My pulse drops.
Thank you, Jesus.
Irritated, Blake goes for the armchair besides the couch.
Will and I lock eyes again.
Only this time, he smirks.
Like he’s telling me, “You’re welcome.”
What in the…
Did he just do that on purpose?
Does he know something?
The small leather couch renders personal space a foreign concept to us. I try to make myself as scarce as I possibly can, squeezing my thighs against the armrest and peeking at Will every once in a while.
He makes himself comfortable, sitting like a typical dude with his legs spread wide. He doesn’t seem to give a flying shit that our bodies are squashed together. The proximity allows me to feel the heat radiating off his skin.
Holy hell, is he a human oven?
“You guys down for a horror movie?” Zoey suggests.
As if we just had the exact same train of thoughts, Will and I scoff. Could they be any more obvious? Kendrick nods in agreement, and Zoey begins scouring Netflix. I’m not big on horror movies, always end up not sleeping for a week afterward although I have to admit, I’m glad the boys didn’t insist on watching the game. I don’t know squat about football.
I’ll never be the cool girl who impresses guys because of her sports knowledge. I’m the girl who can eat her body weight in food and still be hungry.
That’s still an impressive skill, right?
“I’m not watching that. Too scary,” Zoey squeals.
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” Kendrick replies.
I wish I’d choke on a popcorn and pass out.
We’re halfway through the movie when Kendrick circles Zoey’s shoulders and draws her flush into his chest. That’s how I know I’ve reached my daily limit of cringeworthy moments.
I rise up. “I’m going to make more popcorn.”
Morgan glances up at me. “But we still have som—”
I scowl at her, a scowl that she instantly picks up on, as a best friend does, and she smacks her mouth shut.
“I’ll help.”
My pulse quickens when Will pushes off the couch, too.
Crap. He’s following me.
Now I really have to make popcorn.
The second we venture into the kitchen, he kicks the door shut and releases a heavy sigh.
“Jesus. About time. I was dying back there.”
A laugh slips out of me. Good to know I’m not the only repulsed by the idea of Kendrick and Zoey together. I glance at him over my shoulder, craning my neck to catch a decent shot of his face.
God, he’s tall.
How long has he been this tall? Reclining against the kitchen counter, he folds his arms over his chest, staring at me so hard I can feel the weight of his eyes digging into my shoulders as I reach for a water bottle in the fridge.
“What? You don’t ship it?” I bring the bottle to my lips.
“For the sake of the female population, Kendrick should only be shipped with his hand.”
My water goes down the wrong pipe.
“What’s…” Cough. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m just saying your brother’s not boyfriend material.”
I cough some more.
He fights a smile.
“What? And you are?” I say once I’ve caught my breath.
He gives himself a push off the counter, stalking toward me. He stops a tad too close, a lock of blond hair dangling before his eyes as he says, “I could be.”
His eyes flicker with something I don’t recognize. He searches my gaze like I’ve buried the darkest, most troubling secrets inside. Like I’m some shiny new toy he didn’t know he could play with until now.
The smell of his cologne floats around us. I used to hate Blake’s cologne. Thought it was too strong. But Will’s cologne? I don’t mind it. It’s nice.
Kass, focus.
“Please.” I snap back to reality. “You don’t have a boyfriend bone in your body.”
He sneers. “Because you know so much about me from all the conversations we’ve never had before?”
He does have a point.
This is our longest conversation to date.
He didn’t even bat an eye at my existence before. I have no idea why he’s talking to me now.
“Well, you don’t have a girlfriend, do you?” I point out.
“Oh.” Discomfort colors his features. “I see what this is. Look, Kass, I’m really flattered, but… you’re my best friend’s sister. I think we should keep it PG.”
My jaw hangs. “What? N-No. That’s not… That’s not what this is, I…”
Will watches me word vomit for a solid ten seconds before cracking a smile.
“You’re fucking with me.” I scold myself for falling for it.
“Took you long enough.”
Somehow, I’m not surprised when he picks my water right out of my hands.
“Wow, you are really easy to mess with.” He takes a sip.
He would know. He’s the king of fucking with people. You know how each school has a funny guy? The prankster, the class clown? Well, Riverside High has William Martins. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, the troublemaker isn’t that hot. He’s popular, yes, because he’s entertaining and endearing in a “Wow, you’re really dumb” kind of way but…
When he’s got the jokes plus the looks?
Hook, line, sinker.
I’ve known girls to catch a crush over one of Will’s flirty jokes.
“This is going to be fun.” He hands me my now empty water bottle. I can already picture it—him bugging me every time he comes over from now on.
“Stop acting like we’re friends,” I remind the both of us.
“Ouch,” he pouts, walking over to the pantry to grab a bag of popcorn and shoving it inside the microwave. He selects three minutes.
I bite my tongue not to intervene.
He notices. “What?”
“That’s way too long.” I saunter to him and press the Reset button. “It’ll burn. Two minutes tops, less if it stops popping.”
A mocking smile reshapes his lips as I enter the right digits and push Start.
“Kendrick’s right,” he says after a while. “You are bossy.”
I’m about to object when the door creaks open.
Zoey’s head slips into the doorway.
“Kass, would you be a doll and bring us water, chips, and paper towels while you’re at it?” Before I can gather a response, she tops it off with, “You’re sweet. Thanks,” and strolls back to where she came from.
A short moment of silence ensues.
Will fills the void. “Do you always do that?”
“Do what?”
“Let her boss you around.”
His question cuts me deeper than expected.
“What? She doesn’t boss me around. She’s my friend.”
He cocks an eyebrow.
“I swear, that’s just how we are. She’d do the same for me.”
“Whatever you say.” He shrugs, retreating to the living room. “Control freak,” he adds seconds before he’s out the door.
I can’t suppress a smile.
I know I told him we’re not friends now.