Page 20 of Tight Ends & Tiaras
I take stock of Destiny’s room with its fluffy pink comforter and her color-coordinated outfits hung in the closet. She told me she wanted to move in so we could hang out more, but I’ve barely seen her this summer.
Probably because she’s been busy fucking my boyfriend.
Ex-boyfriend.
I can hear my father as if he were in the room—You can add this failure to your list of others.
“Just pile her crap on the yard.” I feel like I’m floating, like I’m watching all of this happen and I’m a spectator.
The guys don’t let me do any work because of my head injury, but in no time, they’ve cleared her stuff. The living room furniture and the flatscreen are mine, new purchases I made when Gabby moved to Dallas.
Rider offered to buy me new furniture in thanks for all the babysitting I did last semester, but I don’t need the money, or at least I didn’t at the time. I love his daughter Poppy and was happy to help. It felt good to be needed. I’m a big believer in sending out good vibes, and helping my friends felt like the right thing to do.
Dating Cal felt like the right thing too, and look where that got you. I frown, hating this cynical voice in my head.
Johnny marches in wiping his hands. “We made sure to make the biggest mess possible. Who needs all those little bottles of makeup?”
Destiny is fanatical about her makeup. “She can sweep it off the driveway if she wants it.”
Just then, Derek’s baby blue Mustang pulls up to the curb. Olly, Johnny, and Ben line up next to me. This cannot be good for their team, but it’s not like I planned to get between these guys.
Destiny hops out, her eyes bulging when she sees her belongings strewn across the yard. “Are you fucking serious? You little bitch! Can you believe I was actually going to apologize for what happened last night?” She laughs maniacally, the expression on her face one I’ve never seen before. “It’s not my fault your boyfriend chose me! We fucked so many times behind your back and you were too stupid to see the writing on the wall. After all his big wins, Cal was with me! Guess whose idea it was for me to move in with you? His!”
I don’t realize I’m lunging for her until I’m lifted off the ground.
“Calm down, Cruz Control,” Ben whispers in my ear. “Trust me, she’s not worth it.” I look down to see his muscular arms wrapped around me. Derek is holding back Destiny, but she’s still screaming obscenities.
My head pounds so hard, I have to blink several times to clear my vision. What was I thinking? It’s not like I’d actually hit her.
When I can see again, I take stock of the vitriol in her eyes. It makes me wonder how I ever thought we were friends.
Since she’s playing dirty, why am I holding back the truth?
“It’s sad you were willing to throw away our friendship for a guy who said you were all tits and ass and no brains.” Cal was drunk at the time, so I excused his crass description of my best friend, but I told him we would not be getting naked if he ever said that about her again. Guess the joke’s on me.
“At least I have tits!” she screams loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear.
A little part of my soul crumbles, especially when I think about how all three of the girls in Cal’s bed were big-chested. I’m a modest B-cup. I was a late bloomer, practically concave until my senior year of high school, and Destiny knew exactly where to place the target.
Derek and I make eye contact, and I see the apology in his eyes as he drags her to his car. “I’ll be back in an hour to pick this up.” I can’t hear the angry words he murmurs to her, but Destiny eventually gets in his Mustang with a growl after she waves an obscene gesture in my direction.
Derek’s always been exceptionally nice to me, but he obviously knew Cal was banging half the town and kept his secrets. And based on his squirrelly behavior last night, he knew Cal was having a damn orgy behind my back. I’ve spent a lot of time with him and Cal, and next to Destiny and Cal’s treachery, Derek’s betrayal cuts deeply.
Derek Fowler can go fuck himself too.
At some point, Ben must’ve put me down because he steadies me from behind.
Johnny finally pipes up. “Sienna, don’t listen to that bitch. You have great tits. I’d totally motorboat ya.”
A sad laugh bubbles out of me, along with several tears, which I angrily swipe away. “I have no plans for motorboating anytime soon.”
Because there’s no one I trust anymore.
