AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Again, I try to shut those thoughts down. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, why my feelings for Troy seem to have opened me up in other ways too. Like my feelings have been sucked up to the surface, and no matter what I do, they won’t stop lingering there.
An hour later my shift ends, and when I get to my car, I shoot a text to Brenner and Taylor to see what they’re doing. Troy isn’t supposed to be at my apartment until later this evening. He and Colin have some kind of frat plans, and as much as I want to keep him to myself, I know he hasn’t hung out with his friends as much since we’ve been together.
Me: What are you guys up to?
Taylor: Who is this?
I roll my eyes.
Me: Ha-ha.
Okay, so maybe Troy isn’t the only one who hasn’t been hanging out with his friends as much lately.
Me: For real. What’s up?
Brenner: We’re about to drive to Dayton to pick up this dirt bike I’m buying. Wanna go?
My first impulse is to say no. Dayton is close to home, and after my emotional trip to see Mom and my spontaneous visit to Glen’s office, I want to steer clear. But since Troy has plans, and I’m the one who reached out to the guys, I figure I should agree.
Me: Pick me up at my apartment.
Taylor: No.
I ignore that, knowing he’s just being a dick. They are already in the parking lot, waiting for me as I pull up, so I jump in the cab of Brenner’s truck. “Getting a new bike, huh?”
“New to me.” Brenner used to ride when he was younger, up until he left for college, but he hadn’t had a bike since.
“You gonna let me teach you to drive it?” he asks.
“Fuck no,” I respond automatically, but then reconsider. It could be fun. I remember riding 4-wheelers once with Troy when we were teenagers, the two of us competing about who could go faster. It had been on a camping trip with some of Glen’s friends. I’d accidentally gone through some brush that had scratched up the paint, and though the guy said it wasn’t a big deal, that the point of 4-wheelers was for them to get beat up having fun, Glen had made me feel like shit about it all weekend.
Troy, on the other hand, had looked at me with all this emotion in his eyes until we went home, almost sad, as if he’d been the one who fucked up. It had annoyed me at the time, but now, now I know he did it because he cared, because he hated the way Glen treated me.
“Okay, yeah, I wanna ride it. I’m gonna bring T,” I add.
“Aww, I think Atlas is in looooove,” Taylor teases. Absently, I rub the spot on my chest where his name is, strangely proud of the brand.
“Have you told him yet?” Brenner asks. “Just don’t do it when you’re fucking, or it doesn’t count.”
My stomach twists. “Umm…”
Both glance at me, but it’s Taylor who says, “Holy shit. You told him when you were balls-deep, didn’t you? Well, one of you was balls-deep, at least.” They laugh.
“Or did he say it first? Whatever happened, one of your asses needs to say that shit outside the bedroom too,” Brenner adds. “It’s bad luck for it to be said when you’re fucking. Pisses off the gods.”
“I…what…you… Has anyone ever told you you’re a fucking idiot?”
“Gods?” Taylor questions.
“Fuck yes. I believe in that shit. And if Atlas fucked up on the first rule of falling in love… I’m just sayin’ he’s gonna have some bad energy heading his way.”
“There’s something wrong with you,” I tell him, ignoring the stupid discomfort in my gut, but enjoying this time with my friends.
Taylor and I tease Brenner for a few minutes before Brenner says, “I’m just giving you shit. I’m sure if you told Troy you love him while you were boning, all is good. The gods are just glad to see you happy.” He winks at me, and I roll my eyes, but really, I appreciate it. As wild as they are, they’re good guys.
“Do your parents know?” Taylor asks, sounding nervous.
I shift uncomfortably. “Nah.” I wish I could say yes, that I could believe everything will be okay.
