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I’m a liar, a big fat liar, because I’m falling for the bully, my stepbrother.
Chapter Ten
Vance
I can’t believe the fucker is this late. Clark is usually a stickler for being on time and he said he’d meet me here at eight. It’s almost nine and he hasn’t shown up, or even texted me for that matter. The party is in full swing around me. Fellow college students are partying away, dancing, drinking, and hell, even a few are having sex.
Normally, I would be right in the middle of all of it, but I’m not in the mood today.
I haven’t been in the mood for anything lately.
All I can think of is her. She’s in my head, under my skin, in my every single waking thought. The only reason I came here was to hang out with Clark and get shit faced, but instead I’ve been sitting on this couch, a piss warm beer in my hand for the last hour listening to Sarah drone on about how her family isn’t going to the Hamptons this winter because her grandmother broke her hip. Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard and I’m seconds away from tossing my beer on her, just to see if it’ll make her shut up for a second.
Sarah’s voice edges my anger toward Clark up. Fucking asshole, standing me up.
He’s going to need to do some major ass kissing for me to let this one go, and his excuse, well it better be fucking epic. My gaze slips around the room. I see a couple football players I know, and a bunch of the douches from the baseball team. Most of them are Clark’s friends, not that they wouldn’t hang with me, but they aren’t really my kind of crowd.
Running a hand through my hair in frustration, I sigh. I should’ve just stayed home and harassed Ava, which would’ve been more fun than sitting here, alone, with Sarah. I’m about five seconds away from leaving the party and getting drunk on my own at my place when I spot him across the room heading toward me.
He weaves through the crowd, waving to me when he spots me. Relief floods me, thank fuck he’s finally here, and then I notice someone trailing close behind him. My blood turns to ice in my veins.
You have gotta be fucking kidding me.
They get closer and I realize that Ava is not only walking behind him, but that she’s also holding his hand.
She’s holding his fucking hand.
As soon as Ava sees me, she pulls her hand out of Clark’s, as if she didn’t want me to see them together. Too fucking late.
“Sorry, man, I know I’m late. I had to talk this one into coming with me,” he says, hooking a thumb at Ava.
“You were supposed to be here an hour ago!” I yell in his face, rage taking over. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Sarah scooting away from me. I’m sure I look like a douchebag right now.
“Woah, dude. Calm down.” Clark’s gaze widens as he lifts his hands in a non-threatening manner. “Sorry, okay? I’m here now. I don’t know why it’s such a big deal all of the sudden, it’s not like I haven’t been late before.”
“No, it’s not fucking okay. I’m not some slut who is going to sit here waiting for you. And speaking of sluts, what the fuck is she doing here?” I look past Clark, my eyes meeting Ava’s razor-sharp gaze. That backbone of hers is getting stronger and stronger, and for some stupid fucking reason, I’m proud of her, proud to see her standing so tall, a pretty little flower standing amongst the weeds.
“Van, sit down and shut up. You’re acting like an asshole. Even more so than usual.” He tries to brush me off with a joke, like I’m one of his fuck buddies or something and that only fuels my anger.
“Don’t fucking tell me what to do,” I growl, getting up from the couch. Clark rolls his eyes at me as if I’m being dramatic and my barely restrained anger boils over. I shove at his shoulders and watch him stagger backward and into the crowd.
We’ve fought before, but nothing like this, and definitely not over a girl at that. His eyes go wide, his mouth popping open in shock like he can’t believe I just pushed him.
Believe it, buddy.
He looks at me like he’s expecting an apology, but he should know better than that.
I don’t apologize, not to anyone, and I’m certainly not gonna start with him. When I don’t say anything, his eyes narrow and shock gives way to anger. Curling my hands into fists, I prepare myself for a fight.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Me? That’s rich, Clark,” I scoff. “You ditched me for pussy.” My eyes cut to Ava’s as I say my next set of words. “And it’s not even good pussy at that.”
