Chapter 8—Snapped
The next day, Tara stopped by the house.
We were going to meet up with our friends later tonight.
“I still don’t get why you’re here so early,” I said, handing her a can of soda.
“Well, I wanted to get the details of your second date with Dean. Being your best friend, I had to get the scoop before the other girls.”
“Ah, I see. What do you want to know?”
“Uh, duh, where did you go? What did you do? Are you two ‘label official’?”
“On a ship, we had a dinner, and…maybe,” I responded.
“He took you out to dinner…on a ship? How romantic! Did you two dance and have spaghetti under the moonlight and—”
“Tara, slow down. It’s not a romance movie.”
She took a swig of her soda.
“I’m sorry. It’s just—I find it exciting.”
“Well, I think I can come up with one thing that would make you more excited.”
“Like what?”
“Um, Dean and I kissed.”
She looked at me wide-eyed and started grinning.
I laughed.
“Seriously, Tara, do not look at me like that.”
“I’m just—oh gosh! You guys kissed!” she squealed. “Wait, that’s your first real kiss, right?”
Oh right…
To her, well, to everyone else…it was.
I just nodded. “Yeah, um, it was.”
I remained quiet for a moment.
“What’s wrong?” she questioned. “Oh, no, was he a bad kisser?”
“No, he was great, but…”
“But what?” she asked.
I thought about how she doesn’t know the truth.
I thought about how I chickened out of telling Dean the truth.
“Tara, I—”
“Akira, can you come with me for a second?”
Seth entered the room with his arms crossed.
“Can it wait? Tara is here, and—”
“Tara, sweetheart, would you mind if I stole my step-sister for just a few minutes?” Seth asked, giving her a wide grin.
“Of course you can. It’s fine with me,” she replied, smiling back.
Why did she have to like him?
Of all the people who could have a crush on Seth, one of them happens to be my best friend.
Seth gestured me to come upstairs.
I stood near his doorway as he urged me to come closer.
“You were listening to us, weren’t you?” I asked.
“Yeah and…that guy kissed you?”
“Yes, he did.”
“You better tell him to stay away or—”
“Or what Seth? You’re going to threaten him to stay away without a reason?”
“You told him, didn’t you? You told him about me, about us, didn’t you?” he asked, clenching his teeth.
YOU ARE READING
BRUISED
Teen FictionWhat do you do when you live with the monster that took away your innocence? What do you do when everyone around you sees the monster as someone worth loving. Meanwhile, you see the monster as someone worth destroying. Akira Pierce was only fifteen...
