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As the rehearsal wraps up and the band members start packing away their gear, Emily and Jane, the guitarist, head through the door leading into the building behind the garage, carrying some equipment. That’s when Trev approaches me, his eyes burning with resentment.
“You’re not welcome here,” he grunts. “You think that as a jock, you can just swoop in and get any girl you want? Well, fuck you. Em’s out of your league, and maybe you should focus on cheerleaders.”
Fire ignites in my chest, a surge of anger and protectiveness. I’m on my feet in seconds, standing taller and broader than Trev.
“Look, I get it. You’ve got a crush on her. But if things were going to happen between you two, it would have happened by now. Sorry to break it to you, but she ain’t interested in you,” I snap, heat burning through my veins.
His face twists with rage. “You asshole!” he exclaims, shoving a hand at my chest.
But I’m quicker, capturing his wrist and twisting it effortlessly. He’s not a big guy, especially not compared to me, and I shove him aside with all my strength. He trips over his own feet, crashing to the concrete garage floor.
“I’m not going to fight you for something that’s not going to change,” I bark at him. “She’s mine, so deal with it.”
Emily, followed by Jane, reenters the garage and sees Trev on the floor.
“What’s going on?” she asks, her gaze narrowing in on me.
“Nothing, we’re all good, right Trev?” I say, offering him a hand up. He slaps it away and gets up on his own.
“Yeah, all fine,” he groans, dusting himself off.
“I’ll go wait outside,” I announce, heading toward the garage doors and lifting them open. Behind me, I hear Emily asking Trev what happened, but he brushes her off. I step out into the cool evening air, my mind racing.
I know I should have left it alone, especially since Emily keeps reminding me that what we have is fake. Yet the idea of someone else being near her, making a move on her, cuts me in half. As I stand outside, the adrenaline still coursing through my body, I’m burning up, ready to rip him to shreds.
Why does this feel so real? Why does the thought of her with someone else get me so fucking worked up? I lean against the wall, trying to calm down, trying to remind myself that I need to keep a level head. But it’s hard, almost impossible, when every instinct in me is screaming to protect what I’ve come to care about more than I ever thought possible.
CHAPTER TEN
EMILY
As I walk alongside Sarah toward one of the campus cafeterias, my stomach growls, reminding me that I skipped breakfast. Sarah’s going on about Macy’s party we need to attend tonight, her words spilling out in an endless stream.
“The guys at Carson College are going to be there, and they are hot, you know?” she says, popping a piece of gum in her mouth.
“Really?” I chuckle, shaking my head. “Maybe I should visit there sometime,” I reply, half-joking.
She bumps my shoulder with hers. “Yeah, right, you’re dating the cutest guy already.”
I grin, but it feels forced.
As we turn a corner in the corridor that leads us to the cafeteria, my gaze shifts to the end of the hallway.
It’s Jake, and he’s pressed up against the wall with Julie, the blonde cheerleader, in his arms, her legs wrapped around his middle. She’s practically humping him. It’s just a fleeting second, but it feels like an eternity, and it’s as if someone poured lava over me.
Am I seeing right?
Sarah gasps beside me. “That asshole! Is he cheating on you with that bitch?”
I shouldn’t care. I don’t care. After all, whatever Jake and I have is fake. But the sight stings more like fire.
“I-It’s… fuck!” I manage to say, my voice hollow.
Jake pushes Julie off and meets my gaze. His face is flushed. “Em,” he calls out, but I’m already turning away, my feet carrying me as fast as they can.
Sarah’s right beside me, her voice laced with indignation. “Girl, you need to dump his ass. What the hell?”
I can’t deal with this, knowing I shouldn’t care. I need to be alone. Pulling away from Sarah, my mind is a whirlwind of confusion and hurt. As I’m about to leave the building, Jake catches up to me, grabbing my arm.
