TAINTED

Chapter 16

RHYS

"Answer me, Rhys," Eddie shouted. "Did you hook up with Ivy?"

My silence told him everything.

His stare burned into me as he took a thunderous step forward and shoved me. I could not look my best friend in the eye for the first time. I was a month away from saying goodbye to Eddie and Moose Creek to attend my first year of college at UCLA. The last thing I ever wanted was to leave on bad terms.

Charlie stood behind him, both arms crossed in front of his chest, and a smug smile tugged at the corner of his lips. This was all his fault. If Eddie's body weren't blocking Charlie's, I would've knocked him square in the jaw with my fist.

Fucking snitch.

Charlie saw Ivy leave her father's office in tears the night of our graduation party. When I stepped out behind her, he was standing there, knowingly. I was busted. I begged Charlie to keep his mouth shut. He didn't. When I showed up at Eddie's house to jam in the garage, he asked me point blank if I'd hooked up with Ivy. I was caught entirely off-guard. Usually, I could talk myself out of anything. This time, I couldn't find words to answer. I wanted to tell him that none of what I'd done was ill-intentioned. I wanted to finally come clean and tell him I did have feelings for Ivy, and she meant everything to me. Which was precisely why I didn't let what happened between us go any farther that night. It nearly killed me to see her cry and send her upstairs. But of course, I didn't tell him any of those things.

"Eddie, man...come on," I nervously laugh. "You're my best friend. Do you think I'd hook up with your little sister?"

My heart was pounding. I was lying like a coward. Eddie knew it. I knew. And fucking Charlie knew it too.

"We're fucking done," Eddie spat. The fire burning inside his eyes was flaming fierce. I'd never seen him look so angry. Eddie was always the cool, calm, and collected one between us. Not now, though. He was anything but. "I know you're lying to me, Rhys. Charlie saw you. Ivy was crying. What the hell did you do to her? So help me God-"

He took another step closer, fists clenched like he was seconds away from feeding me a painful blow.

"Okay, okay." I finally conceded and held up both my hands in surrender. "We kissed, okay? But I sent her upstairs. That's why she was crying. I didn't hurt her. I told her I couldn't go through with it –"

"Oh, how fucking noble of you," he shouted. "Are you suggesting my sweet little sister threw herself at you? Is that what you're saying?"

Well, yes...

"Eddie, come on," I said, trying to reason with him. "I stopped Ivy before anything more between us happened. Don't I get some props for that? I stopped it."

"You're a dirtbag, Rhys," he seethed. "I've watched you fuck and chuck so many girls. And I've seen you break a million and one hearts with your ways. I've warned you since we were kids that Ivy is and will always be off-limits to you. The last thing she needs is a fuckboy like you to screw up her future." His chest heaved up and down as he tore a strip out of me. "The only good news here is that you are leaving for UCLA soon, and hopefully, Ivy won't ever have to see you again."

"Eddie, I'm sorry. Come on, man. We can't let this affect our friendship."

Silence fell between us for what felt like forever before Eddie spoke again.

"Get out of my garage and get the fuck out of my sight, Rhys."

I glared at Charlie one last time before I turned away from Eddie and walked away from the best friend I ever had.