Learning to Live

Chapter 18

"You two are dating, aren't you?" I said.

Jason and Liza both froze. Gotcha!

Hunter, Scott, and Lia looked at them.

"Really?!" Lia asked, her eyes wide. "Since when?!"

The two had been sneaky, keeping their relationship a secret. I knew just who to blame for that. I focused my attention on Stefan. He studiously avoided my eyes.

"Stefan," I said. He cursed under his breath, the noise of the cafeteria swallowing his words. "I remember you and Lia had a bet about when these two would start dating. You wouldn't possibly have anything to do with them keeping it a secret in order to win the bet, wouldn't you?"

Lia gasped. She swung her dark gaze to Stefan. "You cheating ass!"

Stefan glared at me. "Do you have proof?"

I looked at Jason. He cleared his throat awkwardly. Liza opened her mouth. Jason looked at her, blinking his honey eyes like a giant puppy. It worked like a charm on Liza. She pursed her lips and shrugged at me. No help there. I bet Stefan gave Jason something he wanted in order to get his cooperation.

"I don't need proof. I know you," I told my brother.

Scott snapped his fingers. "So that's where the new game went-"

"Scott," Stefan groaned. I grinned. There it was.

"So you gave him the new PS game in exchange for keeping it a secret to win the bet," I said. Jason threw his head back and groaned.

"I can't believe you, you sneaky asshole," Lia grumbled. "Well, I win the bet."

"You just had to open your big mouth, Sapph," Stefan said. "You just can't keep a damn secret."

I narrowed my eyes at him. He wanted to play. Fine. "I can keep secrets. I've kept that steamy golf folder on your laptop a secret until now."

Stefan's face turned a lovely shade of red. It took everyone a second to realize what it was, then the boys guffawed, slapping the table and all. Hunter chuckled.

"Who keeps porn folder these days, dude!" Jason said through his tears.

Lia and Liza sputtered, only now realizing what it meant. I raised my chocolate milk as a toast towards Stefan. "The next time you try to cheat Lia out of something, you better think again."

Lia hugged my arm and kissed my cheek. "I love you, you know that."

"I know. I love you, too."

"More than Hunter?" She asked. I jabbed my elbow in her side. I glanced at Hunter. He looked like he didn't hear her. Phew.

"How did you even know we're dating?" Jason asked, abandoning all pretense and throwing his arm around Liza's shoulder.

"Your mom told me," I said. "She called me yesterday to check in on me, and you guys came up in the conversation."

Jason huffed. "I'm glad it's out in the open now."

"Hehehe," Lia laughed an evil laugh. She pointed at Stefan. "I'll drop off my homework later. You better do it properly."

"Fine," Stefan grumbled.

Stefan was the object of the joke during the rest of lunch. I didn't feel sorry for him. He deserved that.

"We're going shopping tomorrow," Lia said as we headed out of the cafeteria, her arm linked with Liza's.

"I can't during the day," I said.