Chapter Twenty-Four WILLOW

“You’re going to the game, right?”

We’re sitting at our usual table during lunch with Bronwyn joining us. We’ve become a threesome, Bronwyn fitting right into the slot Alana vacated. I like Bronwyn. She’s sweet and she’s funny and she doesn’t seem prone to drama. Not that Alana ever did either, but sometimes I would see this look in her eyes that told me she was envious of Iris and me. I get it. It’s not easy being friends with us. We’re as close as sisters.

“I don’t think so.” I smile and duck my head, concentrating on the grilled chicken sandwich sitting in front of me. I grab hold of it and bring the sandwich to my mouth, taking a big bite.

“Why not? Come on, Willow. It’ll be fun. Everyone goes to the first home game,” Iris stresses.

The idea of sitting there watching everyone cheer Rhett on while I can do nothing but sit on my hands and pretend that he doesn’t exist? Sounds like torture. I’m being selfish, but I have to protect myself. This week in photography class has been pure torture, having to work with him. He’s given up trying to reason with me and instead we have stilted conversations while we work on the various assignments.

It’s awful.

“Not me,” I say brightly. “You know I don’t like football.”

“I don’t even watch the games,” Bronwyn says. “I’m just there for the snacks and the gossip.”

“Yeah, it’s not always about the game, though I’m sure our team will bring it.” Iris sends me a pouty look. “You wanted to go last week.”

“That was last week.”

Iris rolls her eyes. “Come on. Go for me.”

“You don’t need me there.”

“I want you there. Big difference. Plus, I need to cheer on Brooks. Don’t you want to support him?”

“Brooks? Since when do you cheer on Brooks?”

“He’s always been a friend.” She shrugs, her expression downright mysterious. “And I like to support my friends.”

Huh.

“Everyone is going,” Bronwyn says with the utmost authority. As if she’s surveyed every student on this campus. “You’ll be, like, the only person who’s not there.”

“And we can’t have that. People will start saying you’re boring if you don’t show up,” Iris adds, a devilish twinkle in her gaze.

I shove at her arm. “You said that on purpose.”

She knows it’s my weak spot. Stupid Alana for calling me that. Guess things are still going strong for her and Silas. They’re practically joined at the hip everywhere they go, and he doesn’t try and talk to me in English anymore, thank God.

But I don’t really talk to anyone in English. Or in any other class for that matter. Some people might call me unapproachable now more than ever, but I’m just protecting myself. Protecting Rhett too.

I miss him terribly.

“I’ll be right back.” Bronwyn leaps to her feet. “Bathroom break.”

The moment she’s gone, Iris leans in close to me, her expression dead serious. “You need to cut the crap.”

“What do you mean?”

“Something is up. You’re all whiny and mopey and don’t really talk. I know you, Willow. I’ve known you my entire life and I can tell something—or someone—is bringing you down.” Her expression is fierce. “Tell me who it is.”

“It’s nothing” is my automatic reply, and she shakes her head, cutting me off.

“Don’t give me that bullshit. You’re lying to me. Tell me.” She grabs hold of my arm, clinging to me. “I miss you. You haven’t been the same since you came back from Italy and all I want is for you to be happy, you know?”

I swallow hard, staring into her eyes, seeing all the sincerity in her gaze. “I can’t tell you here. There are too many people.”

The triumphant expression on my cousin’s face is almost comical. “I knew something was bugging you. Come on, let’s go to your room. Or mine.”

“What about Bronwyn?”

“I’ll text her right now.” Iris grabs her phone and starts typing.

I check my phone. “We only have a few more minutes left until the bell rings.”

“Then we better hurry.”

We dash out of the dining hall and practically run back to the building where our dorm suites are. Once we’re inside and alone, I come this close to spilling my guts about Westscott’s secret meeting before school and how I basically had to turn down Rhett. How, after Rhett and I had that awful conversation, he hasn’t tried to talk to me again.

But I don’t do any of that. I keep everything that’s happened to myself, which is the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do, especially with Iris. I tell her everything. Instead, I come up with a somewhat fake problem instead.

