Page 114 of Spin The Bottle
I drop my bag to the ground, sitting at the table. “No, why?”
They all share a look again. What the hell is going on? I pull my phone out of my pocket and unlock it. I’m not even sure what I’m looking for but I find it immediately. Right there, when I open my phone are pictures.
My heart races, knowing these pictures are of Aiden’s family. His brother has a darker shade of brown hair, but that face… there’s no doubt this is Aiden’s brother. I scroll down, another image pops up. The name on the mug shot reading Cameron Pierce.
I swallow the gravel in my throat, scrolling through, seeing more pictures. There’s a short, blonde woman in one of them and my heart aches when I realize this is Aiden’s mother. Wrinkles coat her skin, her eyes sunken into her skull. She looks so small, but I know the kind of pain she inflicted on Aiden. The kind of pain he still carries with him, on his body and in his mind.
Jordan did it. He posted the pictures.
I glance around, seeing everyone murmuring and looking at their phones. They’ve all seen these pictures. Everyone has seen who Aiden’s family really are.
All of his efforts were for nothing. All the time and the lies and making me fall for him… it was all for nothing.
“Have you guys ordered?” I ask, tucking my phone into my pocket. They don’t answer me. I look down at the napkins on the table but I can feel their eyes on me, assessing me, questioning me.
“Are you okay?”
My eyes snap open, glancing up at Gabi, who glances down at her phone screen that’s turned off now. I tilt my head at her. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Rosie presses her lips together. “You knew, didn’t you? He told you about his family.”
I shrug, wishing I had a drink to wet my dry lips. “He said a lot of things. Who knows what was true?”
“Leila,” Madi says, placing a hand on my arm. “You’re not concerned? I know he hurt you,” she says frowning. “But just imagine what he’s going through. Have you talked to him?”
“We’re broken up. Why would I talk to him?” Thoughts of seeing him in the gym yesterday run through my mind, ripping my heart to shreds. I can’t stop thinking about it. Can’t stop seeing the look of desperation and guilt on his face. Of how he grabbed onto me desperately, almost as if he didn’t want to let go.
“I’m going to order.” I get up from the table, avoiding their pitied looks. I don’t even make it to the front desk without hearing murmurs and Aiden’s name. I should hate him. I should be thankful that it all blew up in his face and he got what he deserved… but I hate it.
I don’t bother ordering, leaving the café and going to see the one person who I wish I could avoid forever.
I knock on the big blue door to the frat house. Some other guy opens the door, furrows his brows at the sight of me, glancing behind him. Oh, for fucks sake, I don’t have time for this.
I push past him, hearing him curse an insult at me as I do. It’s impossible not to notice Jordan instantly, legs spread open as he sits on the couch, a controller in his hands. He spots me and groans. “Jesus,” he spits out, throwing the controller to the side. “Not you too.”
I lift an eyebrow. “I don’t want to see you any more than you want to see me.”
He laughs, rubs his mouth. “Are you here for your boyfriend?” he asks. “You’re late.”
My palms itch. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
He snorts. “Right. Hurts, doesn’t it?”
I don’t want to stay here any longer than I have to, but I’ve been racking my brain for answers. “Why did you do it?” I ask.
“Do what?”
I glare at him. “Don’t play coy with me.” After all, he was the one who told me all about his plan, his texts with Aiden, how he manipulated everything. “Why did you tell him to kiss me?”
He shrugs. “I didn’t.”
“What?”
“I didn’t tell him to kiss you,” he says, staring at me. “I just told him to get your number.”
“But you said—”
“I lied,” he says with a shrug, grabbing the controller in his hand, and staring back at the screen. “Wanted you two to be over.”
