Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32145 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 161(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
“It is normal.” I butter a non-mangled slice of bread for her and lay it on the edge of her plate. “Normal families are difficult and odd and dysfunctional. It’s the well-adjusted families that aren’t normal.”
“I think the well-adjusted families are the normal ones. Dysfunctional literally means not operating like the norm.”
“Dictionary definitions are boring, but let’s assume you’re right—”
“I am.”
“What does it matter if our worlds are off-kilter? I can’t figure everything out. Dunc pisses me off almost daily. I don’t think I’ll ever feel like Coop is my real dad. Sebastian raised me. I’m not thrilled I had to move away from my old school to this new one, either. But all of that doesn’t matter because Sadie needed a new home or she wasn’t going to make it. And that’s what I think about you.”
“That I need a new home or I’m not going to make it?”
I shake my head. “Nah. I’m just saying you aren’t your mom. You don’t need to be embarrassed about anything your mom does. That’s on her. You’re only responsible for your own actions. That’s how I see it. Like, are you really looking at me and thinking, Van’s family is weird and screwed up so he’s weird and screwed up? No. You’re thinking Van’s a hot son of a bitch, and my panties are wet thinking about all the filthy things he could do to me.”
Red’s cheeks turn, well, red. Like a deep scarlet shade. I scrape my teeth along my lower lip. She’s going to look so pretty aroused. Pink, pert nipples. That deep flush spreading over her tits. I bet her pussy is just as ripe and luscious. Makes me hard thinking about it. Good thing these tables have cloths on them so that I don’t scare the wait staff approaching with our food.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Red demands.
“You do not want to know.”
“Is it along the lines of the leg thing earlier?”
“Yes, but worse.”
She rubs her forehead like I’ve given her a headache. “I hate not knowing things. Along with having to answer questions, I also don’t like being in the dark.”
“You’re not in the dark, Red. You know exactly what I’m thinking, but you don’t want to say it out loud because you’re not ready. Once you’re ready, you can tell me exactly what’s going on in my head, and then I’ll act it out for you. Eat your steak. It’s going to get cold.”
Chapter
Nine
FLEUR
The second my phone dings, I smile. I can’t help it. Thankfully, I’m alone in my bedroom so no one can see it. I close my laptop and reach over to grab it. I know who it is before I even look. My screen shows a text from BOYFRIEND in all caps with a heart next to it. Van added a name to his contact when he realized I didn’t have one on it. I rolled my eyes at him, but I secretly liked it and haven’t changed it. That happened days ago.
You’re coming tonight.
I hate how much his bossiness turns me on. There has to be something wrong with my body.
I’m coming?
The second I send the text I want to kick myself. Why the hell am I playing into this? That’s right, because it gets a reaction out of him, and it never disappoints. I’m finding there’s nothing I love more than poking Van lately.
I’m coming over.
OMG! I was joking. You have a game.
The last thing I need is the wrath of our school because the star receiver walked out of a game because of me.
You come to the game or I’m coming over.
I bite my lip. Van has slowly been working his way under my skin. He is persistent, which I can respect and understand. Every morning, he shows up without fail to pick me up. I learned that’s no easy feat with his schedule. He does the same to get me home after school. He even brings breakfast now. It’s the first time in my life that someone is making an effort when it comes to me. It scares me.
I’m working.
It’s not a total lie. I should be working, but my next article for Social Pop is being a pain in my ass. Why? Because it also leads back to Van. Someone found out that I go to school with him. Now, they are all over me to write an article about him. My freelance writing is bleeding into my real life. It’s usually something I do under the radar.
I guess Van is going to be the next big thing. A million colleges are after him. I knew the team and coach lost it when he joined the team, but I had no idea how big he truly is. No wonder every girl in the school wants a piece of him.