Being the Little Sister ♡ New Beginnings Spin-Off

21. Talking It Out

For the first morning since Caleb moved in, I don't stick around for breakfast or our usual morning bathroom olympics. Instead, I'm out the door before seven and in the passenger seat of Blair's car, relaying her the drama from this weekend. She wasn't at the study session yesterday so she's quite literally in the dark about everything. "Your brother is such an ass" she mutters, turning into the McDonald's parking lot.

I needed a sausage, egg and cheese McGriddle to get through today. We both head inside and order our breakfast before finding a table and taking a seat. Blair folds her arms in front of her. "So, what are you going to do?" She asks seriously. "I mean, you like Caleb...like, really, really like Caleb. And you've been pining over him for years-."

"I think I may be starting to more than like him" I admit softly and my cousin's face falls, her hand reaching out to take mine. "But how can I? How can I be falling in love with my brother's best friend?"

"Honey, our hearts don't choose who we fall in love with" she reminds me and I sigh, nodding my head in understanding as our food arrives at our table. We thank the waiter and divvy it up before digging in.

As I take a bite of my hash brown my phone vibrates and I find a text from Caleb. "He's looking for me" I read aloud. Blair shrugs.

"Are you shocked? Don't you guys usually screw around in the morning?" If I had actual fries I would throw one at her.

"W-we do not screw around. My gosh, we've only ever kissed."

"Mhm" she hums, unconvinced. I glare at her and she quirks an eyebrow at me, chuckling a bit in disbelief. "Come on. Are you really trying to tell me that an older guy as sexy as Caleb is living under your roof and you haven't gotten under him?"

"Blair, our relationship isn't about sex."

"Okay, that's great Sky but just because it's not the basis of the relationship doesn't mean it's not an important part. And he's done it before, don't you think that he's going to get tired of waiting?" This is why Addison was my best friend; she would never have breakfast with me and leave me with more doubt than I started with.

"I don't know" I admit. I wasn't Caleb but from what's already happened between us, I had no reason to doubt him.

My phone vibrates again and I look down to see another text, this one just stating my name in all capital letters since I indeed haven't answered him. "Is that him again?"

"No" I lie. "It's Liam" I elaborate. "He's having girl trouble." I force a smile onto my face as I pocket my phone and pick up my breakfast sandwich.

"Girl trouble? I didn't realize Liam had a girl to have trouble with." And luckily, thanks to my fabricated story, we spend the rest of breakfast talking about everything but my relationship with Caleb.

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"You're quiet today" Addison points out, standing beside me at our swim lockers. I hum in response, not really wanting to talk to anyone after the disastrous morning that I had; telling Blair was clearly a mistake. She had completely glossed over the issues I presented to her and instead, found new ones for me to wrestle with. "Skyler." She nudges my arm and I look over at her. "What's going on? Did something happen?"

The locker room has almost completely cleared out at this point, just a couple stragglers left apart from us. I sigh, closing my locker and stepping towards the bench in the middle of the locker alcove. I take a seat and Addison follows. "Would you ever fool around with my brother?" I ask abruptly, taking my best friend by surprise.