thief | peter kavinsky

four

"That's some pretty crazy shit."

I nod, agreeing with Cody. We were currently at a tiny coffee shop a few blocks down from my house. Sometimes we would come here and just talk. That's the thing with Cody, when I was with him it was never awkward. It was like we had this connection. A spark.

"Sorry about this. I just didn't want you going around thinking that I was a psycho." I chuckle, taking a sip from my coffee.

"Nah, Peter cleared everything up."

"Huh?"

Cody didn't know that I didn't know. "You didn't hear? He made a big fuss about it, told everyone to hop off your case. It was moving, truly inspirational. I may have cried a little."

Peter did that for me? No, he didn't. He did it for himself, the selfish bastard didn't want to have a bad reputation. Of course. He couldn't have people thinking he was a cheater.

As much as I wanted to think about it some more, I couldn't focus on anything other than Cody. I was only with him. Any worries or doubts were completely gone. I swear, he's like my drug.

"Whatever. Still hate the kid." I shrug.

The rest of the afternoon we joked and laughed. We talked for hours, and it only made me fall in love with him more. Every single smile, chuckle, laugh– it sent me somewhere else.

When he had to leave I said my goodbye and left the coffee shop. I hopped up on my bike, this goddamned bike, and rode home. Cody's grin was all I could see. I was smiling like an idiot.

"Hey, O'Connor. Gonna hit me with your bike again?"

I was greeted with a bittersweet surprise when I arrived home. Peter Kavinsky in all his glory was standing outside of my door. He smiled sheepishly at me while I got off my bike, the biggest snarl on my face.

"No, we can't have more rumors spreading about me, can we?" I rolled my eyes and fled past him, making sure to shove him with my shoulder.

He ran up in front of me with hands held out. I stopped before I could run into him. His ears were red and he had a nervous smile lay on his lips. It was hard to be mad at the boy, he was the kind of gorgeous that you couldn't say no to. Fortunately for me, I was still high on the Cody train, so I had no problem saying no to Peter.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Listen, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. The rumors should've never happened and I should've never told Charlie that you–"

"I knew it." I throw my hands in the air. "Geez, you can't live one second without all eyes on you, can you?"

"Hey, I told everyone to back off for you." God, he made me so mad.

I laughed at his useless comeback. "Not everything is about you. You did what a decent person would do, congratulations."

Truly, he couldn't get anymore selfish. Once in sophomore year he won the championship game in lacrosse. One of the freshman players on the other team began crying. Instead of consoling him he shoved the damn trophy in the poor kid's face. I'd never forget that incident, for as long as I know him.

"Don't be a bitch, Dylan. God, you're always so uptight. No wonder nobody likes you."

It took a few seconds to register what just came out of Peter Kavinsky's mouth. In the short period of time that I spent thinking about it, I already saw regret wash over his face. But it was too late. It had already been said, and I'd already been impacted.

"Fuck you, Peter."

I flew past him as fast as I could. I slammed the door and ran upstairs before he could start with his bullshit apologies.

I jump in bed and shut my eyes so tears don't fall out. Peter is still outside, shouting apologies. I stay there for what seems like hours but is only seconds. He finally gets in his truck and drives away.

That's when I open my eyes and bawl.