I smile. “At least someone is willing to speak the truth.” I lock eyes with Ace who doesn’t give anything away with the look in his eyes. I finally look at Matt. He’s staring at my hair. “Matt,” I say. “I am never ever getting back with you.”
He blows out hot air with a smile. “Grey was fucking Poppy at the party last night.”
Crew butts in at the wrong time, greeting the guys, but none of them are in a good mood. Everyone is awkward right now. Crew turns to me and asks, “Is everything okay?”
Ace interrupts, “Grey didn’t fuck Poppy last night.”
Now Crew is entering the conversation. “I saw him upstairs with her.” He turns to me and nods his head.
Ace scoffs. “Dude, I’m telling you that he didn’t fuck her last night. He took her up there to tell her he’snotfucking her anymore. She got wasted after he left and couldn’t shut up about it.”
Knox nods as I glare at Ace. Does this mean that everything I think about Grey is true? He actually does have a caring heart? I had my doubts, but this is great confirmation. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Thank you, Ace.
Ace continues, staring at Crew, “He wouldn’t do anything to fuck things up with Maddie.”
Crew scoffs. “Then why isn’t he here?”
Ace walks between him and Matt. He points at Matt’s temple and says, “Because of this dumb fuck right here.”
“Fuck you,” Matt seethes.
Ace shakes his head. “Always dangling your privilege in front of Grey. Maddie wants nothing to do with you, man. What don’t you understand? Right, Mads?”
I like that he’s using my nickname. I nod as he stands beside me.
Ace says, “This isn’t fucking high school anymore.”
Matt doesn’t like the sound of that as he scoffs.
Ace doesn’t give him a chance to reply as he walks away. He winks at Sydney and then walks to someone he recognizes, leaving me with the wrong crowd.
“Matt,” I say, turning to him. “It’s over between us. Like completely. I like someone else, and I hope you can stop standing in the way.”
He stares at me and then after a drawn-out moment that feels like an eternity, he nods. I pull Sydney by her wrist through the party. When we’re in a quiet corner, I turn to her.
“So, what’re you going to do?” she asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. I was going to ask you what you think I should do.”
She places both of her hands on my shoulders. “Stop asking me what I think. What do you want?”
I sigh, feeling my cheeks get hot. “I want to have sex with him.”
She gasps, covering her laughter. “I didn’t expect you to be so forthcoming.”
I nod. “I haven’t had sex in a very long time, and I want to do it with him.”
“That’s all you want? Is sex?”
I shake my head and shrug. “I don’t know, but it’s probably a good place to start. Didn’t you say he’s like that anyway? So why scare him off with labels. I don’t want to freak him out.”
“Wait, didn’t he already agree to be your fake boyfriend?”
I nod.
“So, just play that role.”
I nod. “You know what I realized while Matt and Ace were talking?”