“I suppose,” Maya began, dragging out the end of her word, “that we should feed Emma then.” She was looking directly at me, and I knew for her sake I was going to have to try harder to get through this delightfully awkward lunch.
“Alrightie then. Everyone come make a plate.” Mom was holding up two plates. “I’m going to take this back to your father and keep him company while he works. Kenzie,” she yelled up the stairs as she walked by. “Better come make you a plate before these boys eat it all.”
My sister came bee bopping down the stairs. “Hey, Em, do you mind if I hop in front of the line? I was going to make a quick plate then go finish getting ready. Mom is going to take me to meet some. Friends. For ice cream here pretty quick,” she said in a singsong voice, emphasizing the word friends.
“Sounds like little Kenzie has a date,” Gabe teased.
“Oh hush, Gabe. There are going to be a few people there. It’s not like it’s going to be just me and Logan.” McKenzie broke out into a huge smile as Gabe gestured for her to go to the front of the line. Kenzie quickly made a plate then started to leave the kitchen. As she walked by me, she stopped. “Oh, hey, Em. Do you mind if I borrow that blue top you wore on your date with Jake last weekend?”
Maya leaned in and whispered, “Oh, she’s good,” causing me to let out a small laugh.
“Nope,” I said amused. “Go right ahead.”
“Eeek!” she squealed. “You’re the best!” Her eyes shot a quick glance over at Ryan that I would have missed if I hadn’t been watching her intently, and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she met my gaze again.
After that little performance, even I would have really believed Kenzie was into Logan if I wouldn’t have known about her plan. I just can’t believe she’s going through all this trouble to make a guy, whose not even interested, jealous.
“Nice choice, Kenz,” Maya chimed in. “That shirt really hugs in all the right places.” She said, winking at Kenzie. Then gave her a high-five.
“Wait? Logan Rivers? Isn’t that guy a freshman?” Ryan asked slightly annoyed, causing Maya and I to exchange glances.
“Yep. Just like me. And he is so hot. I can’t believe he is finally interested in me!”
“Whatever. Have fun with your boy crush,” Ryan scoffed. This time clearly annoyed, causing Maya and I to exchange glances again.
“Thanks!” was the last thing Kenzie said before running back upstairs with her plate of food.”
“You alright there, buddy?” I asked Ryan.
“Yeah. I just think she’s a little young to be dating.”
“Okie dokie. I’ll be sure to pass that on to my parents. Thanks for looking out for her. I think?” I was partly amused and partly confused about what just happened. After that little incident, I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe Jake was right – that Ryan might actually have a thing for Kenzie. Nah, it couldn’t be. He had to just be looking out for her. Right?
The rest of lunch went by like nothing had changed. Even Gabe and I were talking like we used to. It seemed like forever since just the five of us hung out like this, and I had to admit it was nice.
“Be right back. I have to pee,” I announced as I stood up.
“Thanks for letting us know,” Ryan joked.
“No prob.”
I went up to my room to use the bathroom, and on my way out I heard voices that caused me to stop before exiting my room.
“Maya, will you please stop? We need to talk,” Dylan pleaded in a hushed voice.
“No, we don’t. And, Dylan, I really have to go to the bathroom,” She replied like nothing was wrong.
“Maya, will you please talk to me?” This time there was an urgency in his voice.
“Who you choose to do in your free time is up to you,” she let out like it was nothing.
“I screwed up big. I was drunk. She didn’t mean anything to me. You acting like nothing is wrong is killing me,” he said defeated.
“Is killing you?” Maya uttered in a tone that made it apparent that Dylan had finally gotten to her. “Oh I’m sorry, it must have been so hard on you for me to walk in and catch you having sex with some slut who dropped her panties for the first drunk guy she met.”
“Maya, how can I make you see how sorry I am? I mean look at me…you know me,” Dylan said, begging for her forgiveness.
