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Peyton
Rain peltedoff Xander’s truck like the steady beat of a drum. It was hypnotic. At least, it would have been if I wasn’t strung so tightly. I shouldn’t have agreed to let him give me a ride. But yet again, a storm had nudged us together.
Maybe it was an omen.
Maybe our relationship—or lack thereof—was a storm. Something we had to weather to find a rainbow on the other side.
It was a nice thought, but it was nothing more than that. Xander had made his feelings about us—about me—perfectly clear last night.
“If you don’t want to give me a ride,” I said, “I can call Bryan.”
It was the wrong thing to say. Xander’s hand squeezed the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white as he sucked in a harsh breath.
“You’re jealous… of Bryan.”
Unbelievable.
“Is this the part where you tell me you don’t want me, but you don’t want anyone else to have me either? Because if it is, you can save your—”
His hard gaze slid to mine, rendering me speechless. “You know it isn’t like that.”
“Actually, I don’t. Or can’t you remember the part where you broke it off? And then reminded me that you weren’t ending anything because we were nothing in the first place?” The words poured out in a rush of anger and frustration.
“I fucked up, okay? I panicked…”
“It doesn’t matter.” I dropped my eyes to my hands.
“It matters. Why do you think I waited tonight?”
I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t. I wasn’t only angry at him; I was disappointed in a way I hadn’t expected.
Xander was the person who got it. He was the person I’d confessed some of my deepest, darkest secrets to, and then he’d cast me aside like I was nothing.
He’d compounded every self-doubt and worry I’d ever had.
He’d made me feel worthless.
“Peyton, please—”
“Just take me to the Ford’s house, Xander. It’s late, and I’m tired.” And I really didn’t want to do this.
I propped my head against the cool pane of glass. Xander let out a resigned sigh and finally gunned the engine, backing out of the parking lot. I could hardly make out the diner through the sheet of rain, but Xander navigated the streets of Rixon with ease.
Only, he didn’t take me back to the Ford’s. He took the road out of town, down to the lake.
“Xander…” It was my turn to sigh.
“I made a mistake, Peyton. I got scared.” The truck rolled down the dirt road and came to a stop. Applying the handbrake, Xander turned to me, and I couldn’t fight it. I couldn’t resist the tether pulling taut between us.
Our eyes collided and my heart fluttered at the intensity in his eyes, the utter regret and desperation.
Stupid foolish fickle heart.
“I didn’t tell you this yet, but I’m going to decline Jase’s offer to go permanent.”
“Wh-what?”
“This—us—is going to upset a lot of people, Peyton. I work at your high school. That’s not okay. I’m pretty sure it’s beyond not okay. I could be in a lot of trouble, and I can’t keep lying, not to Jase.”
