap to his. “You’ll what?”

“I’ll just stop,” he repeats. “No more drinking, no more smoking, no more sneaking out. If I do, I’ll just be more careful. I won’t leave you, Daniel…never.”

Although Magnus is trying his hardest to convince me, we both know that my concerns are valid. Maybe he canjust stop, but what if he can’t? Things have already changed and there’s no going back.

“There was a perfect, pretty picture of how our lives were supposed to go. We’d both be in the same hall, we’d spend holidays together, we’d go off to work for our dads’ companies…” I sigh.

And in my dreams, we’d fall in love and you’d choose me.

“You’ve ruined it,” I whisper heatedly. “You’ve ruined it by acting the way you’ve been acting, and I’m so fucking mad at you.”

Magnus’s thin face reddens and his hand dampens with sweat. It isn’t often that we fight, and this feels like a fight. A serious one.

“We’re fourteen,” he argues half-heartedly. “Why is it so terrible to just do what I want?”

I can sympathize but I can’t empathize.

Growing up, he always had a knack for defying every single order he was given. He hates and resents his family, and they’re nothing but cruel to him, but that’s exactly why I can’t relate.

My parents aren’t like his. My parents believe in all the same things the Blacks do, but however cruel they are to others, they are wonderful to me. They’re good parents.

For that reason—and that reason alone—I trust them and I’m perfectly content to follow the map they’ve laid out for my life.

“Mag,” I say, squeezing his hand and finally looking up at his darker-than-night eyes. “Just because you don’t like the picture, doesn’t mean you needed to ruin it for both of us.”

He shifts closer. “Daniel, just because I don’t like that particular picture, doesn’t mean you’re not going to be in mine, the one I make for myself.”

I sniffle yet again and wipe the snot from my nose on my sleeve. “You really mean it?”

“Of course,” he barks, a little too loudly for my liking, and I slap my hand over his mouth.

“Be quiet,” I hiss playfully. I gag and pull my hand back after his hot saliva coats it. “Fucking gross!”

We stare at each other. Bright blue clashes against onyx black like a falling asteroid. We laugh together and I wipe my hand on his cheek and he threatens to give me a wet willy like we’re still five years old.

Once the laughter dies down, I take a stolen second to admire him. He’s everything. Even if I’m the only one that can see it and I’m the only one that can feel it.

Who wouldn’t want him in their perfect, pretty picture—in their future?

“So, it’s settled then?” he asks, and I nod. “Tell me, are my pajamas still in the guest room?”

I wrinkle my nose in concentration. “I guess so? Mom hasn’t gotten the chance to burn the things you left behind last summer. Why do you—Wait! Magnus!”

Magnus doesn’t hear—or, more than likely chooses to ignore—my pleas as he leaves the room, sneaking one last wicked look at me before disappearing into the dark hall.

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