Dealing with Karter

Chapter 16: Jared

Jared had the widest smile on his face on the drive back from school. I have never seen him smile like this.

"So the Murphy charms are once again successful," he states confidently.

He has obviously heard of the kiss Karter and I shared in the hall earlier.

I rolled my eyes. "Drop it Jare."

I was not ready to talk about my love life with my brother.

"But I can't," he said excitedly. "I'm one step closer to dating the girl of my dreams."

Jared was officially head over heals. Never in my life did I expect him to go this hard for a girl.

How was I going to tell him it wasn't going to happen? Karter would not allow it.

"How about you continue doing this whole new Jared thing. Being nice to Karter, let him see your good side. That way he can give you his blessing," I suggested.

Jared rolled his eyes. "That's going to take too long, you think three years of making his life hell is going to be forgotten in a month? That's where you come in. You need to play the girlfriend card."

I don't want to play that card!

"Jared..."

He noticed what I was thinking since his whole expression changed. "We made a deal."

"I don't like this deal!" I cried.

"Fine. Get ready to see your picture plastered everywhere tomorrow," he said. There was no teasing to his tone. He meant it.

"No! You want me to become the new Karter? You saw how ruined his high school life was! I will be the laughing stock of the century," I begged him.

He shrugged his shoulders. Stubborn Jared was out. He scared me. "You have until tomorrow to convince him, I've obviously given you too much time."

"What is wrong with you?!" I yelled.

"Tick tock Liv," he said in a sing song voice.

He was the devil. I knew it.

"Fine! Fine! I'll do it! Just stop!" I cried. That satisfied smug snuck on his face. I hated him.

"Stop the car," I told him. I couldn't stand to be with him for another second.

"What?" His smile dropped.

"Stop the car. I'm mad at you. I don't want to stay with you," I tried to make him feel guilty.

"Liv, chill," he said trying to reason.

"I need to chill?" I yelled at him. "Stop the damn car Jared! I can't stand being with you right now! Stop or I'm jumping out!"

Jared swore under his breath before parking on the side. I slammed the car door ignoring him calling my name. I marched through the vast park walking to Karter's house. I knew he was at work but I just didn't want to be home right now. I couldn't go to Manny's house, he would probably tell me to listen to Jared and I did not want to hear that at the moment. I turned off my phone that had already had a few texts and missed calls from Jared. I knew he didn't like being evil with me, but there was something about Maddy that made him desperate.

I knocked on Karter's door and an elderly woman opened the door. She gave me a soft smile. "Can I help you sweetheart?"

I was pretty sure that was his grandmother.

"Hi I'm Livia, Karter's—"

Can I call myself his girlfriend?

Her eyes widened. "So you're Karter's Livia? Come in child, come in."