Page 100 of The Ruthless Boys (Adamson All-Boys Academy 2)
“I can’t believe you guys didn’t … I was sure of it.”
“You didn’t want me to sleep with him. You should just be honest,” I say, going to sit down beside him. We both fidget in the silence for a few moments.
“I don’t want it. I don’t want you with the twins either, but …” He slides his hand over his face. “I’m serious. Just, do whatever and at least we’ll have matching numbers.”
“Huh?” I ask, heart racing, trying not to think of our sex ed class that we just had, and how very clear Mr. Cruschek was about the pull-out method. Pre-ejaculate can have viable sperm, and we just did it without a condom, and I’m an idiot. Spencer’s an idiot.
And my dad was so surprised that I didn’t want to attend an all-boys school as a girl. Of course, I didn’t expect to be sleeping with everybody at said school … Am I a whore? No, no, that’s outdated and misogynistic and dumb. Shaming women for having sex is the oldest trick of the patriarchy.
I exhale.
“I’ve slept with five people, so you sleep with five. Be with Ranger. Or Church. He’s clearly in love with you.”
I snort, and Spencer turns to look at me with a brow raised.
“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. He goes out of his way to avoid touching me.”
“Right …” Spencer trails off and then tries to smooth his hair down with his palm. “Because he’s in love with you.”
“He barely talks to me.”
“He paid millions of dollars and used up dozens of favors to give you a private afternoon in Disneyland, something they don’t even do for world leaders. You get that, right? It’s a big fucking deal.”
“He can’t be in love with me,” I continue, and Spencer sighs.
“Why not?”
“It’s not possible, not this quick.”
Silence. And then …
“Oh, really?” Spencer asks, just before the door bursts open and the twins come in.
Tobias gives the towel a look, and then glances back at us.
My cheeks flush.
“We have snacks for tonight, plenty of weed. Are you staying?” Tobias asks as Micah gives me a somewhat sympathetic look.
“I … is that a good idea?” I ask, and the twins exchange a glance.
“Why wouldn’t it be?” they reply, turning back to me and Spencer.
They help me up, and Spence takes care of the towel, carrying it downstairs and putting it in the wash. I’ve got a stomach full of butterflies, a mountain of anxiety, and I can’t decide if I should add another worry to my already lengthy list. A pregnancy scare would not be a fun thing to deal with.
“Chip?” Church asks, holding out a bowl full of Doritos as I move into the living room and sit next to him on the couch. Ranger’s in the chair to my right, and surprisingly, he doesn’t avoid looking at me.
We stare at each other.
There’s been a lot of staring going on here this afternoon.
“No, thank you,” I finally answer as Spencer, Micah, and Tobias file into the room and stand near the fireplace, like parents about to scold naughty children. “Guys, I’m really sorry …”
“It was my fault,” Ranger says, his sapphire eyes still firmly affixed to my face. I wish he’d look away, at something else, someone else, anything else. “It won’t happen again.”
“Man, we brought this up,” Micah starts, “at that emergency Student Council meeting we had the other night.”
“You guys have emergency Student Council meetings when school’s not even in session?” I ask, completely and utterly confused by the whole situation. “Why?”
They ignore me.
“We said if you liked Chuck, you should speak up, and then talk to her about it. And what did you do? Fed us that same bullshit about not dating. I get it, dude, but we need to have an honest discussion here. This crap is going to pull us apart.” Micah stares his friend down and finally—finally—Ranger adjusts his gaze.
“Sorry, yeah, yes.” Ranger looks back at me, cutting my two second reprieve short by half. He frowns. “I should’ve said something.”
“You’re into me?” I ask, pointing at him, and he sighs, sort of like Spencer did when he was lamenting being attracted to such an ugly, ornery boy.
“I guess.” Ranger rubs his face. “Yes.”
I blush again, curling my legs under me, and covering up with a blanket.
Church is very careful not to touch me, even though we’re sitting inches apart. See what I mean? All I got was that one hug on the last day of school, and then whatever that was in the rest stop lobby.
“Chuck-let?” Spencer asks, putting his hands in his pockets and tilting his head to one side, silver hair falling across his brow. “This is your last chance to speak up.”
“I …” I glance from him to Tobias, then Micah, Ranger, Church. His amber eyes meet mine. He won’t look away. I want him to, but he won’t. See what I mean about all the fucking staring? “Let’s … okay. Fine. Yes. I like Ranger. It just sort of crept up on me. I’m not sure what’s happening. I’ve had plenty of crushes in my life, but nothing like this. You guys just make such a solid unit.”
