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4.

TJ

I saw the moment it clicked. I saw the moment he understood. I saw him go from cocky and angry to sad and wounded.

"Jasmine was asking me if I liked you because she knew the answer, she just wanted to hear me say it. She also knew that something had happened between us over the summer and wanted me to tell her. But I knew that we had a pact, that we weren't going to say anything because we didn't want to hurt anyone. But when I heard you talking about how it was a mistake to swipe a V card, trust you, you knew. I knew I didn't matter anymore. I knew it wasn't forever, Colton. But I thought when you were ready to end whatever we were trying to hide that you would at least do it to my face. You know, let me down easy. I didn't expect to walk in and find a girl in your lap and your mouth running about how experienced girls were so much better and you were sorry for trying out the innocent meat. That you wish you had never done it because now you couldn't shake the pathetic waste of time."

"I ran my mouth, I know I shouldn't have. But I was so angry, I was falling for you and hard, Tayla. You're my best friends sister and I knew everything about you and until you came to me that night and asked if I would help you, be your first, like I was with your first kiss." He ran his finger through his hair. "I wanted to, so badly. I realized the reason I was so fucking protective of you was more than just being your friend. I wanted it to be me. I really did. But I also wanted you to know that I respected you and wanted you to be ready."

"So instead, you said that we had, you said that It wasn't worth the stalker vibe I put out and that it was the easiest conquest you ever had because all you had to do was smile and give me a wink."

"I never-"

"Yes, you did!" I screamed at him. "I heard you! You said it to my face, Colton. I walked in to get you because Danny said you were plastered and wouldn't listen to him that you listened better to me." I took a deep breath. I went in to get you and you started saying stuff like, never be the first kiss because they always come back for more. They expect you to be their first everything after that. And when you had enough attention, you looked me dead in the eye with the meanest, most evil smirk and said, 'isn't that right, Tayla.'"

Colton

Her words threw me into a frenzy of memories that came rushing back to me.

"Hey, Herd, what's this I hear about you and Rydel's sister?"

"Ah, well, there's a story." I lift my beer and grip the hip of the girl sitting on my lap. She lets out this soft giggle that might have gotten another guys' engine running but I was dealing with the hurt of hearing Tayla more or less say that she'd never date me. That the idea grossed her out. The one girl I wanted, the one girl that had my heart since we were kids and neither of us knew it, didn't want me like I thought she did. I guess I would have been a stepping stone for someone else. "Talk about easy target."

"How easy is easy?"

"Like, don't be afraid to tell her how and what you want so she can get it right, easy." I laughed at myself. The problem was I knew that it wasn't right. I knew that she wasn't like that because when she asked me to be her first, I told her no. That I wanted to do it right, be something other than her friend when it happened but I didn't want to hurt her brother and betray his trust. So I was working on him. I was building up to asking if I could date his sister.

"Man, you're so lucky. Little Rydel is smokin' fuckin' hot and I would give my left nut to tap that!" this coming from Max, our schools resident douchebag.