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“We all are, fucker!” Quaid hollers. “But she obviously needs time. Val will reach out to us when she’s made up her mind, so fucking respect that and give her breathing room.”
Carter throws Quaid a scowl, pointing menacingly at him.
“You think I don’t see what you’re trying to do here? You think the longer she takes, she’ll end up choosing you just because you’ll be closest to her when school starts. But I have news for you. If proximity is her logical choice, then I’ll just enroll in California, too.”
Quaid’s eyes look big as saucers, his tan face paling at Carter’s threat.
“You don’t even want to go to college.”
“But I want Valentina. So I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep her.”
“She’s not yours,” Quaid snarls.
“If she’s yours, then why do you look so afraid?” Carter mocks, his black eyes filled with triumph.
“Enough, the both of you,” I shout, trying to hold it together.
Carter’s threat might have been directed at the angry friend at my side, but it was still successful in making my own blood boil with fury. The urge to slam my fist in his smug face and end what Quaid started is excruciatingly tempting. I drag my hand over my face, trying to keep my cool, since these two hotheads don’t have any. If I was a smarter man, then I would just let them kill each other and be done with it once and for all, putting an end to my never-ending competition in winning Valentina’s heart. I should feel guilty at having such a thought. But somehow, it wormed its way into my head, along with similar others through the years that should have riddled me with shame. Unfortunately, my heart is too banged up to think clearly. I’ve become so blinded by hurt that to admit that no matter who Valentina chooses, we three will never be the same is just as paralyzing as the thought of losing her.
When did we start seeing each other as enemies instead of best friends?
Somehow, we let our resentment for each other fester, and before we knew it, it became this ugly monster standing in our way, preventing us from remembering that we love each other, too. Or at least, we used to. I’m not sure that’s the case anymore.
“Carter’s right though,” I hear myself say at last, pushing those melancholic thoughts away from my mind.
“Shocker you’re siding with him.”
“Quaid, give it a rest. He’s right because three days is long enough for Val to have come to a conclusion and realize what she wants. If she hasn’t, then maybe we should accept the fact that Val never will, and it’s up to us to choose for her. Or do you assholes want to risk none of us getting our girl?”
“I’m not good with that,” Carter growls in front of me.
“Yeah well, me neither, asshole. One way or another, this gets resolved today. Are you ready for it?”
“I was born ready,” Carter states smugly.
“I’d wipe that cocky smirk off your face, Carter. If you think going to school in the same state as Val will sway her to you, then two can play that game. I have no problem transferring to Berkeley if push comes to shove,” I warn, stealing the gloating expression off his face.
Quaid’s smirk crests his own lips, until he realizes that means his shot is wavering.
“I never thought I would say this, but I hate you both so much right now.”
“Feeling’s mutual, asshole,” Carter mumbles, his dark eyes glaring at us as his nostrils flare in distaste.
No matter what decision Val makes today, I fear our brotherhood is lost. As I take one last look at Quaid and Carter, I no longer see my brothers. All I see are adversaries that I need to crush with almighty fists, and as they stare back at me, I know they feel the same.
I turn my back and walk over to Valentina’s porch, pounding on her door. After a few minutes go by with no answer, my nerves start to crawl.
“Her dad’s car is still in the driveway, so she must be here,” Carter utters.
I knock again, and still no answer.
Quaid goes over to a potted plant at the end of the porch and comes back with a key in his hand.
“It’s the spare,” he explains, pushing me away from the door.
I hate how he knew where Val kept her spare keys and I didn’t.
“So you want to ambush her? Is that how you want to play this?” I ask, pushing him away from the door.
