I’ve got a headache.
I rubbed my forehead, willing the headache to subside. Miley was on her way to pick me up, and this time, it was definitely her.
We arrived at the already packed beach, and I unbuckled my belt as Miley slowed her car, pulling in to an empty bay near the front.
I got out of the car, the already chilly wind whipping some of my hair free from my loose braid. I tugged on the hem of my bright red sweater, the deep V exposing the neckline of the white tank underneath, then smoothed my hands down my black jeans.
Miley fixed her own loose braid, pulling the strands to adjust the stylish baggy loops. It made the pink in her hair pop a little more, especially when it matched the tight corset-style top. “Come on, Kinsley.” She fixed the wide straps as we went, her light-blue denim skinnies swaying as she walked.
The moment we hit the sand, I knew I’d regret wearing red converse, the grains finding their way in through the small vents at the sides.
‘Oh, look who it is!” Rachel beamed and opened her arms, welcoming Miley, but not me. “Sorry, Kinsley, but if Phoebe sees me being nice to you, she’ll have my head.”
History repeating itself.
“I don’t know why she hates me so much,” I grumbled. “It’s not like I’ve done anything.” Rachel and Miley looked at each other then back to me. I deadpanned.“What?”
“Um, I thought you knew,” Rachel said, glancing around. “I thought it was obvious.”
“Rach,” Miley hissed.
“Just tell me for God’s sake,” I said, throwing my hand up.
More secrets. Great. I just love this.
“Well, Phoebe’s into Quinn. Big time,” she explained.
“So?” My stomach flipped over hearing his name, the thoughts of him coming into class bruised and swollen swimming through my head.
“He doesn’t give her the time of day, but then you show up, and he’s all, ‘Kinsley’s my girl,’” she replied, mimicking his voice.
“Phoebe’s jealous?” I scoffed. “I see.”
“She might be hooking up with Layton, but she still wants him.”
“Whoa, whoa, who the hell’s Layton?” I asked, my eyes bouncing back and forth between them. I was so close to being done.
“Seriously, are you two even dating?” Rachel asked, her brows drawing together. “Layton’s Quinn’s friend and Josh’s cousin. The three of them share a house across the street from me.” Her chin lifted, and she turned her head a little. “Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you there. If you were dating Quinn—”
“Why the twenty questions?” I asked nervously. “Surely, this is mine and Quinn’s business.”
“Yeah, but Phoebe’s been over there tons of times, and she said she’s never seen you there, either.”
“We haven’t been seeing other long,” I cut in, thinking just how much longer the farce would go on. “He’s been to my house, though.”
“Yeah, he has,” Colby’s voice came from behind me. His mouth was turned up into a snarl. “I don’t know what you see in him, Kinsley.” He turned his head to the two guys that usually sat behind me in art class. “Right?” They both nodded their heads, but their eyes traveled the length of my body, then doing the same to Miley and Rachel. “Here, I brought you a drink.” He held out a red solo cup. “Non-alcoholic, just some bitter lemonade.” The other guys did the same for the girls
“No, thank you,” I said, and turned away, leaving his hand hanging there. Miley and Rachel walked with me. “And I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of my business.”
I took my phone out of my pocket and opened up my texts to Quinn.
‘I’m at the beach with—’
I didn’t get to finish my text because two large arms circled me from behind, pulling me to a solid chest. My heart raced, my pulse rapidly pulsing out of control. The enormous frame behind me held my back to their front, and I looked up, my shoulders sagging in relief. “Quinn, it’s you,” I breathed out.
“It’s me,” he said, his eyes dancing, but there was no humor there. “Can I steal my girl away for a few minutes?” He kept his eyes on me while talking to the girls. “I missed her and need to catch up.”
“Oh, uh, sure,” Miley sputtered.
“Knock yourself out,” Rachel said, her suspicious eyes bouncing between us.
He squeezed me tighter, his head dipping to my ear. “Let’s go, Kinny baby. We should go somewhere private.” We walked across the beach, out of earshot of the others. “Kinny,” he said the second we reached the driftwood.
“Don’t say a fucking word,” I seethed. “Just don’t, Quinn. I had to find this out from Miley. Miley! I had to hear from her why you come into class looking like you’ve been in a fight.” I cringed when he grinned. “Because, of course you have.”
“What’s the problem?” he shrugged. “You didn’t make a show of taking care of me and my injuries?”
“What?” I asked, flinching in disbelief. “No, you idiot, because if I don’t know, then it’s obvious to everyone else that our relationship is fake! Even Rachel is suspecting it. Didn’t you think of that when you came up with the idea in the first place?” I looked around. “And I still see that your enormous fan base has yet to materialize.”
“Because of you,” he said, all expression now gone from his face.
“I don’t see how. If you were in such high demand, wouldn’t they be trying to get rid of me?” Rachel’s words came back and bit me square on the ass. As if sensing that, he smirked. “Phoebe.”
“Phoebe,” he repeated. “And whoever slashed your tire. She claims she wasn’t responsible, but she wasn’t exactly sad it’d happened.”
I had my suspicions, but now I wasn’t so sure, either. Colby had been acting more and more aggressive, and the way he showed up at my house to give me a ride... Could it have been his plan?
“So, you’re a man-whore who the girls can’t let go of, is that right?” I asked, back to the subject.
His eyes blazed, his features taut and rigid. “No. I’ve never treated a woman like that, Kinny. In fact, before Phoebe…” His nostrils flared.
He’d slept with Phoebe?
“Before Phoebe?”
“It doesn’t matter, but just so you know, I don’t fuck around. While we’re together," he gestured between us, "I won’t be fucking anybody on the side, and I’d expect you not to be either.”
I gasped, my mouth dropping open. “Of course not!”
His lips twitched. “Then that’s settled.”
“What is?”
“Kinny, I’m a fighter, yeah, so fucking what? Maybe I shouldn’t have kept that little bit of info from you, but you have to understand that I don’t want to drag you into that part of my life.”
“Kinda late for that, don’t you think?” I asked, folding my arms over my chest. My shoulders rounded, the cold biting into me.
“We’re supposed to break up after a few weeks, so I didn’t think it was important.”