Page 63 of Every Broken Promise
“I can watch it with you tomorrow if you still want to go?” I offered because I hated disappointing Astrid.
She shook her head.
“No, that’s okay. Thank you, though.”
I felt sick.
“I’m sure Liz won’t mind if we make it a group thing.”
Astrid looked at me, horrified.
“Tyler, this is your first date. It deserves to be special. Don’t worry about me.” She waved me off. “Shouldn’t you go home and shower? For the love of God, put in some effort.”
Even though she was teasing me, her shoulders were still stiff.
Before I could say something, the door to the front opened, and in came my brothers.
“Are you guys down to go see the new scary movie that just came out? EZ and I are thinking about catching the eleven-o’clock viewing. That way, it will be extra scary when we drive back into town.”
“Ohmigod, the cemetery will be right there,” exclaimed Astrid. “So creepy.”
“That’s what I’m saying,” replied Adam. “I heard that after midnight people have seen ghosts.”
“I can’t. I’m already going to the eight-o’clock show,” I told them, wishing I hadn’t made plans.
“You two made plans without us?” Adam asked, sounding offended.
“No, Tyler has a date,” Astrid replied for me.
Adam’s head turned toward me, his brows scrunching in confusion, and then his eyes slid to Astrid.
“He has a date, and it’s not you?” he asked Astrid.
I felt my face heat up, and I glared daggers at Adam, but he didn’t notice—or probably didn’t care.
“W-w-what? No. We’re just friends,” Astrid spat right away, and for some reason, her dismissal burned.
“Yeah, Astrid’s like my sister.” The lie fell quickly from my lips.
I focused on my brothers because I couldn’t meet Astrid’s eyes now.
“You want to come with us, Astrid?”
That surprised me. Sure, Astrid hung out with my brothers, but I was always there.
“My parents won’t let me go with just you guys and your friends,” she added shyly.
This time, I looked at her and noticed her eyes were glossy and her cheeks flushed.
My throat constricted.
Did she still get nervous around my brothers? Why did the thought of it bother me?
“It’s just us two… Well, we thought it would be the four of us, but since Ty has plans, it can be the three of us. Come on, I’ll talk to Mama Hart.”
“Oh my God, please don’t. She def won’t let me go if you do your smooth-talking,” she said with laughter in her tone.
Ezekiel, who had been quiet all this time, spoke.
