Page 201 of We Shouldn't Be Together
As he walks out of the kitchen, I can’t help calling out, “How come I’m the only one you’ll raise your voice at?” He disappears through the dining area and into the living area. “I’m supposed to be your brother!”
“What is all the yelling about?” Mom asks, rushing into the kitchen.
I grab the plates and move into the dining room. “Nothing.”
Mom checks on dinner at the stove, and I arrange the plates around the dining table.
Milo’s words float around my head.Tabitha is still doing mean things to Jamie.
No. No, she wouldn’t.
I can’t help letting my mind cycle through all the times I witnessed Tabby and her friends teasing Jamie. Their wicked words would hit home and leave my friend a defenseless, frozen statue.
Tabby promised me she wouldn’t target Jamie anymore.
I search for Milo in the living room, but he’s gone upstairs.
He wouldn’t lie, would he? What would he have to gain? Is he jealous that I have a girlfriend and he doesn’t? Does he want me to break up with her?
He literally said, how could I be with her?
But this is Milo we’re talking about. He’s not a liar. All Mom has to do is look at him and he caves, spilling any and every secret he has.
Crap.
Milo isn’t lying.
Crap.
My girlfriend is bullying my best friend.
I pluck my phone from my pocket and wander into the living area. I have to confront Tabby about this. I can’t ask Jamie because she’ll deny it. She hates looking weak in front of me.
With a quick sigh, I unlock my phone and call Tabby’s number. The phone rings one and a half times before I swiftly hit decline.
I brace myself against the back of the sofa, leaning forward as I sigh harder.
How can I ask her? I don’t want to know the truth.
I get a text from Tabitha."Did you mean to call me?"
With immense pressure in my jaw, I bite down hard. Dammit. I gotta do this.
I stand up straight, shaking out my limbs while bouncing on the spot. I scoop my phone back up and hit dial one more time.
“Hey,” she answers on the second ring. “I wasn’t sure if it was a butt dial or not. You ended the call so fast.”
“Umm, yeah. I gotta ask you something.” I freeze after that last word. I stare at the window, focusing on nothing. If I speak again, I have to ask her. When she answers, there’s a good chance this is all over.
“Yeah? Kai? Are you still there?”
I clear my throat. “Are you still bullying Jamie?”
There’s total silence on her end. I keep the phone pressed to my ear as I look down at my sneaker, tracing the timber floorboards.
When she still doesn’t breathe a word, I murmur, “Tabby?”
Her sigh rattles through the phone. “What did Jamie say?”
