oxygen (e.d.)

chapter seventeen

{riley}

"so she's a psychopath?" sloane raises her eyebrows and shoves another forkful of salad in her mouth.

"no," i roll my eyes, "i mean, maybe? i don't really know her, but that's what the secret source told me."

"oh shut up we know it's grayson," wyatt says, "but how does he know?"

"mutual friends," i shrug.

"so," sloane sets down her bowl, "what's the plan?"

"what plan?" i scoff.

"a plan to break them up, idiot." wyatt says.

sloane grins and high fives my brother.

"oh hell no," i emphasize, "no way. i'm not that kind of person. totally goes against my morals."

"riley," sloane sighs, "i know you still want to deny your feelings for ethan. i know they never left. you two belong together, and wyatt and i are going to make that happen."

"so you're replacing me? with my brother?" i tease, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

"if you keep up this 'i'm a perfect angel who won't get her hands dirty for the boy i'm destined to be with' act then yes."

"still no," i say, "it's not right. if ethan is happy, that's all that matters. i wouldn't be able to live with myself if i broke them up because i was selfish."

"okay but i don't feel that way." wyatt smirks.

"you hated when ethan and i were together!" i argue and smack the back of his head lightly.

"the past is in the past."

"exactly," i say, "which means we shouldn't mess with ethan's present relationship."

"i do not like rowen," sloane shakes her head and types on her phone.

"you haven't even met her."

"and what about it?"

"guys just stop," i say firmly, "i can't mess with their relationship."

"you can't..." wyatt says slowly, standing up and walking over to sloane.

"but we can." sloane finishes, motioning to the both of them.

"it's a free country, i guess."