Page 47 of How We Loved

“Hello,” Trevor says after I pull away from him. “I can get used to greetings like that.” He grabs me close and kisses me again.

I giggle and push him away. “Well, that’s all you’ll get tonight. My dad’s home, so watch your hands.”

I point at him, and he holds his hands up in surrender.

“I promise I’ll be a good boy.”

We walk into the kitchen, where my dad is cleaning up.

“Hey, Trevor. Good to see you again.”

Trevor walks straight up to my dad to shake his hand. “You too, sir.”

“So, you guys plan on watching a movie?” Dad asks.

“Yep, we’ll be in here.” I point to the living room off the kitchen. “So, you’ll be …” I leave the question lingering in the air.

Thankfully, he picks up what I’m asking and says with a laugh, “Don’t worry. I’ll leave you two alone.” Then, he points at Trevor. “But I’ll be right in there”—he points to his office that’s right off the living room—“so no funny business.”

Trevor holds up his hands. “I’ve already been told I have to keep my hands to myself.”

I blush with embarrassment as I hide my giggles and turn to the living room, pulling Trevor with me. “Thanks, Daddy.”

“Enjoy the movie,” he replies as he grabs his paperwork off the counter and heads to his office.

We turn on Netflix and choose what is in the top ten, not really caring what we watch, and hit play.

Before we get comfy, I get up the nerve to ask him, “Can I ask you a question?”

He reaches for my hand. “Sure. What’s up?”

“What did Ben say to you in the restroom?”

He raises his eyebrows ever so slightly, taking a few seconds. Then, he responds with a question of his own. “What did he tell you?”

“Nothing. I haven’t spoken to him. Susie said she saw you guys talking. I didn’t understand why you had acted the way you did when we left, but when she told me she saw you guys, I figured something had happened. So, I’m asking you what was said that made you say you didn’t like him.”

He inhales like he’s in thought. This just proves that something was said, and the more time he takes, the more upset I get at Ben for trying to ruin my relationship.

He pulls me into his lap. “Don’t be so mad at him. I was upset that night, so I shouldn’t have been as mean to you about it as I was. Though I do think you should distance yourself from him, I can’t demand it of you the way I did.”

“Then, what did he say?” I ask with a huff as I hold his fingers in mine that are wrapped around my shoulders.

“That’s not important. Just do me a favor and remember that I’m your boyfriend now. Not him. The less time you spend with him, the better. For me …”

The thought of separating myself from Ben breaks my heart, but not as much as whatever Ben said to Trevor does. If he doesn’t want to tell me, it must have been pretty bad, and that’s not okay.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ben

I stare at my phone for the fifth time this morning. Not only did Maya not hang out with us yesterday at my house, but she also texted me this morning, saying I don’t need to give her rides to school anymore, and she’ll drive herself.

I’m at a complete fucking loss as to why she’s acting this way. With the other guys she’s dated, we still hung out. With the girls I’ve dated, we still hung out. Maybe she didn’t sit on my lap when we were dating other people, but nothing else has ever really changed in our friendship or how much we spoke.

Until now.

This guy isn’t even here, and she’s acting like she wants to completely cut me out of her life.

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