Chapter 14 #2
He’s hurt, and I feel like shit, because Easton isn’t the only one being avoidant. I’ve been keeping my distance from Roland because while I might not feel anything romantic between us, Roland does. He sent me a text message the night after Halloween asking to meet up.
We went for coffee, and that's where he confessed his feelings and asked if we could be something more.
I was taken by surprise and in a moment of panic I told him I’d have to think about it. He has texted me a few times since then to check in, and like the chicken I am, I told him I was busy with school and would get back to him later.
My head has been in chaos, and I just don’t know how to let him down.
He’s a good guy and deserves better.
My dad and the ref help him over to the bench. From the looks of it, he hurt his knee. Fuck. This isn’t good.
“Are you okay?” I ask as he’s helped down to the bench, and the paramedics rush over to start looking at his knee.
“I’m fine.” He gives me a smile, but it’s more like a grimace. “I’ll be okay, babe.”
Babe? Fuck.
Swallowing the guilt, I force a smile. “Don’t lie to me.” I laugh. “You're in pain.”
“Maybe a little.” He lets out a curse as the paramedic prods at his knee. “But I know something that would make me feel better.”
There’s a lot going on around us, and the noise makes it hard to hear him. I lean in and bring my face close to his so that I can hear better. “What's that?” I ask.
I should have seen it coming, but maybe I’m too naive, because Roland grabs my face and pulls me in for a kiss.
My eyes widen, too stunned by him taking me off guard to pull away.
Roland is kissing me. In front of the whole stadium. People clap and cheer us on.
I pull back with a frown, my cheeks heated with embarrassment. He grins. “Sorry, but I’ve missed you, and that's exactly what I needed.”
I don’t know what to think, or what to say. The paramedics get him on a gurney and strap him in.
“I’ll text you later, okay?” he says. “I’ll keep you updated.”
Not sure how to respond, I nod slightly and watch as they wheel him away.
Still a little dazed by the ordeal, I turn to face the field and my eyes find Easton’s. He saw the whole thing, and by the looks of it, he’s pissed.
My heart sinks. I want to tell him it’s not what it looks like, that we’re not together, but I can’t. All eyes are on me in this stadium, and thanks to that little stunt, now the whole damn school thinks I’m dating Roland.
Fuck!
Easton turns away, and my stomach fucking twists.
With nothing else to do, I head back up to the bleachers.
“What the fuck was that!?” Aria snaps when I sit back down.
“I don’t know,” I hiss. “I was asking if he was okay, then he said he knew something that could make him feel better. I couldn’t hear him well, so I leaned in to hear better, and he kissed me! I didn’t ask for it.”
“The whole damn school saw.” Aria groans.
“Easton saw.” Taylor looks upset with me.
“Hey.” I lean in so the people around us can’t hear me. “Don’t you give me that look. I didn’t mean to upset him. But he doesn’t have the right to be upset. He’s the one running from me, not the other way around,” I whisper-hiss.
“Do you want to be with Roland?” she asks me, narrowing her eyes.
“No,” I growl.
“Do you want to be with Easton?”
“I don’t know.” I sigh. “It’s not that easy, okay? We have a lot of history.”
“You need to let Roland know there's nothing going on between the two of you. Not for any other reason other than it’s leading him on and it’s not fair to either of you,” Aria tells me.
“I know.” I sigh. “I know. And I will.”
I have to. I just wish I did it before he kissed me in front of the whole damn school. I know we’ve been seen together in public, and I could see how people would think we’d be dating, but this is on a much bigger scale.
For the rest of the game, I feel like shit. Our team wins, but I noticed Easton played more aggressively after Roland was taken out of the game.
I could tell he was upset, but why?
Why is he so damn pissed? If he has an issue, he should talk to me. If there’s a reason that he’d be upset to see me with another guy, then he needs to say something.
Even if he did, would it matter?
Do I want him to care?
I already know the answer. I do. I hate that I like that he’s jealous. I hate that I loved the way he got pissed when he found out I was going to sleep with Roland, and instead he claimed me for himself.
This whole fucking thing is messy. Too messy for my liking.
Why do I have such bad luck with my love life?
Why do I want the broken boy who has brought nothing but chaos to my life, when I could have had the sweet guy who would be good for me?
Because that broken boy was once your everything. Because that broken boy is also a kind, loving man, a good friend, a good soul.
Because that broken boy has owned your heart since you were thirteen, and there’s not one person on this earth who could take that spot from him.
