AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I still have her number saved in my phone—not for any good reason, I’ve just spent so many years using certain methods to fuck with Parker. I didn’t realize I’d have bad habits to break.
“Come outside,” I text her, sitting in her driveway.
I thought about using her for the Javi bait, but she’s too volatile. I realize sayingBrittanyis volatile whenAnaewas the alternative is a little crazy, but maybe what I mean is she’s more emotional. Parker’s not wrong about Brittany. She’s a total wreck. Her dad was a piece of shit and fucked her up real good, making her pretty easy pickings for any asshole who wants to come along and take advantage.
Parker has long reviled my being just such an asshole, so when Brittany comes bouncing excitedly down the driveway, I almost fucking feel bad.
What has this girl done to me?
“Hey,” Brittany says cheerfully, bright-eyed and ready to go. She even brought her fucking purse.
I shake my head. “We’re not going anywhere.”
“Oh.” Her smile weakens at my tone, but she maintains her smile. “Okay. You want to come in? My mom isn’t home.”
“No. I just need to talk to you for a minute.”
Sensing I’m serious, her smile drops and she nods. “Okay. What’s up?”
“I wasn’t very fair to you, was I?”
She shrugs uneasily, not wanting to agree with something that insults me. “It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay.” I shake my head, looking past her. “I was an asshole, and I’m sorry. But the only reason I’m sorry is that there’s a girl I’m completely fucking crazy about,” I say, shifting my gaze back to hers since I know this could get out of control quick if I’m not careful. “And when I started to pull the same asshole shit with her, she didn’t let me. She’s spent years of her life investing in me, and the first time she thought I was out fucking around, she withdrew every penny of her emotional investment. Account closed. I managed to open it back up because I wasn’t dumb enough to actually do what she thought I did, but…”
Brittany’s eyes are glinting with unshed tears, but she still tries to hide it for me.
I sigh. “I thought she believed me, but I’m not sure. She may have some doubts. I need you to tell her we weren’t together yesterday. You made that fucking post, and I liked it to fuck with her… I know I have no right to ask, but…”
Brittany swallows, looking wobbly is the only way I can fucking describe it. But she nods, and she swallows again, and then she clears her throat. “I can make like a video or something.”
That she’s near tears and still offering to help me save my relationship with some other girl…
Maybe it speaks to who I am as a person that despite seeing how emotional she is and knowing what a fucked up thing it was to ask for, I open my phone and turn my camera to video.
“Can you tell Parker that I was not with you yesterday?”
Brittany offers a watery smile. She’s unsure of herself, but she wants to help. “Hey, Parker. I should have known. Anyway, Landon wasn’t with me yesterday. I was just having a bad day and listening to some music at the beach by myself.” She shakes her head. “He wasn’t with me, though. He hasn’t texted me back since he told me to stop texting him.”
I press the record button to stop the video, then I slide the phone back into my pocket. “Thank you.”
She nods, looking down at the driveway.
I start to turn and leave, but I think better of it and turn back. “Can I give you a last bit of advice before I go?”
“Landon Atwater, giving me advice?” she asks, a bit playfully despite how she’s feeling.
“Yeah, I know.” I roll my eyes at the gesture myself. “But for real. You and I hardly know each other. We never talked about shit. Stop giving so much to guys who don’t give enough fucks to give anything back to you.”
“After you, right?” she says dryly.
“Of course, after me,” I say, smirking at her as I back away. “Thanks for the video.”
“Asshole,” she says, chuckling a little to herself as I walk back to my car. But then, because she can’t help herself, she calls, “You’re welcome.”
___
When I finally pull in the driveway, the sun is about to go down.
