Page 72 of The Love Interest

I pull on the closest clothes, a pair of black jeans and a red hoodie, then run out of the house to my truck. The idea of driving makes my hands shake, but I don’t have a choice. Using the GPS app on my phone for directions, I drive toward Trevor’s place. As I drive, I think about my approach to this situation. How do I stay in character when Trevor is doing something that’s so out of his? I can tell being a Nice in front of him is going to be almost impossible. I just don’t have it in me to do anything other than be brutally honest with a friend who is making a dense, life-ruining decision.

Once I reach the house I park and run up to the front door. It’s a small, squat building. The cream-colored walls are faded. I knock on the screen door.

Trev’s dad answers it.

He eyes me warily. “Caden, right?”

“Yeah, is Trev here? Can I speak to him?”

“He’s in the gym. I’ll show you.”

He walks me through the house to a set of glass double doors that open onto an orange-tiled patio with an old treadmill and a set of weights. Beyond the equipment is a lap pool. Trev is standing beside the weight machine holding a dumbbell. He’s wearing a navy jersey and basketball shorts. The shirt is darkened from his neck to the middle of his chest.

He raises the weight, wincing as he moves. I dig my fingernails into my palms.

“Hey, Caden,” he says. “Did Nat send you?”

“Juliet, actually.”

“Figures. How’s Nat holding up?”

“Do you want me to lie?”

He passes the weight to his other hand and lifts it. “Kinda.”

“Well, I’m not going to. She’s not doing that well, man. She might even be suicidal.”

He raises the weight again.

My eyes narrow. “She was your world, man. Why did you do this? It doesn’t make any sense.”

He places the weight down on the shelf. The metal screeches.

“Love is complicated, Caden. More than anything, that’s what it is.”

“Not with you and Natalie. You’re so perfect together, everyone is jealous. Fine, I’ll say it.Iwas jealous of you. I want so badly to have what you had. And you just threw it away? Why?”

He finally meets my eyes. His eyes are bloodshot. “I cheated on her, man. And breaking up with her was easier than dealing. It’s hell, but it’s easier.”

It hits me like a punch to the gut, and all the energy leaves my body. I lean against the wall to stay upright. “Whoa, um, okay. What happened?”

“Did you see that reporter from last night? The hot one? She came for me in the locker room. I was so excited about everything and she made these sultry eyes at me. And then she invited me to the bathroom and she kept making those eyes at me, like I was the man I want to be eventually, but it was like I was him in that moment. Like I was already successful and famous. I think she could tell what I wanted, so she grabbed me and led me into the bathroom and she got on her knees and pulled my pants down and I… I didn’t stop her. Natalie had never donethatfor me; she thought it was gross. So I leaned back and closed my eyes and…”

His enormous chest heaves in a sob. He raises his hands and covers his face.

I place my hand on his shoulder. He doesn’t shake me off so I leave it there. “She might understand, man.”

He shrugs his shoulder and turns away. “I know she’ll forgive me. But that’s why it’s not fair to her, man. She doesn’t deserve to be with someone weak and scummy like me. Someone who has sex in a bathroom, where people piss on seats and take shits. I’m dirty and she’s pristine. She’s too good for me.”

Kaylee, can you help?

This is sorta out of my area of expertise, Caden.

“Don’t give up on what you have. Not yet. Talk to her.”

“I don’t know if I can bear the pain. It’ll kill me.”

I step toward him. “What you’re doing now is killing her.” There’s anger in my voice, making it deep and making it tremble. His eyes widen and he takes a step back. “Right now you have a choice. You can take some of the pain from her or you can leave her on her own with it all. It’s all up to you, Trevor. I advise you to make the correct choice, because if you don’t, you’ll have to deal with me.”