Chapter Six

Huxley POV:

I felt like jerking her up in front of the locker room and hauling her all the way home. What made her follow me into the locker-room anyway? I should have answered and spared her the humiliation.

None of this was her fault, and I hated myself for being mean, but I just felt pissed about all of it.

All my built-up frustration for being an ass spilled out onto the football field after school. It wasn’t her fault, me feeling jealous like a fourteen-year-old experiencing his first girlfriend.

When she acted like I didn’t do homework the night before, it tipped me over into an angry tornado. I didn’t want her to see me as a stupid jock. And I certainly didn’t want her thinking I was some kind of asshole to girls.

Which brought up the better question as to why I cared in the first place as she frankly pointed out to me.

I’d tossed and turned for nights trying to come up with any other reason that I didn’t want her to talk to Liam. I couldn’t. Then seeing her fawn over him in the locker-room put the cherry on top of my sundae. It rushed me back to the feeling of her crushing on him.

The feeling of me touching her waist. This was Adler, not Becky Jane my first babysitter when I was ten. Not the hot summer camp counselor when I was thirteen. It was my stepsister, the TLC watching, always studying, glasses wearing, over-large T-shirt … with a cute tiny nose and baby blue eyes.

I’m going to Hell.

I slammed my locker shut and ran my fingers into my freshly showered hair.

Liam leaned against the top of the locker frame and knocked his knuckles against them. “Hey, missed you at lunch.”

“I was busy.”

That was a lie. I bribed a sophomore girl out of her lunch third period and ate in my truck. Like a girl, crying over my emotions. God, I am starting to hate myself.

“You want to go get some pizza? My treat. Dad pissed Mom off again, so they gave me money to go out tonight to eat. He’ll spend the night groveling.”

I didn’t need to hold grudges, it’d never been my thing, and Liam hadn’t done anything to me. He couldn’t help how I felt, and the fact I hadn’t told either of them the truth.

“Sure,” I said. “Let me text Mom and tell her where I’m going.”

I shot Mom a text and followed Liam to the local pizza parlor on the square.

The owner, an older Indian woman in her fifties, greeted us with a smile. She loved when we came in and devoured three pizzas after practice and left her a tip for all the extra sausage she tossed on there.

“Your usual?” she asked.

“You got it,” Liam shouted, sliding into the opposite side of the booth. The restaurant sat around fifty but only one other booth was taken.

Liam stretched out in the booth, checking his phone before turning off the screen. “Jacee broke up with you, I heard.”

It’d been all over school like expected. I overheard several girls talking about Liam being single for an entire period. You would never think it’d take an entire period to get your thoughts together on how to approach him.

Liam nodded and took a drink of the sweet tea the owner brought over. “Yeah, but I’m not upset about it. She was riding my nerves anyway.”

Obviously. She got on most of the football team’s nerves with her constant calling his phone during parties and while trying to play Call of Duty.

“Where were you at lunch today?” Liam asked.

I shrugged and stirred the ice in my glass. “Studying.”

“Since when?”

My fist clenched against the table, and I kept my gaze there. My best friend should know that I study when no one is around, and I’m killer at codes and web design, but he didn’t. I’d always felt the need to keep up this stupid charade of being a dumb jock.

“I study all the time, just not around people. I’m good at coding too.”

Liam finished off his tea. “Yeah? Like computers and websites and stuff?”

“Yeah.”

“Why don’t you ever talk about it?”

The owner brought over our pizzas and slid them onto the table. “Here you boys go. I’m happy to see your faces again.” She pinched both of our cheeks and shuffled back toward the counter.

“I don’t know,” I admitted after she left.

I devoured three pieces within minutes, watching Liam do the same while keeping his eye on his phone. Aggravation stormed me. Normally it was Jacee texting her whereabouts every damn second, but this wasn’t Jacee.

It was Miss Play Your Man.

Adler Ray.

I let my fist slam onto the table.

Liam jumped. “Geesh, what is it?”

“Who are you texting?”

He swallowed his pizza slowly. “You okay, dude? Since when do you care who I’m texting?” He leaned back. “Now that we’re talking about it, you’ve been weird for days. Skipping lunch and acting like a girl. What the hell is wrong with you? You need some sex? I can’t help you there but there is an entire high school full of girls that would love attention from you.”

I sighed deeply, pushing my dark hair from my forehead. “I’ve been stressed out at home,” I blurted out.

“With Steven or your mom?” he asked.

“Adler.”

