I hadn't thought about that, but Ella's right. All Aubrey could really say is that I was a shitty boyfriend after that weekend. The cops won't care about that. They'll just assume she and I weren't getting along, a story that would be even more believable if I broke up with her.
"You can do what you want," Ella says with a shrug. "I don't really care. I'm just saying that it's not helping our situation to stay with her, and it might even end up hurting us."
"I agree," I say, walking up to her.
"You do?" she asks, sounding confused.
I wrap my arms around her waist. "Thanks for clearing that up. You just saved me from several more weeks of hell with that bitch."
"Wait—what?" Ella rears back, but I keep her in my arms.
"I don't want Aubrey. I thought I made that clear with that kiss just now, but since you didn't pick up on it, I'll just have to do it again." I lean down and kiss her. She tenses up at first, but then I feel her relax, her body melting into my arms.
She slowly pulls away, her eyes searching my face. "What's going on here?"
"I think it's pretty obvious."
"That you're trying to trick me again? Act like you like me and then tomorrow at school you're back to bullying me and dating Aubrey?"
"I'm done with Aubrey. She annoys the shit out of me and spends way too fucking long staring at herself in the mirror."
"How do I know you're not just saying that?" Ella asks, looking at me with suspicion.
"You don't. You just have to trust that I'm telling the truth."
"And why would I do that?"
"Because it means we get to keep doing this." I kiss her, thinking she'll push me away, but instead she grabs hold of my shirt, which seems to be her thing. She grabs my shirt whenever we kiss, which I'm taking to mean she doesn't want me to stop.
I back her against the wall and instantly think of all the times I've had her backed up like this at school, at her locker, by the bleachers. All those times I was doing it to intimidate her, to show her who's boss, but a part of me also wanted to do what I'm doing right now. To kiss her, and touch her, and have her respond with that soft, sexy moan.
"Briggs.” She tips her head back against the wall, her chest rising and falling as she catches her breath. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because I want to." I kiss her neck and skim my hand over her breast just to see how she'll react. She does this little shiver that makes me smile. I love how everything seems so new to her. How even the slightest touch makes her react. Other girls barely respond when we're doing shit. Aubrey acts bored. Once she even looked at her phone. It got to the point where I didn't even like having sex with her.
Ella pushes me back. "I mean, why are you doing this when you know it's all an act?"
"It's not an act. I want to keep doing this. I thought you did too."
"I do. I just—I don't trust you. I thought we were becoming friends last week and then you turned on me."
"I didn't turn on you. I was trying to protect you, to protect all of us. But you're right. Breaking up with Aubrey would explain why I've been avoiding her the past couple weeks. The cops wouldn't think it had anything to do with what happened that night."
"So you're really breaking up with her?"
"Yes. Why do you keep asking me that?"
"Because I don't believe you."
I bring her in my arms. "Or maybe you want to make sure I'm done with Aubrey so you can have me for yourself."
Ella rolls her eyes. "Yeah, because every girl wants you."
"They do, actually. But there's one I'm still not sure about." I lean down to her ear. "From the sounds she makes when I kiss her, I think she likes me, but she won't admit it."
"I don't make sounds," she insists.
"You do," I whisper over her mouth. "And it turns me on." I kiss her, but keep it short, wanting to see if she'll kiss me back or push me away. I can tell she's struggling with what to do. There's a part of her that wants me, and a part of her that's telling her to stay away.
She's breathing heavy and looking at me like she still doesn't trust me. I don't blame her. I wouldn't trust me either, but I'm not lying to her. I am going to break up with Aubrey. And the thing I told Ella about wanting to keep doing this? Kissing her, and maybe doing more? That's definitely not a lie.
"Do you still hate me, Ella?" I ask, slipping a piece of her hair behind her ear.
"No," she says with a sigh. "But I should. And I did, before I got to know you."
"Are you saying you're starting to like me?"
"Maybe. I don't want to, but it's happening anyway," she says, sounding annoyed with herself.
"And that's a problem?"
"Yes, because I'm not supposed to like you. And you're not supposed to like me."
"And yet here we are, kissing in my bathroom."
She smiles. "Yeah, I'm not sure how that happened. I just came in here to fix your face." She reaches up and gently touches it. "The bleeding stopped."
"It'll be fine. I'll just have to stop shaving until it heals."
"It could still get infected. You should put something on it."
"Stop worrying about me," I tell her, because it really does bother me when she does that. I'm not used to people worrying about me so it feels strange when Ella does. It's not a bad feeling, but one that makes me uncomfortable, and like I'm not in control. I don't like that feeling.
"Why do you get mad when I try to help you?"
"Because I don't need help." I take her hand from my face. "It was just a cut. It'll heal."
My phone dings. I take it from the counter and see a text from Parker. We're here. You up in your room fucking Ella again?
Parker thinks Ella and I had sex that day he caught us in my room. I keep telling him we didn't, but he won't give it up and it's pissing me off.
"Is that Aubrey?" Ella asks.
"No. Parker. He's downstairs."
"Does he know about us? Because he acted like he did when he saw me in your room."
"He thinks there's something going on between us, but I told him he was full of shit."
"Are we going to tell him?"
"Tell him what?"
"Yeah, I guess you're right." She walks past me to the door, seeming hurt.
"Hey!" I catch her before she leaves, spinning her around to face me. "What did I say?"
"Nothing. Let's go."
"No. What did I say? Why are you upset?"
"I'm not. Hurry up. They're waiting for us."
"I don't give a shit. Tell me what I said. Are you mad because I didn't tell Parker about us?"
"No. I mean, it's not like I wanted you to tell him. It's just the way you said it, it's like you—I don't know how to explain it. Just forget it."
I lean down to her. "I didn't mean there's nothing going on between us. There's definitely something happening here, but I don't want Parker and Finn to know. I don't think it'd be a good idea to tell them. That's all I meant."