Irresistible

ELEVEN

"Well, we technically aren't anything," I shrug, feeling the weight of the truth in my words. It's a painful realization, but it's the reality of our situation. Sage and I aren't anything.

"Don't bullshit me, Lils. This can really hurt Brooke," Elijah's tone is firm, his expression troubled as he looks at me, searching for honesty in my eyes.

I sigh, knowing I can't keep avoiding the truth. "We hooked up the night of the big party we threw," I admit, the words heavy on my tongue.

Elijah's mouth drops open in surprise. "That long?" he exclaims, his eyes widening in shock. Then, realization dawns on him, and he gasps, "Sage is Edward Cullen?? That's why she was asking about you at the gym!"

I nod slightly, acknowledging his observation but deciding to avoid delving into that topic further. "Nothing has been going on. We hooked up at that party—I didn't even know who she was. Then at the club, I saw her, and obviously Brooke was there, so we put two and two together. We agreed to stop whatever we were for Brooke's sake," I explain. My goal was not to hurt Brooke. In fact, it was the opposite.

Elijah's hum is filled with skepticism, his brow furrowing as he tries to make sense of the situation. "So why was she being all cute girlfriend in there and gave you her number?" he presses, his curiosity evident in his tone as we step out into the bustling streets of New York City.

Honestly, I don't even know the answer to that question. Sage's actions had left me just as baffled.

"We're friends," I offer weakly as I hold the door open for us, the sounds of the city enveloping us as we step outside. The cool breeze brushes against my skin, momentarily distracting me from the conversation.

Our apartment isn't too far from Columbia, so we decide to walk home.

Elijah lets out a dramatic laugh at my response. "Didn't seem like it to me," he remarks, shaking his head incredulously.

The weight of his words hangs heavy in the air, and I can't help but feel a pang of guilt for the tangled mess we've found ourselves in.

"We are friends. Let's be real. We can't be anything because of Brooke," I defend, my words sounding more like an attempt to convince myself than him.

He studies me for a moment before asking the question that I've been avoiding. "Do you like her though?" he asks gently.

I hesitate, the weight of his question settling heavily on my shoulders. After a moment of silence, I finally admit, "Yeah... I do," my voice barely above a whisper.

It's a painful realization, acknowledging my feelings for Sage while knowing that our relationship could never happen.

Elijah looks taken aback by my response, his surprise evident in his expression. One thing about me is that I don't often do
relationships.

Sure, there have been a few meaningless flings here and there, but nobody l've actually liked as much as Sage. The realization hits me like a wave, leaving me feeling vulnerable and uncertain of what the future holds.

A few seconds of heavy silence pass between us as we turn a corner, the weight of Elijah's question hanging in the air.

"Does anyone know?" he finally asks, his voice breaking the silence.

"No," I reply softly, "Just Jace," I add, knowing that my brother is the only one who's aware.

Elijah nods slowly, "You have to tell her," he decides firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"I can't do it, Elijah," I say softly.

He sighs, his understanding evident in his eyes. "I get it, Lils. It's a tough situation," he acknowledges, "But keeping this from Brooke won't make things any easier in the long run. "