Page 51 of The Wallflower

“Keeping...like exclusively?” His face twists up in a scowl, incomprehension etched into his high cheekbones.

I don’t answer the question. I don’t want him to know how much interest I really have in Bel because like me, he gets his own fixation from time to time. “I haven’t decided yet. Now, the carnival? Just sign me up for something, and let me know where to be and at what time. We have practice before, so make sure I have enough time to get cleaned up.”

I shift enough to catch a glimpse of Bel over his shoulder again, and I notice that her eyes keep tracking over to us every couple of minutes. Like Sebastian’s outburst has her more on edge than the girl who came over to flirt with me. Not sure how I feel about that.

Sebastian makes a frustrated noise deep in his throat and shoves out of the chair to stand. “Watch for a text from me, asshole. If I have to hunt you down like a kid again, it won’t be to give you a date and time. It’ll be to kick your ass.” I give him a cheeky grin and flip him the bird.

He shakes his head and turns, walking away. I keep my eyes trained on his back as he crosses the library. My heart clenches in my chest, sinking low into my stomach when he stops at Bel’s table. I shove out of my seat and pretend to stand nonchalantly. The basketball player and Bel glance up at him for a moment. I see Sebastian speaking, and what he says makes Bel’s nose wrinkle in disapproval.

What the hell is he up to?

Curiosity wins out, and I stalk over to them and shoulder up to Sebastian. He’s a few inches shorter than me, but his shoulders are wider and broader. Still, he doesn’t move an inch as I bump into him, subtly telling him to get the fuck out of here. In all the times we’ve fought, it’s never been over a girl. Not that there's a fight to be had.Maybel is mine.Still, his interest in what I’m doing with her, and if we’re exclusive makes me question his loyalty and our friendship.

Turning my back to Bel, I grab him by the arm and lean in. “What the fuck are you doing?”

He doesn’t even glance at me. “Oh, I was just telling Bel what a cute couple they would make. What do you think, Drew? I suggested that Parker here buy some tickets for the carnival and take his little tutor on a date. She’s been working so hard on his behalf, after all.” He bats his long lashes in a mockery of innocence. “Or I guess, if I get planning wrapped up, I could take her.”

Every cell in my body vibrates. No one is taking her anywhere, and fuck Sebastian for even suggesting it. My teeth gnash together as I hiss at him. “Back the fuck off.”

“No can do. I think I like this look on you,” Sebastian says, finally looking at me, and the challenge in his eyes ignites a raging inferno in my gut. Again, he doesn't budge.

“Excuse us,” I growl.

Of all my friends, Sebastian might be the most like me. The most stubborn, the most hardheaded. A hard fucking head I’m about to slam into a table. I cast a warning look at Bel over my shoulder that she better read asdon’t you fucking dareand haul Sebastian back by the arm. He doesn’t even try to stop me. If anything, I’d bet there is a grin on his stupid-ass face. I walk through the double doors ahead, and once we’re outside greeted by the cool fall air, I shove him hard enough that he stumblesback a step. He easily catches himself and comes to stand face-to-face with me.

“What the fuck?”

He shrugs, all nonchalant, but I can see a war waging in his eyes. He wants blood, he wants to hurt me, but all he’s going to get is my foot up his ass. “I don’t get into your business...you don’t get into mine, remember.”

“Fuck off, Sebastian.” I shake my head, and just as I expect, he rushes forward and shoves me back, his usual blank face twisting into a mask of fury.

“Oh, is that right? You don't get into my business, huh? What about when my grandpa tried to sell me off to the highest bidder among his rich friends for connections? You didn’t get in the middle of that?”

Suddenly, what Bel said the other day sinks in and makes more sense than I want to admit.“I’m not trying to save you. I’m just trying to help in whatever way I can.”I failed to ask her if she understood what helping me meant because I knew more than anyone she wasn’t capable of hearing about my life problems.

“There’s a difference. I try to help you, you dick! I stepped in to make sure he wouldn’t try that shit again. I wasn’t sabotaging you.”

It’s like my words have no effect on him. “Okay, and what about Lee...when his dad beat the shit out of him for flirting with a man at the last alumni party, you didn’t step into the middle of that either, did you?”

The rage is still burning in my gut, and I clench a fist full of his shirt, hauling him close. “Again, I wasfuckinghelping.”

“Helping. Hmm, and you think any of us want to see what your father will do to you if he sees you getting attached to some poor little fucking scholarship girl? Maybe you have memory loss from all the football hits to the head, but need I remind youhow much hell he’s made your life? We all know what he will do. It's not my fault that I’m the only one brave enough to face you about it. Don’t let her become a casualty in a war she didn’t sign up for.”

If I didn’t know better, I’d think Sebastian is growing a heart because that’s the nicest thing he’s ever said about anyone. We stare at each other, so close I can smell the toothpaste on his breath. With a growl, I shove him back and turn around, taking a couple of steps back so I don’t look at him. So I don’t hit him because I really want to fucking hit him.

“You know I’m right, and I’m sorry if it pisses you off, but she doesn’t deserve that. No one deserves that.”

“She's none of your concern. You’ve never shown interest in what happens to any of the other girls I fuck, so don’t pretend to care now.” I toss the response over my shoulder. Maybel is my problem. Mine. All. Fucking. Mine. I start my walk back into the library, ignoring his mere existence.

“She’s different,” he yells once I reach the doors, and I pause for a millisecond before tugging them open and stomping inside.

Stalking back to where I was sitting earlier, I collapse into one of the chairs, directing my attention to Bel. The territorial rage and desire refuse to go away. I want to claim her right here, mark her skin, and tell everyone she belongs to me, but I can’t.I won’t.Her client is gone now, but I narrow my eyes since a new guy sits beside her, and worse yet, he’s wearing my fucking team colors.

I stand and march over, bracing my hands on the desk and leaning forward. His hand is on the back of her chair, his thumb brushing the collar of her shirt like he’s waiting to touch her bare skin. I don’t think. I simply react.

“Reb, I suggest, if you want to keep all your limbs for the next game, you take your hands off my girlfriend.”

A moment of stunned silence passes between the three of us. Then Reb, one of my defensemen, stands, his hands up in a form of surrender. “This is your girlfriend, man? I thought...well… We all know you don’t date. You barely ever even see the same girl twice. I didn’t know, I promise.” He’s panicking. I can tell by the way his eyes dart between Bel and me. The way beads of sweat form against his hairline. That’s the only thing keeping me from ripping his damn idiot head off.

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