One Kiss

Chapter 15

West stared across the cafeteria, his eyes on Zayden and Seth where they sat side by side, laughing and talking. Life was seriously unfair. Not only had he lost any opportunity with Zay, but the guy was dating the worst kind of asshole instead. He had an overwhelming desire to smack Seth in the face with a brick or maybe a cinder block. Even better, run him over with a semi.

"You stare any harder and you're gonna break something," Josh told him with a little laugh.

"Shove it. I'm not staring."

"Man, if that isn't staring then someone needs to redefine the word for me because I'm confused."

He threw a chip at Josh. "Asshole."

"Yup, that's me, I'm such an asshole." Josh threw the chip back at him. "Come on, you can't keep brooding about Zay, there's nothing we can do. He wants to be with Seth and if we keep trying to interfere he's going to pull farther away.

He sighed. "Yeah, I know that, but I can't let it go. I just ..." He broke off and shook his head.

"Hey, I know Seth burned you but as far as I can see, he's been good to Zay."

West ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "I know." He pulled his eyes from Zay and focused on Josh. "Where's Alyssa today, I haven't seen her all day?"

Josh sat back in his seat. "That I can't answer."

"She's your girlfriend and you don't know where she is?"

"I do and I don't."

"Not an answer," he said with a frown.

"She's at home, at least that's what she told me in a text this morning but I have the feeling she's up to some shit that she doesn't want to tell me about. I doubt she's actually at home."

"Alyssa up to shady shit? Doesn't sound like her."

"No, it doesn't, which worries me," Josh replied. "This isn't like her. This shit with Zay has been hard on her. They've been best friends since freshman year."

"Not that long. It isn't as if they've been lifelong friends. We've known each other longer than they have."

Josh nodded. "Yeah, I know but they were close and it seemed like they had known one another their entire lives. She's a hell of a lot more upset than she lets on."

"Alyssa is strong, she'll be okay. It's gonna take her a little time." West shrugged.

"I don't think time is gonna do shit if she doesn't want to let go. I think she's determined to prove Seth is fucking with Zay and he's not serious about him."

"If she does that it's only going to shove Zay further away, he isn't going to like the fact she went poking around trying to find something out about Seth."

"No, he isn't but I don't think she's going to listen."

West's eyes went back to Zay and Seth and he released a long sigh. This was going to turn into a huge mess. Of all the guys in town, why did Zay have to choose Seth? Not that he would have been all right if he began dating anyone else, but it would have stung less. Hell, he'd rather Zay began dating Marlow. Low was a good guy, kind and generous, he was a hell of a better match for Zay than Seth.

"All we can do is be here for him if the shit hits the fan," Josh said.

"Yeah, I have the feeling when it does it's going to be a whole lot of shit and one hell of a mess."

Josh chuckled. "Yup. Better invest in some waders."

"Idiot," West muttered before throwing a handful of chips at Josh.