Liam sat up straight. “Adler? Is that what that whole thing was in the locker room today? You were an ass to her.”

I rolled my eyes. I didn't need reminding. Part of me wanted to tell him that I had mixed feelings about her, spill my guts like a girl at a sleepover, but what if he found out that she was Miss Play Your Man? Would it change his feelings or make it worse for the both of us?

“Just getting on my nerves. So, who’s got you checking your phone every two minutes?”

Liam grinned. “It’s gonna sound catfishy but it isn’t, because one, I don’t know what she looks like, and secondly, I don’t think I care. She accidentally text me and I got sucked into a conversation with her.”

Accidentally text him? God, he was falling for this completely.

“You’re right, it sounds super catfishy.”

He sighed but devoured another piece of pizza instead of answering. I felt trapped inside myself. How would Mom and Mr. Steven feel if I spilled my guts to them about Adler? It would be inconvenient for them to stay home all the time to avoid leaving us alone, or maybe they’d suggest I take the downstairs spare bedroom.

I tossed a stray pepperoni into my mouth. As stupid as it sounded, I’d take the spare bedroom for her.

Stupid Adler.

The biggest question would be what would Adler think about me having these feelings?

Someone shoot me.

Liam typed out something onto his phone with a huge grin.

It felt like someone stabbed me and twisted the knife every passing second. I couldn’t tell Liam about Miss. Play Your Man, but I could try to stop them from being together.

“You want to come home and play the game?”

“Sure.”

We finished our food and drove over to my house. Mr. Steven was home, but it looked like Mom was at that monthly book club or the gym. His door was shut, and I could hear his snores from the living room when we walked inside.

Adler sat at the table with a plate of spaghetti, tea, and an opened book. Her face paled when Liam followed me inside. The tops of her high cheeks tinted pink, and she slumped down into her chair.

“Hey Adler,” Liam said, sinking down onto the sectional.

“Hey,” she whispered.

Liam turned the TV on, while I kicked off my shoes, and made uncomfortable eye contact with her from across the room. I plopped down on the sofa, kicking my bare feet onto the coffee table.

“Why don’t you put that book away and come play with us?” I asked.

“I have a test tomorrow.”

Liam pulled out his phone and sent a text message. Buzzing vibrated from the dining room table. Liam shoved his phone back into his pocket, glancing at Adler who ignored her phone and the room.

Slowly, she slipped her phone into her pocket and continued to study. I felt my heart race, and my irritation grew. Why couldn’t I just let it go? What was it Adler always said? Let it go like Elsa?

“Come play,” I said again.

Adler tossed me a dirty look. “No.”

Liam gave me the side eye. “She doesn’t want to, come on, and sign-in. I don’t have all night.”

“Why, you have somewhere to be? Or someone to text?”

“Drop it,” he said, reaching over to press A on my controller.

Call of Duty came across the screen while I felt Adler’s eyes on me. She knew, I knew. I could see it on her face. She closed her book softly, grabbed her things and walked toward the staircase.

I couldn’t stop myself. “Come on, you always want to know how to play.”

She ignored me. A taste of my own medicine, I guessed.

“Dude, leave her alone.”

“Your girlfriend text you back yet?”

Liam stood up abruptly. “You’re pissing me off. I don’t have time for your bipolar attitude tonight.”

I couldn’t even be pissed at him for leaving, because I was being an asshole and I knew it.

Adler stood at the first step, staring at me over her shoulder. Before I could say anything, she walked toward her room, and I heard her door shut.

I stared at the screen for what seemed like forever, the distant sound of Mr. Steven’s snoring drifted from the other room. Groaning, I walked up the stairs and to Adler’s room. I opened the door when she didn’t answer my knock.

She stood by her bed, staring at herself in a vanity mirror. A long t-shirt hit mid-thigh and her hair was piled on top of her head.

“Can I have some privacy?” she asked.

I hated myself for it, but I looked at her shapely legs, and felt my heart pound in my ears.

I needed to go pound one out or something.

Adler crossed her arms over her chest. “So when did you figure out it was Liam, huh?”

“The night you lied to me, I got on the website and saw Jacee’s request.”

She looked down at her bare feet and scoffed. “Why are you trying to get me caught then? You started this website, and now you’re trying to get me caught up? What gives, Huxley?”

I squeezed my fingers into a fists. “You have a crush on Liam?”

Adler’s head shot up, and her eyes grew big. “No.”

“I heard you that night taking with Ledela. You’re crushing on him, and I don’t like it, Adler. You deserve better than Liam.”