Am I staring at Easton? Yes. Does he know I’m watching him? Also yes.
But this time, he can’t hide from me.
When I found out he was taking an extra shift at the bar to help out on Thanksgiving Day, I decided to stop by for a while. The bar is packed, everyone wanting to watch the football game here to avoid their crazy family dinners.
My family is having our supper tomorrow night because they are helping feed the homeless down at Theo’s parents’ restaurant.
I’m supposed to be there too, and my family is not happy that I’m missing it. Instead, I’m here at the bar, being a stubborn asshole and refusing to leave until I talk to Easton.
After the game last night, Easton didn’t come home. Not that I was surprised. I stayed up until four in the morning waiting, just in case. I needed to talk to him, but sleep won.
The next morning, Roland texted me to let me know that he had broken his knee, but he was okay. His leg is in a cast, and his parents came to pick him up for the holiday weekend.
I told him I was relieved to hear he is okay, and that I’d talk to him when he got back to school.
Part of me wanted to text him and get it over with right then and there. But he deserves more than a text.
I might not want to be his boyfriend, but I do want to be his friend. I won’t have a chance of that happening if I’m an asshole and let him down over a text message.
“You going to order anything?” I jolt in surprise, gaze snapping up to a very amused Cooper.
“Uncle Cooper.” I smile. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He chuckles.
“I’m sorry, what did you ask?”
“I asked if you were going to order anything to eat, or do you just want to stare at my employee like a love-sick fool?”
My brows furrow. “I was not looking at him like a love-sick fool.” I scoff.
“Mhhmm.” He grins. “Pretty sure you were watching him like I watch Blake.”
“Now I know you’re lying, because you watch Uncle Blake like you want to bend him over any available surface.”
“So you see my point.” He grins wider.
“You’ve got it all wrong. Me and Easton, we’re–”
“Enemies, hate one another, used to be friends, now you’re nothing more than roommates forced together.
I’ve heard it all.” He slides in on the other side of the booth.
“I also happen to see the way you both look at each other when you think the other isn’t looking.
There’s a fine line between love and hate, Bennett. ”
“I don’t hate him.” I sigh, pressing my back into my seat. “It’s complicated. Plus, Easton isn’t into guys. He has a girlfriend.”
Even if I can trust Cooper, I’m not going to be the one to out Easton.
“So I’ve heard.” He looks over to Easton. He’s at the bar, glaring at the both of us. Cooper turns back to me with a raised brow. “Doesn’t change the fact that he looks like he either wants to kill you, or fuck you.”
“Can you leave it alone? Please,” I beg him. “It’s not my place to say anything, okay?”
He raises his hands. “Hey, I understand. All I’m saying is that you should talk to the guy, okay?
Take it from someone who has experience.
You don’t know what someone is really going through unless you open up and talk.
I might not know much about Easton’s personal life, but from what I do know, I think the guy could use, at the very least, a good friend.
I know you, Bennett. You’re a good guy, and I think you might be just the person for the job. ”
“Tell that to him,” I mutter, casting another glance at Easton.
He’s helping make drinks, occasionally aiming his glare my way. I shouldn’t find that so damn hot, but I do.
I’m starting to see that when it comes to Easton, I’m a lost cause.
I’ve been here for hours. I know, it’s fucking sad. But, it’s worth it. Everyone cleared out after the game was over. I wait until Easton is done behind the bar, and when I see him gathering the trash, I slip out of the booth and follow him to the back.
He heads to the big garbage bins.
I let the back door click behind us, and at the sound, Easton swings his gaze my way. “What the hell are you doing?” he sighs. “Haven’t you stalked me long enough?”
“We need to talk.”
“No,” He growls. “We don’t.” He tosses the bags into the bin and heads back toward the door, but I step in front of him, blocking his way. “Move,” he glares at me.
“Not until we talk.”
“There’s nothing to talk about. It’s pathetic, okay? You have a boyfriend, yet you’re hanging around desperate for my attention.”
His words hurt, and I try not to let them bother me. He’s lashing out, and I’m the one he’s taking his anger out on.
“He’s not my fucking boyfriend,” I snap back.
“Yeah? Pretty sure he and the whole school think otherwise. Doesn’t matter, though, because I don’t fucking care.”
“Your pissy mood says differently.”
“Fuck you.” He growls, stepping closer.
“What? Don’t like the truth? I grin, taunting him. I can’t fucking help it. He makes me want to wrap my hands around his neck when he acts like this.
“You know nothing, Bennett,” he says in a warning tone.