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INDIE

aiepathy: (n.) an enduring and consuming passion

“ W hat the hell was that about, Theo?”

“He was touching you, Indie!”

After the chaos began, Laney shoved me at the door before Hayden had a chance to get back up. To her credit, Laney didn’t even blink as she ordered Serena to follow me, Indie in tow.

Serena rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Theo, you realize decking your teammate is not image friendly, regardless of who is touching, innocently, I might add. All of this,” she pointed between us, “might be for naught after that stunt.”

Fuck.

“Oh, just realizing that now? And why do you care who touches her? With those heels, she could probably maim anyone for life! Great shoes, by the way.”

Indie, to her credit, hadn’t taken said heels off and thrown them at me. Yet. “Thanks. They’re favorites. And yes, Theo why do you care? He wasn’t being overly friendly! You have no right to-”

“Because I didn’t want anyone touching you like that night, Indie! Especially because it’s my job to protect you for fuck’s sake!”

“No, it isn’t,” she yelled as she got in my face. “You lost that privilege a long time ago, Theo.”

“No, I didn’t. But you’ve always taken care of yourself-”

“EXACTLY!”

“But, now that’s my job.”

Her chin lifted. “Is it? Because last time I checked, this,” she pointed between us, “was not exactly real. I mean, we may fuck, but-”

“There’s no but, Indie. You can sit there and lie all you want, but I am done. I’ve been done, and I was done when I decided to say fuck it to whatever promises I made to Isaac.”

Selena watched us, volleying back and forth like some insane tennis match.

“Wait, what?” She paced back and forth, then stopped and threw her hands up “What are you talking about?”

“I promised Isaac I would watch over you.”

Her bottom lip trembled. “So that’s why you always came? Why you came? Not because you wanted to, but because you promised Isaac?”

I laced my hands behind my neck. “No! Fuck no! I promised Isaac I’d stay away from you. But the rest, watching over you? That was always me, Indie.”

She stared at me for a few more minutes. “How can I believe you? You asked me to do…this…to fake date, the whole thing, knowing I hated you because you rejected me. How do I know this isn’t another…lie?”

I stepped closer, but she held her hand up and backed away. “I need to think, I can’t right now.” She spun around and ran out the door.

Serena didn’t say anything for a minute, then she pushed off the wall where she had been watching it all. “You really need to work on your finesse, Gerard.”

“I only ever took one girl home. Travis’ mom. And even then, I couldn’t think of anyone else.”

She crossed her arms and glared at me. “Say that again. Loudly.”

One hand scrubbed over my face. “There weren’t girls. There was one. Well, two, counting Indie. But the reputation was bullshit. Yeah, I went out, played it up. The rest it was bullshit.”

Serena groaned. “Are you telling me I’ve been trying to fix a problem that didn’t need fixing?” Her laughter filled the room, and I hung my head, because even with all the drama, my lips twitched.

“Yeah. I am.”

“And you love her?”

I didn’t have to think, I just nodded, then dropped my head. “And she hates me.”

Serena, the Fixer who saved so many careers, including mine, and jump started my love life, it seemed, smiled and laughed gently.

“Oh Gerard, go read a romance novel. Wait, you’ve done that.

Think about it. And then, go get ready for the game.

Maybe figure out a grande gesture. I’ll go smooth this over.

” She walked out the door, long dark hair swaying, then turned to l look over her shoulder.