“I don’t think Rhett and I could ever work together and I told him that,” I lie.

Iris frowns. “Why would you say that? You haven’t even given him a real chance yet, have you?”

“No, but I just … I know it wouldn’t work, and trust me, I felt bad turning him down. But it’s easier if I just let him down now and get it over with.” I shrug, keeping my gaze averted. Looking into her eyes might be truth serum and I can’t afford to confess my real issue.

“You turned him down?” There’s disbelief in her voice.

“Sort of.” I hesitate. “He’s not my type.”

“Maybe you’re making a mistake by not giving him a chance though? You just never know. Sometimes we end up with people we never believed were possible,” she says almost cryptically.

I study her, curious by her response. “Are you referring to someone specific?”

Iris flashes me a dazzling smile, and it almost feels like she’s trying to distract me. “Oh, my mom always says that to me. She claims Dad was the last person she should’ve ever ended up with, but she did anyway because they were basically soulmates. I’m not sure if I believe in that sort of thing though.”

I do. I believe in it with every part of my being. There’s a reason I’m drawn to Rhett despite him not being someone I would’ve normally picked for myself. Maybe he’s my soulmate?

Probably not. And really? I shouldn’t think like that.

We hear the bell ring in the distance and I’m already dashing toward the door and opening it. “We need to go.”

“What we need is to continue this conversation.” Iris follows right behind me.

“There’s no point.” I turn to face her as the door slams behind her. “Promise me you won’t go to Rhett and say something to him.”

She gapes at me as if I shocked her with my request. “I would never betray you like that.”

She’s right. She never would. And I can’t believe I said that to her. “I know you wouldn’t. I—I’m sorry I said it.” I reach for her but she’s already pulling me into her arms, giving me a quick hug.

“It’s fine. I know you didn’t mean it. I just—you’ll tell me if something major is bothering you, right?” Iris pulls away from me but keeps her grip on my upper arms, staring into my eyes. “Promise me you will.”

“I promise.” My smile is weak, my throat aching with the words I should be saying to her. “We should go to class.”

“Right.” Her gaze searches mine. “You know we swore to each other a long time ago that we’d never keep secrets from one another.”

“We were five,” I remind her.

“And I still stand by that promise.” Her voice, her expression is somber, and I feel terrible that I’m keeping this from her.

“Me too,” I whisper.

“Good.” She blinks once. Twice. “Um, I have a confession to make.”

I’m frowning. “What do you mean?”

“My own secret. That I’ve been keeping from you.”

My mouth falls open. “Are you serious? After you just gave me a total guilt trip, you’ve been keeping something from me all along?”

“I’m sorry! I didn’t know how to tell you.” She glances around, noting how more and more people are passing us by. “But I’ll have to reveal it later, when no one is around.”

“And now you’re leaving me with a cliffhanger? You’re unbelievable.”

Iris laughs and I’m so grateful to hear that sound, I nearly sag with relief. “I’m sorry! We can talk about it when we get ready for the game.”

“Iris …”

“You’re going.” Her voice is firm. She’s not about to let me out of this. “Whether you like it or not.”

A despondent sigh is my only answer and she flashes me a cheeky grin. “See you after school! Meet me in my room.”

And then she’s gone.

***

For the rest of the afternoon, I think about what Iris said, and what her secret could be. I turn over every possibility I can come up with, all of them having to do with boys. Because, seriously, I think that’s the only thing she would keep from me.

Who she’s messing around with.

She alluded to someone when I first came back, but she never mentioned a name or gave me a clue to who he could be. And I sort of forgot about it, becoming wrapped up in my own drama and problems.

I’m selfish. Here’s Iris wiling to drop everything to be a good friend to me, and all I can focus on is my own crap.

Photography is easy because Rhett isn’t in class. The football team is already out for the rest of the day, preparing for tonight’s game. At least I don’t have to face him and all the disappointment I see shining in his eyes every time he looks in my direction.

