Page 24 of Vicious Little Snakes

Good luck staying incognito.

“Get a room,” I shout, answered by Grey’s middle finger.

My shit is scattered on the ground from when I dropped and ran, so I bend down, scooping it up, as I glance again over at Caroline, watching her smile and laugh at something Kai’s said.

She’s pretty when she smiles, not that I get to see it much. When we were kids, she never really smiled, and on the rarest of occasions when it happened, it was definitely never aimed at me—except once.

I shove my shit inside of my duffle, grimacing over the memory.

Once we got older, there was a time when smiling is all she ever did when she looked at me. I still haven’t found anything that rivals that feeling—being a person Caroline smiles at. But being that close to the sun never lasts unless you want to get burned, and with Caroline, I was fucking scorched.

Over the last year, those burn marks left us in this weird place where we took as many jabs as we played nice—but the nice, that was really fucking spectacular. Until Donovan showed up, then Caroline was all blows to the head.

My eyes obediently seek out my desire, seeing her staring at me this time. She’s rubbing that damn scar on her wrist, chewing her lip.Fuck you for looking contrite—as if that’s something you’d have the fucking audacity to feel.

I look away, shoving the sweatshirt into my bag harder. Goddamn her. She’s fucking selfish, mean, cunning, and ruthless. She doesn’t deserve my forgiveness for almost turning my best friends against me or treating me like shit like I didn’t matter.To her—like I didn’t matter to her.I stamp the goddamn voice out of my head, blowing out a heavy breath.

Fuck her.

Ethan’s voice comes from behind me, “Hey, what’s up, Brooks?” He scoops up my towel and tosses it to me.

“Hey,” I offer, unable to stay away from her fucking face.

“Coach was pissed that you skipped classes but showed to practice, but I smoothed it over.”

My head shoots back to his. “And how would he know that, Ethan? Unless someone ratted.”

It was probably him.

Before he can answer, Grey and Donovan join us.

“What’s up, E,” Grey says, letting go of Donovan’s hand.

That’s fucking torture for him. If it were me, I’d—I’d what? Fucking nothing.I’d watch the girl I was obsessed with date my friend because I’m a fucking idiot.

My train of thought pauses because Caroline’s still staring over at me. I know because I’m doing the same, like a dick.Stop.

Goddammit, this girl’s fucking with my head. Why can’t I just stop looking at her? It’s gotta be that song and the fucking shower from this morning. It’s still lingering in my mind and messing with me. That’s why. Gotta be.

Patting the pockets of my sweatpants, I pull my phone out of my pocket and scroll through my playlist.

I’m going to fix this shit right now.

I hear words being said around me, but I’m on a mission. “Sex and Candy”—delete. “Bloody Valentine”—delete. “Do I Wanna Know”—delete. “2002”—delete. “Driver’s License”—delete. And fuck you, Taylor Swift—all of it, delete, delete, delete.

“What the hell is Brooks doing?”

I glance up, hearing my name, as Van peeks over at my phone. “Looks like he’s cleaning out his playlist. Also—T Swift? I’m impressed, Brookie.”

“So lame. That’s chick music.” Ethan laughs until I look up.

I shake my head. “Taylor’s hot and a dope musician. Don’t hate on excellent women, E. This is why nobody touches your wiener.”

Ethan flips me off. “Plenty of girls have touched my dick.”

Van coughs, surprised, and Grey looks irritated as fuck.

Ethan looks at her and grimaces. “Sorry, Van.”