Chapter 41
“What the heck did I just walk in on?” I ask, staring at the three of them seated around the table.
“I wasn’t gonna say anything in front of Dad,” Drew says, “but I had to let the guy have it.”
“Drew!” I whine. “Leave Kai alone.”
“Yesterday, you were…”
I cut him off, wanting to rip my hair out. “Yesterday, I called him. Remember?”
Kai watches me with concern, clearly wanting answers to a conversation I don’t want to rehash.
Before I can make it back to my seat, Freddy latches onto my arm and yanks me into Corbin’s empty seat.
“Umm.” I blink at him, startled in my new seat. “What are you doing?”
“Figuring this out,” Freddy says, still gripping my forearm.
Drew leans around Freddy. “Tabby, you thought he was going to break up with you.”
I hear Kai’s gulp from across the table. “You did?”
My breath catches in my throat and I try to play it off. “I was a little dramatic. It was nothing.”
Freddy turns to Drew, and then back to me. “That’s why you guys insisted we go bowling? You needed to be distracted that badly?”
“It was nothing,” I deflect. “I liked hanging with you guys.”
“She was upset because Kai forgot about her,” Drew says in a low tone.
Kai shifts in his seat. “I didn’t forget about her. Tabby, I…”
I can barely look at him. I don’t want to admit my jealousy of Jamie. “I know you didn’t. Drew’s got it wrong.”
Drew scoffs. “Oh, please.”
Freddy tilts his head, getting a read on me. “Did you really think Kai was breaking up with you?”
I hug my middle, feeling miniscule under all their stares. “Umm. Well, umm. It was a possibility in my mind.”
Kai’s eyes round as he watches me. “I didn’t realize you actually believed that. I thought you said it off the cuff.”
“It doesn’t matter now.” I sit taller. “You told me I’m important to you. Drew, cut him some slack. He’s good to me.”
Drew lifts his palms. “Can you blame me for being protective?”
Freddy grins at him. “Knew you had it in you, bro.”
“He’s dating our little sister,” Drew says, staring at Kai. “He doesn’t get an easy ride.”
I’m beyond irritated. “No one needs the tough guy routine.”
Drew doesn’t flinch, sizing up Kai. “You called our sister some pretty awful names not too long ago.”
“And I called him some nasty stuff as well,” I argue. “Get over it.”
The heat in Drew’s stare amplifies. “You didn’t think we’d forgotten, did you?”
“Dude, Tabby says she likes him,” Freddy cuts in. “Let them figure it out.”
“You know, Dad doesn’t like him?” Drew says, looking squarely at Freddy. “Don’t you usually side with the old man?”
Freddy’s face screws up. “And since when do you agree with Dad?”
“I don’t,” Drew replies. “But what if Tabby does something that Kai doesn’t like? Do you want it on your head if something bad happens?”
“Don’t you dare!” Kai shouts. “I’d never hurt her.”
My heart hammers in my chest, watching the conviction cause sharp angles on Kai’s face.
Freddy’s eyes bounce around the surrounding tables, where other customers have turned our way. “Was that necessary?”
Kai’s fist clenches. “If you two are gonna insinuate I’d do anything bad to Tabitha, then yes, it’s necessary.”
“And what if we told you, you couldn’t be with her?” Drew asks.
I’m about to lose it, when Kai replies with, “I’d tell you it’s not your decision.” He points at me and my heart melts. “It’s hers.”
Drew sits back, smirking. “Okay, I like that. You’re not gonna take Dad’s crap.”
Freddy winces. “I dunno. I don’t think we should praise him for disrespecting our dad.”
I whack Freddy’s arm. “I can’t stand you. You’re only on my side until Dad says otherwise.”
Freddy scoffs. “How did I become the bad guy again?”
Unnerved by the fact confiding in my brothers can blow up in my face, I retaliate with what I saw on the way to the bathroom. “Fred, did you know Simon is here? He’s on a date with Carrie DiAngelo.”
Drew splutters a laugh, running a hand over his top knot. “Whoa, Fred. Your boy stole your girl.”
Freddy rolls his eyes. “Carrie is not my girl.”
“No,“ Drew says in a mocking tone. “It’s totally normal to shack up with a chick in a closet.”
I giggle and lean forward to tell Kai, “Did you hear about Antonia’s party at the lake house? Freddy and Carrie were practically glued to each other the whole time.”
Kai’s about to respond when Drew laughs and adds, “What’s that game called again? Seven minutes in heaven?”
Kai sits back, listening to our sibling chatter, and lifts his glass of coke.
“The only reason half the school thinks something happened between me and Carrie,” Freddy says to me, “is because you spread a false rumor.”
Kai spit-takes his drink. “Wait.” He coughs roughly, squaring his eyes at me. “You spread a rumor about your brother?”
The guilt spirals within me. Made worse by the memory of Kai’s paranoia about me spreading a story about his brother Milo.
I shrink in my seat, giving a mild shrug. “It was the truth.”