When the final bell rings, I’m hurriedly heading back to my dorm suite, coming to a halt when I see two familiar heads behind a bush. The sound of voices rising as tempers flare.

“You were all over her,” I hear Alana say, her tone accusatory. “You know she has a little crush on you. Why are you encouraging her like that?”

Well, at least I know she’s not yelling about me. I’ve avoided Silas all week.

“It’s nothing,” Silas reassures. “I’m totally into you, babe. You know this.”

I make a face. I hate the way he just called her babe, and not because I’m jealous. It just sounded so insincere.

“No. I don’t know it because I’m constantly catching you flirting with other girls. It’s like you want their attention because it makes you feel better. You make me feel like I’m not enough and that’s unfair. You did it with me and Willow, and now you’re doing it with Margaret and it’s not fair, Silas. If you want to be with her, then go for it. I’m not going to stand in your way.”

“I don’t want to be with Margaret. She’s only a sophomore for Christ’s sake,” he gripes, sounding totally unlike himself.

But maybe that’s the real Silas, what I’m hearing. He was putting on some sort of fake persona to impress me.

Alana goes dead silent and I can practically feel the fury vibrating off her. “Are you saying that because she’s younger, you’re afraid she won’t put out? Is that the issue?”

“One time,” he mutters. “One time you catch me fucking around with another girl and you’ll never let me forget it.”

“I can’t forget it! You’re not loyal, Silas. As a matter of fact, you’re a terrible boyfriend. I don’t know why I ever thought this would work. We’re done. I mean it this time.” Alana storms from behind the bush, and I’m so shocked by their revelations that she catches me standing there, unable to move.

She spots me because, of course, she does, and she comes to a stop, staring at me for a moment before a faintly hysterical laugh leaves her. “I guess you win, Willow. You can have him.”

Silas stops just behind Alana, a smile appearing on his face when he spots me. “Oh hey, Willow.”

Alana jabs him in the ribs. “She was spying on our conversation.”

“I wasn’t spying. I couldn’t help but hear it, you two were so loud,” I retort.

Silas winces. “I guess I don’t look so good to you right now, huh?”

“No, you definitely don’t. But both of you revealed your true colors to me a long time ago.” I wave at them. “Bye.”

I rush away from them, eager to get to Iris so I can tell her everything, but I hear footsteps behind me, and oh my God, it’s freaking Silas. I come to a full stop and turn to face him, ready to shove at him if need be. I don’t want this guy near me.

“Alana is just—jealous,” he starts. “Of you. Of Margaret. Of any girl I speak to or even look at. She can’t help it. I guess I bring that out of her.”

I roll my eyes at his remark. Is he for real right now? “There’s no point in you chasing after me or trying to change my mind. I’m not interested, Silas.”

“But we could’ve been so good together—”

“Get the fuck out of here, dude.”

We both go still at the angry male voice coming from behind me. Slowly I turn around to find Rhett standing there with a furious expression on his face, which doesn’t distract from his attractiveness. No, in this moment, he’s even more appealing, rushing to my defense, looking ready to tear Silas apart with his bare hands.

All because Silas won’t leave me alone. Rhett is protecting me when he doesn’t need to. When he has no reason to. After I’ve been so dismissive of him lately.

My heart swells with emotion.

“This is really none of your business,” Silas starts to say, but he goes silent at the death glare Rhett sends him.

“It’s my business. Like I told you before, she belongs to me.” Rhett makes his way toward us, stopping directly in front of me, blocking me completely from Silas’s view. “So back the fuck off.”

“I never see the two of you together—”

“Because we don’t need to flaunt to everyone else that we’re together, okay, asshole? Now beat it.”

They stare at each other, though I can’t see Silas, thanks to Rhett standing in my way. My gaze drops to his hands, the way they’re curled into fists. Like he wants to use them against Silas, and my heart drops.

Here I am avoiding Rhett completely and I’m still somehow a complete distraction to him. If Westscott saw us right now, he’d blame me, and I guess he’d be right. It doesn’t seem to matter what I do. Rhett is still going to run to my rescue. And deep down …

I’m grateful for it.