the reason | 13rw

t w e n t y - t h r e e

the following week i was back at school, i'd successfully avoided jessica up until wednesday when zach and justin invited me to the basketball game. i'd decided to go mainly because they wouldn't stop bugging me and because monty was also going and he'd managed to also avoid me since i got back. 

i walked into the gym, seeing the boys talking while hanging out in the corner. i smiled and walked over. 

"you came," justin smiled. 

"i told you i would," i smiled back. 

he hugged me, kissing my forehead. we weren't a thing but shared a few kisses since the night at bryce's. we also acted very couplish but we weren't anything official which i was okay with. even if jessica and i despised each other, it still felt kind of wrong. 

"have you guys seen monty?" i asked. "my brother said he was coming and i need to talk to him." 

"i just saw him in the locker room." zach said. 

"thanks," i nodded and walked to the locker room area. 

i pushed the door open slightly. 

"monty?" i asked. 

"yeah," he said. 

"are you decent?" 

"do you care?" 

i let out a chuckle and walked in, seeing him on a bench. he was without a shirt but had his baseball tights on. 

i sat down on a bench in front of him. 

"why have you been ignoring me all week?" i asked. 

"i haven't, i've just been busy." he said and stood, pulling his tights off. 

"monty, i know you and you haven't been busy." i said. "you've been dodging out of classes and keeping yourself busy talking to someone else." 

he let out a sigh and made eye contact with me, which was slightly awkward considering he was mostly naked. 

"are you dating justin?" 

"no," i shook my head. "we're nothing official." 

"have you guys done anything more than the full make out session on bryce's couch?" 

"no." 

"are you planning to?" 

"what are these questions?" i laughed as he pulled on a pair of shorts. 

"i just don't think it's a good idea that you get with him." 

"why not?" i asked. 

"just a feeling." he shrugged and pulled a shirt on. 

"monty," i said. 

he let out a sigh and threw his tights in his duffle bag before looking at me. 

"look, i'm a guy in this locker room everyday. i hear things and justin is up to no good." 

"what do you mean?" 

"i mean bryce and justin are betting money on when you'll sleep with justin." he said. 

"excuse me?" 

"they think you're easy." he said. 

"does everyone know about this?" i swallowed. 

"everyone but scott, jeff and elliot." 

"so zach knew?" i asked. "anyone else?" 

"clay knows too." he said. "and alex." 

"they both knew about this, but let jess and i fight? you knew about this and let jess and i fight?"