Fraternizing with the Enemy

7 // Of Exercise and Early Deaths

Inside was bubbling a range of emotions that needed a release, and the diary was one of the only things that actually stuck for me. Where else was I going to pour the mortifying embarrassment of having Tyler see me dressed up in noodle couture? People didn't just live comfortably with that sort of shame. Reese was supposed to be helping me, my ass

My gaze shifted towards the open window. The sun was setting outside, dipping below the horizon and leaving the remnants of pink, purple and orange ribbons in its wake. For a moment I was so mesmerized by the mirage of blushing colours outside that I jumped when the doorbell resonated through the air.

I leaped to my feet, feeling the cool touch of wood underneath my bare toes, and figured that Eva probably forgot something or another in my room. Which was why when I pulled the door open and was met with chin stubble and an Adam's apple, I was more than a bit confused.

But mostly pissed off.

"Dude, what the hell?" I hissed, pulling Reese inside by his shirt and slamming the door behind him. "What if Vannah or Eva saw you?"

He placed his palms on my shoulders, those amber eyes staring straight into mine. "Do you think I'm stupid?"

I shrugged off his hands and crossed my arms over my chest, fixing him with a deadpan stare. "Is that a question or a statement? Because I think you've answered yourself already there, bud."

He shot me a look and kicked off his shoes, brushing past me and strolling right towards the living room. It took me a second to process this, sending him a look of sarcastic confusion. "No, no, don't worry about it, invite yourself in. Who needs manners in this day and age, am I right?"

Reese dumped himself on my couch, clearly unfazed by my words and rested his arms on the tops of the cushions. As I followed suit behind him, I made sure to sit myself at the edge of the seat with no threat of physical touching near my body. He arched a brow, but I ignored it.

"I've been waiting for like an hour for them to leave. Anyway, I came up with the best idea," he said, wiggling his fingers antagonizingly at me as they ghosted my shoulder.

I shifted. "Excuse me for having friends, I'll work on it for next time. Also, first, I need to know, what the hell was that whole thing that happened today? Why was Melissa crazy trying to kill me for being at your locker? That seems pretty... small."

Reese casually shrugged, but I could tell he was purposely trying to evade the question. "You know," he murmured. "It's sort of like- you know, all right, okay so..."

When trailed off again, earning an impatient glare from yours truly, his mouth fell shut and I assumed he received the message.

"So the red-headed girl, Lucy? Yeah, so she was actually, well is actually best friends with Melissa. And I totally broke up with Melissa three weeks ago. Two weeks ago?" He hummed in question. I restrained myself from face palming. "Probably three weeks ago, but she was a little, I guess, jealous? Probably 'cause I may have cheated on her before, so she's still sort of sour about it," he admitted, giving a sheepish shrug.

My jaw clenched.

"This is helping me help you with Savannah, how?"

"I'm a different guy!" he insisted. I was not convinced.

"When you'd cheat on her?" My voice was low.

He paused, lips pressed in a thin line as I could see him mulling over his options, averting his gaze everywhere but my face. "Which time?" he murmured, quiet, but enough that I could hear and enough that I could slap him in the arm, not that lightly.