The First Son's Spy (PUBLISHING)

Chapter 12

“Sorry,” he says a bit sheepishly. I smile to let him know that it’s all okay. He stands there silently for a while until he finally makes his way back to the door.  I stay near the sink. He says good bye to me. I wave back suddenly feeling sick. I couldn’t possibly be attracted to him or him to me. That doesn’t just happen when you are in a committed relationship. Or does? My fingers hover over the call button below Elle’s name. If there would be anyone to talk through these unwanted feelings, it would be Elle. She knew more about boys than I did. She wasn’t a stranger in the whole dating world. She had confidence that drew all the attractive boys to her. Her latest boyfriend eventually got bored with that.

Deciding against that, I make my way outside. People are all over the place. Couples are lying on the grass together. I wince as I see Sterling walking with Shai from across the yard. Her head rolls back in laughter at something Sterling must have said. Jealousy takes over. I make my way across the quad to where they are. Shai sees me approaching before Sterling does. She sets her blue eyes on me with cold hatred behind them. Her blonde hair looks a lot lighter in the sun.

I throw my arms around Sterling’s neck. The sudden impact makes him stumble backwards a bit. He laughs and grabs my hips. Shai rolls her eyes at me. She flips me off and walks away.

“Hey Pipe. What was that about?”

“Just because you look really good today,” I pull at the collar of his buttoned down shirt.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” I stand on my toes leaning in for a kiss when something knocks me off balance. Sterling and I both go down at the impact. I get off of Sterling before I crush him. I look around to see a boy on his butt as well. He is holding a football in his hands.

“Sorry about that,” the burly football player says to Sterling and I. He brushes off his pants and runs back to his friends. Sterling gets up, but know has a stain on his khaki pants. I put a hand against my mouth to conceal the laughter that is bubbling within me. He looks at the boy who knocked us over. Thank goodness I wore tights under my dress. That would have been quite the show and a reputation that would haunt me the rest of my college career.

“What a jerk.”

I snap my gaze back towards Sterling. He is still glaring at the football player. He inspects his shirt and lets out an annoyed sigh. He unbuttons the shirt and throws it onto the ground. Sterling stands there in a white under shirt still looking much too good. My eyes wander to his chest.

“See something you like Pipes?”

I laugh and bite down on my lip with a nod. Oh yes I see something I like for sure.

Jane comes barreling towards us at that moment. I roll my eyes at the horrible timing that is my roommate. She has tears streaming down her face. “HE LIED. I HATE HIM! I HATE THE HELL OUT OF HIM!”

She stops in front of me, her face flushed with anger and sadness. “What happened?”

“My ex-boyfriend. He said he wanted to break up with me in June because we were going to be too far away from each other. It turns out that he has some skank now.”

Sterling shrugs his shoulders. I look at him for some help, but he has pulled out his phone instead. I give Jane a light hug because I feel like she may punch me in the face. Her face screams that she would be willing to punch the closest person. That just so happens to be me, and I am not up for a black eye so soon in the school year. Her breaths become more soothing as I hug her. She steps out of my embrace, adjusting herself against the tree behind her. “Why would he do that to me?”

Having no idea what I should say to her, I sit down next to her. My curled hair tangles in the tree bark when I sit down next to her. I just sit next to her knowing that my presence will have to do. Her tears stop coming. She blinks away the last few tears and turns to me. Sterling is now leaning against the tree next to me. He drops his hand down for me to hold. I accept it and he squeezes it in reassurance.