“You’re right. I do know you. I know that it only takes one look from a girl to get you to take her into another room. And to think, I really thought you were capable of a relationship. Well Dylan, I guess the joke’s on me.”
With that, Maya walked into my room with tears in her eyes, stopping briefly when she saw me. I mouthed, “I’m sorry.” She shook her head and continued into my bathroom.
Before walking out of my room I heard Dylan’s voice again, which caused me to stop, again. “I screwed up man. I fucking screwed up.”
“I told you that last night,” Gabe replied. “What’s done is done. You have to let it play out however it’s going to play out.”
“Not if I can help it. It made me crazy to see her flirting with that Evan guy, especially after everything that Talen prick said. I thought. Well it doesn’t matter what I thought. I love her Gabe. It took me banging some chick, then seeing the hurt in her eyes when she saw me to realize it, but I love her. I never want to hurt her like that again, and I will make this right.” Dylan sounded so choked up it was hard not to feel a little sorry for him.
Gabe paused for a moment before he responded, “I know you do, man.”
Dylan sniffed, then said he had to go. Gabe told him he’d let everyone know he left. Dylan thanked him, and then I heard him head down the stairs. I was so glad Maya didn’t hear any of this. This was definitely something she would want to know later, but right now it would just make things worse. She also needed to hear it from him. I knew it would just make her more angry if I told her. She would say something like, “That dick head didn’t even have the balls to tell me himself.”
Once I no longer heard steps going downstairs, I gave it one more second and then finally left my room myself almost bumping into Gabe.
“Ope, sorry,” we both laughed.
“Did you hear any of that?” Gabe asked.
“The whole thing. Including when it was he and Maya. I was just trying to pee but ended up getting stuck in my room so I didn’t walk into the complete mess that is currently Maya and Dylan.”
“I know she’s your best friend, but don’t say anything to her, alright?”
“I won’t. That is all something he needs to tell her himself. And it is not something she needs to hear the day after he hooked up with someone else. It makes it feel tainted.” I gave a halfhearted smile before turning to head down stairs.
Gabe stopped me, “I wouldn’t go down there if I were you.”
“What? Why?”
“Kenzie walked down shortly after Dylan went to find Maya. She and Ryan got into it. That’s why I came up here in the first place. I left one argument to find another one.”
“What the heck is wrong with him today? Did you think it was weird that he acted strange about Logan?”
“I mean a little. But Ryan has always been protective of Kenzie. I guess we all have. I did find it odd that he is the one that picked the fight with her when she came back downstairs, though.”
“Good Lord,” I said letting out a breath. “Maybe Jake is right after all.”
“About Jake,” he started, clearing his throat, “I know I haven’t really been around this last week.”
“Yeah, I noticed that. I’ve missed you, Gabe.”
“I know. I’m sorry. It has just been hard seeing you with him. You know? At first I thought it would make it easier on all of us if I just backed off, but then I lose you completely. I don’t want to lose you completely, Em.” He paused for a second to put a loose piece of hair behind my ear. “I want you to know that I will always be here, even if right now you just need me as a friend. But hear me when I
say, I will never give up on you.”
“Gabe,” I croaked out – not realizing how much his speech had affected me until I tried to speak.
Without hesitation, after hearing my voice crack, Gabe scooped me up in his arms and held me. He didn’t loosen his grip until I pulled back.
I took a breath, “Gabe. You know I love you, but as a friend. I really do care about Jake.”
“I know you do right now. But like I said, I’m not going anywhere.” After he finished talking he turned and walked downstairs, leaving me at the top, standing there speechless.
After a few moments, I heard someone behind me. I turned to find Maya waving a pair of my white panties in the air. “Is it safe to come out?” she giggled.
“Oh my God!” I gasped, looking back downstairs to make sure no one was standing there. Then I walked into my room, forcing a laughing Maya to go backwards.
“It’s my version of a white flag. I didn’t want to walk out of here empty handed.”
“Good Lord,” I said snatching my panties out of her hand and closing them back up in my drawer. When I turned around she was standing there looking at me, her smile now gone.
