Cheat Sheets

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

It’s safe to say that I don’t listen to Braeden and instead set up a time and a place for Josh to meet me so that I can confess all of my sins. (Well, not all of them, just the ones that almost got Josh killed).

Sliding into the booth opposite him, I offer a rather shaken looking Josh a tentative smile. “Hi.” I murmur, sliding a passion fruit smoothie across the table towards him in peace offering.

“Hey” he croaks with his voice still hoarse from inhaling all of that car smoke yesterday.

I clear my throat in the awkward silence and set my palms calmly on the table between us to gather some bravado. But before I can get a word out, Josh lets out a sigh and combs his fingers through his hair in a frustrated manner. “I know it was you, Keira, I just want to know why.”

Shocked into silence, I stare at him with my mouth wide open. “You want to know why? How? How do you know I did it?”

Josh harrumphs. “That’s easy. The car was in the garage when it happened because I know I didn’t fill up before or after, and you’ve been hanging around with Braeden quite a lot so I knew it had to be either one of you. But Braeden’s car smart, and although he’s an asshole he’d never put anybody’s life in danger by sabotaging my fuel like that. It had to be someone who doesn’t know a lot about cars. So, process of elimination; that left you Keira. Now I want to know why sweet, innocent Keira would do something like that.”

With a groan I offer Josh my best apologetic look. “I’m sorry about your car; I promise I wouldn’t have messed it up like that if I’d known that would happen.” I gather all of my reserves to get together the energy to explain.

Right now I feel like a catholic at a confessional.

“I saw you cheating on me, Josh; with Candy at the cinema almost a month ago. And I knew it wasn’t the first time, there were always the sneaky texts and the constant giggling amongst your friends; I mean, how did I not notice from the start? You know how low I feel about myself, about my weight, about everything and when you went behind my back like that, I just got really angry and I wanted to get back at you.

“It broke me to see you kissing Candy because somehow I thought what we had was real, I’d convinced myself that I was in love with you. And if it weren’t for Braeden I’d have been a teary mess. Instead we planned and focused on ways of getting revenge. Your car smelling like tuna, the porn on your laptop; that was all me. But setting your car on fire, I realise I took it all too far now.”

Swallowing thickly, I play with an idle straw just lying on the table and flitter it about. “You’ll probably never forgive me, but I am sorry. I just wanted to make you feel as targeted, as hated and as low as I felt.”

After moments of letting that all sink in, Josh grunts. “I don’t blame you. I deserved it.”

“Come again?” I practically burst; surprised that he’s not chewing me out right now, instead he looks almost as sorry as I do. Almost.

“I was a douche to you. And no lie I think you’re an awesome person and I generally liked you, it’s just that… I’m a typical high school teenager, Keira, I’m a football jock and a player and I don’t care about anyone else’s feelings.”

I can’t help but chuckle at his admission, and smile when I see the beginnings of a grin marking his mouth. “I honestly forgive you, Keira. And just so we’re clear; we’re totally even now.”

Biting my lip to hold in my laugh, I cock a brow. “I’ll pay you back for the damages to your car; I really didn’t think it would set on fire.”