Brothers Forever

16. You Got This

Chapter 16: You Got This

Sterling's Point of View

I was sitting at my lunch table, surrounded by empty seats. I found myself avoiding the eyes of my passing classmates, tapping my foot, and taking continuous glances towards the lunch line. It was always awkward to be sitting by yourself. I now knew what Grace felt like waiting for me to get here all the time.

I watched her walk over to the lunch table, her auburn curls framing her face and draping down her shoulders. Her shirt was form fitting and accentuated her curves in a way I couldn’t help but appreciate. She noticed me at the table already, and her lips curved into a smile.

“Hey, Sterling,” Grace greeted me as she sat down next to me. “You’re here pretty early today.”

“Hey. I guess I am,” I commented. “Will you promise not to hurt me in any way if I say something?”

She furrowed her brow. “I’ll try not to. What do you want to say?”

“You look really pretty today,” I replied, looking straight into her chestnut brown eyes.

Grace’s cheeks flushed slightly, her eyes full of confusion. “Thanks. Why did you assume I’d hurt you for complimenting me?”

I ran a hand through my blond hair. “I never really know how you’re going to react to something. You usually take me being nice as an insult somehow.”

“I can’t deny that.” She laughed and bit into a fry. “So, how was your day so far?”

I thought back to this morning. I really hadn’t expected to walk in on Bren in my brother’s arms, her lips mere inches from his. I didn’t expect the pure rage roiling in my gut when I saw them. The only good thing was I had spoiled the moment before they finished it.

“Ster?” I looked up to see Grace staring at me intently, a worried expression on her face.

“Sorry, I was thinking. It was okay overall, I guess,” I responded quickly and sent her a flash of a grin. “How was yours?”

She stared at me for a moment as if she didn’t believe a word that had come from my mouth, but she didn’t question me further. “Mine was interesting. I actually talked to your brother today.”

I felt my lungs constrict and my body stiffen. “What?”

"I talked to Greyson today. Well, he actually talked to me. He seems nice,” she said again in the same cheery voice.

“He can be,” I agreed but avoided her eyes. “What did you guys talk about?”

She took a bit of a chicken nugget before answering. “He wanted to know what my name was. He apparently hadn’t noticed me before.”

“Oh, that’s all?” I asked lightly.

She nodded, her auburn curls bouncing rhythmically. “He reminds me a lot of you, actually.”

I grimaced. “Please don’t compare us. We are nothing alike.”

She sent a dirty look my way. “You guys are a lot more alike than you think. You even fell for the same girl.”

I froze in place. How did Grace know about that? I never told her.

“I’m a girl, Sterling. We can tell these kinds of things.” She chuckled and answered my unasked question. “Besides, I saw you staring at her the whole time you were talking to me this morning. Not to mention the way you talk about her. It’s pretty obvious, dude.”

“Well, it doesn’t really matter anyhow,” I muttered.

“Why do you say that?”

“She likes Greyson. She told me so herself,” I said bitterly.