“You weren’t even at the party.” Freddy nudges me. “Carrie and I weren’t in a closet, and we weren’t making out.”
I lean forward and point at our brother. “Drew’s the one who told me you were with her.”
Freddy’s eyebrows shoot up as he turns to Drew. “It was you?”
Drew reclines in his seat, unfazed. “You had your arms around her the entire night. Looked intimate to me.”
Freddy groans, rolling his eyes. “It was a loud party, and I was listening to her. Sue me for having an arm around her while she talked.”
Drew’s jaw flexes as his gaze slightly narrows. “You just talked?”
Freddy deadpans him. “Her dog died, and she was upset. So, yeah, we just talked.”
“You can’t blame me for thinking you were together.” Drew sits up, grabbing an egg roll. “It’s not like you haven’t made your way through the school.”
A look of disgust takes over Freddy’s face. “Excuse me?”
Drew takes a bite and talks as he chews, “Are you still able to keep count of all the girls you’ve been with?”
“Good lord,” Freddy complains, scooting his chair back. “I have not been with that many girls.”
My shoulders jiggle in a silent laugh. “Only because you keep circling back to Amber.”
Freddy huffs. “I am not with Amber!”
“Huh?” Amber’s voice sounds in the background, and soon she’s sauntering her way over. “Freddy, did you call me?”
Freddy casually waves his hand. “No, Amber. Sorry.”
Amber flicks her hair, grinning. “Don’t be sorry. It got me over here.”
“Amber!” Mrs. Kim-McNeil shouts across the restaurant floor. “Table three is still waiting on their appetizers.”
Amber groans, slouching and dragging herself away from our table.
“Close one,” I tease, poking at Freddy’s side. “You almost got sucked in by the vampire.”
Freddy dismissively bats my hand away. “Lay off Amber.”
Drew slides his chair back and stands. “Well, this has been fun, but I’m out.”
“Where are you going?” Freddy asks.
Drew scans the room to avoid our parents. “Never you mind.”
Freddy cranes his neck, watching our older brother leave the restaurant. “He’s not gonna be happy until he causes real trouble.”
I brush it off. “I’m sure he’s heading home.”
“He doesn’t drive,” Freddy remarks.
“Correction,” I reply, “he doesn’t have a car.”
Freddy shakes his head, muttering, “I don’t want to know.” He then gets up and adds, “I’ll find Dad and make sure Drew’s not on his radar.”
“You’re not doing him any favors, you know,” I say as Freddy leaves the table.
“Does Freddy always do damage control for Drew?” Kai asks.
“It’s more like, he doesn’t want Dad to get upset.” I get up and move around the table to sit beside Kai. “Yes, part of it is, he doesn't want Drew to get in trouble. But, mostly, Freddy’s addicted to making sure Dad is happy. It’s twisted.”
Kai takes my hand and jokes, “I didn’t take him for a brown-noser.”
“Oh, it’s beyond that.” My shoulders lock as I shudder a sigh.
“It doesn’t matter who it is. Freddy has to make sure everyone is happy.
I know I shouldn’t have said anything about him and Carrie at that party, but I doubt I was far from the truth.
If Carrie DiAngelo had wanted him to kiss her, he would’ve done it. ”
“You think?” Kai questions. “He seemed offended at the idea of it.”
“I dunno. Maybe it was shame or something. Freddy has been with a lot of girls, but I doubt he’s liked even half of them.
” I interlace my fingers with Kai’s, needing his connection.
“It’s just like with Amber. She wants him, he tries to say no, and then she gives him sad eyes.
That’s always his problem. He hates sadness.
So if a girl wants to be with him, he’ll agree to a date, make out with her, and then move onto the next one. ”
“That’s the opposite of healthy. Please tell me he’s in therapy.”
It makes me giggle. “I’ll make sure he gets the suggestion.”
“I’m surprised Drew hasn’t told him to cut out this behavior.”
“Oh, Drew can’t stand it. I can’t even count how many fights they’ve had.”
Kai smirks. “Countless? Like Freddy’s dates?”
I laugh, easing into being alone at the table with Kai. “Exactly.”
Some of the fun disappears from Kai’s expression. “Were you really worried about Jamie moving into my house?”
“Can’t a girl be possessive about her boyfriend?”
He relaxes a little with a laugh. “Well, sure. But Jamie is just one of the guys.”
“I know. But… Well, me and other girls, we have a catty history. Old habits die hard.”
Kai squeezes my hand, and I notice some clamminess on his end. Then, with his other hand, he runs his index finger along the scar below his left eye. “Jamie doesn’t know how I got this.”
I swallow hard. “She doesn’t?”
“Tabby, there’s nothing else you’re expected to do with Jamie. Honestly, with the way Jamie and I keep fighting, my friendship with her will be ending.”
“No,” I rush. “I’m not having that. I won’t be the reason your friendship ends.”
“But she’s being so stubborn.”
I grip his bicep. “And so are you.”
“But I’m the one with the new relationship to protect.”