Page 46 of We Shouldn't Be Together
Tabitha sighs in defeat. “Just drop us at Village Coffee.”
Phew.
I hoist my backpack over my shoulder and blink at the brothers. “We’re really doing this?”
Freddy tilts his head, grinning disarmingly. “You don’t want a big, fat F, do you?”
“No, but it’s only a reading assignment,” I reply.
Drew marches ahead of us. “Good. Shouldn’t take you too long.” Freddy ushers us to follow, and Drew continues with, “Once you’re done with your homework, you can start planning your experiment.”
Tabitha snickers to herself. “How am I supposed to take him seriously? He’s acting so high and mighty, yet dressed like that.”
I bite down hard, keeping my expression flat. Even though I was thinking the same thing. I can’t respond. I’d rather not find out whether the rumors about Drew are true or false.
“Hey, Kai,” Tyler calls out. “Where are you going?”
I spot him standing off to the side with Lewis. They double-take at me walking with Tabitha; Drew marches in front, and Freddy at the rear.
“I’ll catch up with you guys later,” I call out. “I’ll text ya, okay?”
There’s no way I can admit to voluntarily spending time with Tabitha Jones. But in this predicament, can I really call my actions voluntary? By complying, I’m saving myself a whopping from her brothers.
10
Iwannahurl.
Kai Nelson is in my brother’s car. Worse, he’s sharing the backseat with me. Yuck, Freddy will need this whole car disinfected. Plus, my brothers plan on leaving me alone with this guy. I thought they loved me, but they’re setting me up for torture.
At least my friends haven’t witnessed this fiasco. Cammy’s dad picked her up from school a period early. They’re having some kind of daddy-daughter date because he’s finally home from his honeymoon. AKA, he’s spoiling her rotten to make up for the fact he left her and her mom for another family. With Cammy out of the picture, Yvie wasn’t gonna wait for me. Her older brother drove her home and she’ll no doubt be blowing up our group chat about how bored she is.
“Have fun, you two,” Freddy teases with his trademark big grin. He’s turned around to face us in the backseat after parking in a space close to Village Coffee.
Drew joins him, smirking at me and Kai. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Mm-hmm,” Kai mutters, getting out of the car.
Kai slams the door behind him and Freddy inhales, ready to go off about his precious car.
I lean in, gaining my brother’s attention before Freddy can get a word out. “Are you guys pulling a prank? Just fess up and tell me this is some kind of sick joke.”
As if on cue, the trunk opens and I hear Kai yanking his backpack out.
Freddy nods behind me. “Better get going with your buddy.”
“Guys,“ I whine in a last ditch effort.
Drew mumbles a laugh. “Stop being a brat, Tabby. Get going.”
All I see is red. How dare he use the B-word.
I get out of the car and slam the door harder than Kai did. I faintly hear Freddy complaining, but I move to the trunk, regardless. Kai is hoisting his bag on his back, and I leave mine in the trunk, only pulling out a notebook and a pen case. I shut the trunk without looking back at my brothers.
When I move onto the sidewalk, I hear a window lowering and then Freddy’s voice. “Hey, Tabby, don’t be mad.”
I huff and glance over my shoulder. “I am mad.”
Freddy leans over Drew as he talks. “I was just playing. So, was Drew. Tell her, man.”
