Secrets

Chapter Eight

Devan

"Okay, no problem? That's all she said?" Sam howls with laughter, literally holding his sides as he does. "Wow, maybe your charm isn't what you thought it was!"

My blood is boiling at his amusement. I have no idea why I tell these guys anything. 

"So what happened then?" Ricky asks, stifling a chuckle and I groan inwardly.

"She showered and I made breakfast. We ate and she was...." Breathtaking? Mesmerizing? "...fine. There was no animosity and none of that usual crap you get after you kiss a girl. She ate breakfast and then gave me a hug and left." I was perplexed. I really couldn't get my head around her behaviour. It really was like she didn't care about what happened between us.

"You didn't drive her home? Dude that's bad." Sam is still laughing at me and I have a sudden urge to smack that smile off his face.

"Obviously I tried to but she refused, saying she didn't live far and enjoyed the walk."

"She was lying." Jackson says bluntly as he bites into an apple.

"How the hell would you know?" 

"Because I looked at her file when I was in the school admin office the other day." He smirks. Jackson is forever hacking into systems and knows his way around the school files like the back of his hand.

"Okay, so what was she lying about?"

"She doesn't live around here. She lives in a run down, one bedroom shitty apartment with her dad over on east side. My guess? She doesn't want anyone to know where she lives." Really? How is it that she goes to Sun Valley Academy then? And how are her and her dad living in a one bedroom apartment? 

"I'm going to need that address." I say quietly to Jackson and he nods once.

"I heard Collins offer her a ride home a couple of times this week and she turned him down, which I thought was strange," Ricky throws in, "especially considering it turns out he's her brother."

I freeze. I figure this is exactly what she wanted to avoid.

"Yeah what's up with that?" Josh turns his attention to me.

"What makes you think I have any idea?" I won't share her secrets. I promised myself I'd protect her, not hurt her.

"Well, considering you're the one who brought her back to your house and your bed last night, I figured you'd have an idea."

"I still can't believe you were able to stop!" Sam laughs. Again. "If it was me and I had my hands and lips on that tight little..." And I punch him in the stomach and he gasps for breath and curses at me.

"Don't you dare." I warn.

"And you told her you didn't want to get involved? I think you already are, Dev." Ricky states. The worst part is I know he's right. "What are you afraid of?"

"Yeah, she already proved she's not the type of girl you look to avoid. Why not give an actual relationship a try for once in your life?" Josh offers and I can't help but raise a quizzical eyebrow at him. "Hey! Don't look at me like that. I can be deep sometimes too!" He chuckles.

Can I do that? My heart swells a little at the idea and I fleetingly consider when it was that I became such a girl. I get the feeling that I'll never get enough of this girl so maybe I just push my shit aside and try something with her?

"As touching as this is. I'm off. I've got a date with your girl." Jackson says and gives me a knowing wink, which I growl at and he laughs. "Don't worry Devan, I'll try to keep my hands off her." He rolls his eyes at me as he leaves.