bitter | e.d

| fifteen

I roll my neck in discomfort because it feels stiff from having to stay still so long. reese just rolls her eyes at me inconsiderately. "I swear, you're a child."

"how does anyone expect another human being to sit still so long?" I complain and then stand up to stretch. she ignores me and starts changing into what she's wearing tonight. 

after putting on some makeup, I consider myself ready. we have an hour until the game and my palms are starting to sweat a little, but I quickly rub them off and tell myself to stop worrying and focus on the plan. it isn't even like this will go as far as grayson and I actually having sex.

it just needs to get to the point that ethan is jealous.

and just in case any of this goes awry, I already told grayson that I'd be taking my own car because reese and julian were tagging along. if I end up going home with him, reese said she'd drive my car to her place for the night. 

there's a knock on my bedroom door, so I go over to it and open it to reveal julian on the other side. based off of his hair being messy, he looks like he just woke up from his nap.

I rest my hip against the door and wait for him to speak first. "your dog woke me up," he mutters while sticking his hands into the pocket of his hoodie and yawning. I look behind him and see harley standing by his feet with a proud look on her face.

that gets a small grin out of me. "disturbed your nap, did she?" there's a hint of joy in my voice just to annoy him and he catches it.

julian narrows his tired eyes at me and just nods his head. "mhm, she did. anyway, before we get going, where does andrew keep his alcohol stash?" 

I shrug, not even knowing whether or not he has one. "I think he just has that wine in the office." 

julian gives me a disbelieving look. "what, is his taste too refined? he has to have just some beers somewhere around here." contrary to what julian might think, I honestly don't think andrew likes beer. he's too stuck up.

but an idea pops into my head. "he has a mini fridge in the garage that my mom and I aren't allowed to go into. maybe he has some there."

"see, now you're thinkin," julian says in a pleased voice. I disregard the fact that he's only just now speaking to me to get beer out of it and walk down the hallway and stairs with him towards the garage. reese stays in my bedroom with harley.

"it should be back here," I tell him once we enter the garage. I lead him to the back side of the garage where it's more secluded, which is andrew's space to store whatever shit he has. I also happen to know this is also where he goes to get away from my mom and I.

because sometimes, apparently, we're the problem.

I peer around the area and see the mini fridge tucked into the corner. I start moving some of the stuff resting on top of it out of the way, but as I'm kneeling down and moving stuff, something catches my eye. julian notices me pause and kneels down next to me.

"what is it?" he asks, but I don't answer for a moment before I realize what it is I'm holding and drop it immediately.

"oh hell no, that's fucking disgusting," I hold up my hands and feel the need to wipe them on something. I resist the urge to use julian's shirt. 

sitting on top of the mini fridge is a porn magazine—actually, make that several—and a bottle of lube. julian grabs what I dropped to see for himself and cringes right away upon realizing what it is, too.

he looks at me, displeased. "dude, why'd you let me touch that," he mumbles in mirroring repulsion. quickly, he puts the lube back on top of the porn magazines and wipes his hands on his jeans.