I don’t know why, but I add, “It sucks. Well, she does. Literally.”
A bitter laugh escapes her as she looks back at me. “Please stop talking.”
I shake my head at her. Christ, this is really who I’m paired with? We won’t last long if we can’t even pretend to like each other. She should work on that.
“Listen, Court. This is what you signed up for. Drama, angst, betrayal,” I say dramatically like it’s a movie intro. “You might want to buckle up, I can guarantee this is only the beginning.”
I move to stand, and she lets me pass before calling out to me, “Don’t call me that.”
“What?”
“Court. I fucking hate it when people call me that,” she says.
Maybe I’m a dick. Scratch that, I know I am, but she isn’t exactly all sunshine and roses herself. I know that these next few weeks are going to be rough in a lot of ways, and I gotta find entertainment where I can, and I think I just found the first of many avenues to do so.
A slow smile creeps over my face.
“Good to know, Court.”
Chapter Sixteen
Courtney
Landon left the room and it’s a good thing he did because I was two seconds away from grabbing that crystal lamp and throwing it at his stupid fucking head. God, what have I gotten myself into?
A knock comes from the door before it’s pushed open, and I know it’s Luna without even having to look.
“What?” I ask numbly. I’m curled up on the couch across from the bed and staring out the window.
“Just came to check on you. How are you doing?”
My first instinct is to snap at her like I did Landon, but Luna has been nothing but amazing since the moment I got here. She doesn’t deserve my pain, so I shove it down and turn to look at her.
The expression on her face tells me I look just as bad as I feel. Maybe even worse. God, that’s humiliating.
“Oh, babe,” she whispers before crossing the room and sitting beside me.
“I feel so fucking stupid,” I say, shaking my head as she pulls me into her arms.
I rest my head against her shoulder as she smooths a hand over my hair.
“Don’t. He’s the idiot, and he made himself look like a straight jackass. You calling him out and letting him explain was kind of savage, I won’t lie.”
A bitter laugh escapes me. “I knew he didn’t have a good excuse. I hate being made to look like a fool.”
Luna brushes a tear off my cheek. “Trust me, babe. The egg is on his head, or face, whatever. Point is, you did nothing wrong. You put yourself out there, you believed the words he told you and he fucked you over. He’s the villain here.”
“Yeah, and now I’m partnered with Landon of all people.” I let out a hollow laugh.
Luna pulls away a bit to look me in the eyes as her brows pull together. “Yeah, I’m not gonna lie. I was shook when you said his name. I mean, I get it, and Kenzie told me she wants to thank you for not going after Calvin when you got screwed like that. But, like… Landon?”
“It wasn’t like I had much of a choice. If we refused to lock in, what were they going to do? Send us both home?”
She nods like she hadn’t thought of that and twists her mouth up. “Good point. Are things good with you guys now?”
I laugh. “He’s a prick, what do you think?”
Luna shrugs, staying quiet for a moment before speaking again. “Maybe you should give him a chance. I don’t know the guy very well, but after you left, Noah started to light him up, and Landon threw it right back at him. I took it like he was almost defending you.”