She pressed her tongue against the inside of her cheek. “He isn’t that bad. So what if I like him? That’s why you were trying to get me caught tonight? And you wanted me to think you’re an astounding guy, way to show it.”

She hit me with another punch to the jugular. “Why are you still playing him, Adler? Are you going to tell him it’s you? If not, drop it and stop leading him on.”

“Why are you so angry about it? Is that why you’ve been acting weird with me? I never have crushes, and I have my first one, and you’re flipping your lid?”

“He’s my best-friend. I know him better than anyone does. I don’t want you dating him or texting him. Jacee found out the truth, now you stop texting him, or I’ll tell him who you are.”

I couldn't believe I said it.

I didn’t want to, but I didn’t want them together.

I didn’t want her dating my best friend or being sucked into his manipulative ways. “Liam has sex with his girlfriends, Adler. You’ve never had sex, and Liam doesn’t need to be your first.”

The words left my mouth because I couldn’t hold them in anymore.

“You don’t know what I’ve done!” she shouted. “And if I want it to be Liam or Lord Voldemort, it could be.”

“He doesn’t value those girls. He has a different one all the time. Jacee isn’t his first girlfriend by far. I don’t want you to be the talk of the locker room.”

A tear fell from Adler’s eye. “No, you want me to be invisible. You don’t want me to wear makeup and look pretty. Now I can’t have a crush. This is horse crap. You’re not my boss, Huxley. You’re my stepbrother, so stop trying to control my life. It’s stupid and obnoxious.”

Adler would never be invisible.

Not to me, or anyone that mattered, but I couldn’t get my tongue to say it. “You better end it with Liam.”

I slammed her door and then mine. I felt like crap after I did it, but I couldn’t stand the thought of her and Liam together, more than I cared about her hurt feelings. I had caused the tears on her cheeks. In all the years, I’d known her, Adler had never cried because of me hurting her feelings.

I’d tickled her to tears, sure.

I’d tripped her, and apologized after she shed a few tears, but this was different.

I was butt hurt, and I took it out on her.

I had no plans to fix this, and the out of control feeling made my world tilt on end.

***

Another hot afternoon of practice rolled around, leaving me sweaty and worn out.

Coach slapped my back. “You’ve been a beast this week, Jacks. Whatever it is that’s giving you motivation, keep it up.”

Imagining Liam’s face on my opponent wasn’t a good answer.

“I’ll work on it,” I said.

The locker room was in full swing when I stripped out of my workout jersey. Liam kept his back to me as he had most of the day. I couldn’t blame him after the night before at my house.

Jones shoved my shoulder, and I followed his pointed finger toward Señor Seth in the corner of the room.

“Dude’s been putting up posters about that Miss Play Your Man website. Said she suckered him and now his girlfriend broke up with him. Dude is tripping.”

That wasn't good.

When he turned, he held a stack of posters to his chest. Both eyes looked dark underneath like he hadn’t slept. His girlfriend hadn’t meant too much if he asked Adler for nudes but who was I to judge?

“What are you doing?” Coach yelled from his desk in the corner.

Seth glanced around the room with shifty eyes. “I need to stop this girl. This Miss Play Your Man. She is going to slowly separate all the couples in this school. Do you know who it is? She destroyed my relationship.”

Coach frowned. “Are you okay? What are you talking about? The nurse is in today if you need to go lay down.”

We didn’t need teachers getting in on this.

I walked over to Seth and wrapped my arm around his shoulder. “Seth, don’t worry him with this nonsense,” I said. I turned him to face the door away from Coach who lost interest. “If anyone knows who it is, it’s the girls. They are teaming up with her, right?”

He nodded.

“Ask them, not the teachers.”

Seth let out a shaky sigh. “Can you pass these out to your teammates just in case?”

“Sure.”

I waited until he shut the double doors and I tossed the fliers into the trash.

Liam eyed me. “What is he talking about? That stupid website for advice?”

“Yeah, Seth’s crazy, thinks he can get the Spanish II teacher too.”

Liam scoffed.

The less Liam knew the better. If he found out I steered Seth away from finding the truth, he’d know there was a reason, and just because I didn’t want them together, didn’t mean I wanted Adler to go down in front of the entire school.

Attention from guys was one thing, but shy Adler couldn’t take being shunned from the entire high school.

After my shower, I dressed, and walked toward my truck. I noticed Seth from a distance, waving his poster around and talking to a group of baseball guys.

In the words of Adler. Crappity crap.