”I guess we both got stuck in here today, didn’t we?”
“I guess we did. Listen, Maya. I’m so sorry about Dylan. He can be a real jerk.”
“Humph. It sounds like you’re defending him.”
“Heck no.” I thought about saying that there is always more to the story. That this is Dylan we were talking about. The fact that he tried to apologize at all was huge, much less that he was all choked up about it and practically begging for her forgiveness. But I knew Maya, and I knew that right now none of that mattered. Her hurt was too fresh. So I left it at that.
“Anyway, what just happened with Gabe?”
“I don’t know. He like avoided me all week, then jumped me with that.” I was still trying to wrap my own mind around it.
Maya looked at me with that mischievous grin of hers, “I told you that boy was in love with you.”
“Great. Now I have to worry about you too?” I joked.
“Come on, biatch. Let’s go back downstairs. I need to get away from this room before something else happens.”
“I hear that. Right behind you.”
I followed Maya downstairs over to where the boys were sitting on the couch watching ESPN. As I walked by, Gabe snatched me and pulled me down to his lap. I looked up to see Maya staring at me. “I’m just saying,” she mumbled.
I scooted off Gabe and he leaned over, “What’s that about?”
“Nothing,” I darted my eyes toward Maya.
Once the boys left, Maya and I put on a movie. We had just put the popcorn in a bowl and were bringing it into the living room when my phone beeped.
“Jake or Gabe?” she asked putting a handful of popcorn in her mouth.
“Funny,” I said taking my phone out of my back pocket. I glanced at my text message and could not contain the smile that broke out on my face.
“Jake,” she stated.
“That obvious?”
“From the look on your face, yes. Now, hussy, are you going to tell me what he said or what?”
“He wants to know if I’m free tonight.”
“Say yes,” she said, like duh.
“I’m not just going to leave you, especially after the whole Dylan thing last night and then again today.”
“Well if you don’t, then I’m going to be pissed at you too. At least one of us should be able to get some tonight.”
I looked at her with wide eyes, “Oh my God, Maya.”
She looked at me with her little smirk. “Well, you can’t say that you haven’t at least thought about it. Oh, don’t look at me like that. From the way you described how that boy kisses you, I know you’ve thought about it.”
“OK! But it’s not going to happen tonight.”
“I knew it! Now text that boy yes or I’ll do it for you.”
Knowing that there was no arguing with Maya at this point, I picked up my phone and texted Jake. I explained why I couldn’t leave Maya tonight but that he could join us as long as he didn’t mind sweat pants and a chick flick. After a few seconds he responded, saying he understood and that he in no way minded sweat pants. We finalized plans and then I set my phone beside me so I could focus on the movie.
Maya cleared her throat causing me to look over at her. “Well?” she asked impatiently.
I shoved another handful of popcorn in my mouth not bothering to finish chewing before I responded, “I told Jake I couldn’t leave my bestie in her hour of need.”
“My God, Emma. I’m not dying,” she complained, completely unfazed by the popcorn hanging out of my mouth.
“Let me finish,” I said mischievously, causing Maya to get quiet and look at me questionably. “I also said that he could join us if he didn’t mind sweat pants and countless hours of sappy movies with Gerard Butler and Matthew McConaughey.”
“Well?” she gestured with her hand.
I put another handful of popcorn in my mouth. “Well, he asked what type of sweat pants. When I specified yoga pants, he said he would be right over,” I somehow managed without breaking a smile, although the same couldn’t be said for Maya.
“I knew I liked that boy. Now let’s go put on some yoga pants. By the way, you’re disgusting.” Then she took a mouthful of popcorn herself and smiled.
It took longer than I expected for Jake to arrive. When the doorbell finally rang, I ran downstairs to meet my boyfriend. I opened the door to see Jake standing there with two gallons of ice cream – one in each hand.
“Girls eat ice cream when they are pissed at boys, right?”
