Let's Make a Deal

Chapter 15

Nova's POV

I grabbed my things from Luxe's room and hurriedly shove them into my bag.

"Where are you going?" Luxe asked, waking up from her nap. She rubbed her eyes and watched me in shock.

"Your brother is unbelievable. Right when I thought that he had the chance to be a better guy, a good boyfriend, he meets this Kim girl and reinvents himself to be popular. I give up on changing him. You win." I sling my bag over my shoulder and stuff my chocolate hair into the hood of my sweatshirt. It was raining outside, so I needed to keep myself from getting too wet.

Luxe got up, in attempt to stop me.  "Hey, I've been telling you this whole time that he's an obnoxious ass. Just stay in my room for the rest of the night and you can leave in the morning."

I opened her bedroom door and went down the stairs.

"Nova!" She called from the balcony.

It was pouring rain outside, so I just pulled the strings on my hoodie tighter and started walking back to my house. I was lost in my thoughts until someone grabbed my wrist.

I turned, expecting to see Luxe but was met with another set of eyes. Adam's.

"You said back there that you fell in love with me." He said while getting soaked by the rain.

Oh shit. I did say that. How could I have let that slip in my frustration?

"It doesn't matter now. I'm going home." I turned back on my heel and started walking again.

"You don't even want to hear what I have to say about that?" He called behind me.

"Not really!" I shouted back.

"Not even the part when I say that you're unlike any girl I've ever met, or that I was planning on breaking up with Kim because I can't get you out of my head?"

I slowed my pace to hear what he was saying.

"That I sent Kim home because I was confused and discovered that I felt nothing for her? Or the part when I tell you that I think I'm falling in love with you too?"

I stopped. I've only made it about halfway down the block. I turned to see him still standing in front of his house, drenched.

I start walking toward him and he comes to me.

"Nova, I went back to school and started dating Kim to distract me from you. It was a huge mistake, and I realized that when I could see what she was doing to me. I wasn't the same guy around her. We were fighting this morning, and I just kicked her out because our relationship was meaningless. You were right about everything you said to me tonight." Adam smiled and tucked a piece of very wet hair behind my ear.

"Just so you know, Luxe was the one who sabotaged your relationship this morning." I bit my lip, hoping he wouldn't lash out at her.

He just chuckled. "I'll have to thank her when we go back inside. She set everything up for me to do this."

And before I could question him, he leaned in and kissed me.

My first kiss, with my best friend's brother.

The rain only added to the cliche of the moment, but it was truly perfect.

I dropped my bag and laced my hands through his hair, and just as I did, I heard someone call down to us.

"Get a room, you two! I shouldn't have to watch this. My goodness, can't anything be private any more?"

I was blushing and all I could do was rest my head on his chest to hide my face.

"And Adam, be careful with her. She's fragile. You'll be her first time so take it easy." Luxe stepped off of her balcony and back inside.

Adam was laughing, and smoothed my hair which I'm sure was a mess since my hood fell off.

"Let's go back inside. Okay?" Adam picked up my bag and took my hand.

We started walking back toward the house in the rain.

"Okay. But I warn you, I won't allow you to be mean to your sister. She's my best friend and she doesn't deserve to be treated poorly. Give her a chance, and I'm sure you'll get along. She's a lot like you." I looked at Adam and saw him smirking.

"I'll try. For you, not for her. I think that's fair. We'll be civil for you. I'm sure Luxe isn't too keen on being close with me either."

And he was right. She's not, but now was the time to get the deal going.

Maybe we can't kiss in front of Luxe, and we probably can't tell his parents about us yet, but this will work out. It has to.