“You sir, are too much. I mean, is there anything wrong with you or am I really dating the world’s perfect boyfriend?” I teased.
Jake looked at me with that impossible smile of his and had just stepped in to kiss me when Maya piped up. I could practically hear her rolling her eyes. “You two are annoyingly adorable. Wait. Is that ice cream?” She asked as she grabbed both gallons from Jake and took them into the kitchen with us in tow.
Maya wasted no time digging into the two containers. I looked over to witness her interchanging a scoop into her mouth, then into a bowl. Jake and I watched as she continued this until her bowl was full of both types of ice cream.
“And you said I was disgusting?” I teased.
Jake looked from me to Maya, then stated, “I’m not even going to ask. Anyway, I was just going to drop these off real quick then head out to meet up with Evan.”
I couldn’t help the look of disappointment that took over my face when Jake said he wasn’t staying. Jake noticed too and started to say something.
“Liar!” Maya exclaimed causing us both to look at her. “It was all about the pants. Yoga pants.”
“Well, can you blame a man?” he shot back, pretending to be offended.
“With an ass like hers, no I can’t,” she said before grabbing her bowl and a container of ice cream and then carrying them into the living room. “Oh, and Jakie Pooh. Tell Evan hi for me, will ya?”
“Yeah, sure Maya,” he said loud enough for her to hear him in the other room.
“Maya, I’ll be right back. Gunna walk Jake out then we can restart the movie,” I called out.
“Mmkay. Take your time!” she shouted with a mouthful of ice cream.
Outside Jake started his truck and turned down the radio, then took me in his arms.
“I thought you were going to stay,” I pouted.
“Don’t get me wrong. I want to stay, especially when you are in those pants. But I have this feeling that tonight your friend needs you without your “annoyingly adorable” boyfriend doting all over you,” he said, mocking Maya’s tone.
“Yeah, yeah,” I allowed myself to collapse into his chest. “That doesn’t mean I don’t want you here doting all over me. But thanks.”
He lifted my chin so that our eyes met. “Anytime, darlin’,” he utte
red in a low, sexy drawl.
“Are you using Evan’s line so that I will kiss you?”
“Well I don’t know. Is it working?” he asked as he leaned down and connected his lips to mine.
Chapter Eight
During the next several weeks I couldn’t keep from noticing that Maya and Evan seemed to always find each other; and I clearly wasn’t the only one. Dylan and Maya hadn’t said a word to each other since that Saturday at my house. But, every time Dylan saw Maya and Evan together, Dylan looked like he was about to kill Evan. When I asked Maya about it, she was quick to say that she and Evan were just friends and that Dylan Andrews was not allowed to care who her friends were. I didn’t bring it up again.
Keeping on the avoiding trend, after Ryan got over his pissy stage he started avoiding my sister like the plague. It was to the point that he wouldn’t even come to the house if Kenzie was going to be there. By how strangely he had been acting, I was really starting to suspect that Jake was right about him being into McKenzie. He certainly wasn’t avoiding her because she was being annoying. In fact, she started treating Ryan like all the other guys after she started dating Logan.
Gabe and I seemed to be back to normal. I was glad about that because I wasn’t sure how things were going to be after his heartfelt confession. I had to admit that it was nice to be able to hang out with Gabe and go to lunch and stuff like we used too without it being awkward. He even started sneaking through my window again occasionally. Jake wasn’t too thrilled about that, but I assured him he had nothing to worry about.
One night when Gabe had crawled through my window, I asked him if he knew anything about the Maya and Dylan situation. He said Dylan wouldn’t talk about it any more than Maya. That all Dylan would say is “I will fix this.”
“This is his idea of fixing it?” I asked in disbelief. “I mean they won’t say a word to each other, much less be in the same general space as the other one.”
“I know. It doesn’t make any sense to me either.”
“Well, I for one am tired of feeling like I have to choose sides. I miss being able to all hang out like we used to.”
The Exception Page 9
