Page 20 of The Teacher of Nothing
Dempsey squeezes my hand. “Right. Step. Sorry about all that. I just…” He huffs. “He pisses me off.”
“That’s something we both have in common.” I glance up at him. “Is he really messing around with your sister?”
“Doubtful, but he wants to. My dad won’t let Gemma date, but that doesn’t mean Levi won’t take every opportunity to get with her. The last thing my family needs right now is Gemma causing a scandal by getting mixed up with Levi. No offense.”
I don’t know what half of that means, but I nod in understanding, because any way you shake it, Levi is a bad apple. The Park family is not only wealthy, but they’re the backbone of this community. Levi would be the bad seed that poisons them all. Just like he and his father are at my house.
“I don’t think he’s watching anymore. We can stop pretending.” I go to tug my hand away, but his grip tightens.
“This might work.” He comes to a stop, shooting me a teasing grin. “I mean, we’ve already practically been to second base.”
I roll my eyes, unable to smother a laugh. “You’re a brat.”
“Yourbrat.”
“Ha.”
“Seriously.”
“No. I will not be your pretend girlfriend.”
“I’m wounded, Reyes. What about my for real girlfriend?”
As enticing as that might sound, my heart isn’t in it. It’s his brother I can’t stop thinking about.
“How about friend?” I offer, arching a brow at him. “I don’t have too many of those.”
“Friend. I guess I can handle that label until I woo you out of your clothes and make you beg for girlfriend status.”
I playfully shove at him. “Asshole.”
My heart is light. A friend. And not just any friend, but one of the most popular kids at this school, too. Not to mention, imagine all I could learn about Callum through Dempsey.
“You chose the right side, Reyes.”
“Yeah?”
“The Parks take care of their own.”
He messes with my hair before sauntering away. I stare after him, a little unnerved by our whole encounter, but not hating it.
Dempsey Park is my friend now, just like Callum said he was my friend last night.
Interesting.
This is by far the weirdest week of my life.
“Bell’s about to ring, Miss Reyes.”
I jolt at the deep timbre of Callum’s voice, jerking my attention to where he stands just outside his classroom. Today, he’s handsome as ever in a three-piece navy suit that accentuates his electric blue eyes. His dark hair is tousled like he’s been running his fingers through the thick strands. My own fingers twitch to do the same.
“I see you know Dempsey,” Callum says, his stern features unreadable.
Flames lick up my neck and heat my cheeks. “I, uh, he…” I bite down on my bottom lip, trying hard not to continue to ramble out words that make no sense. “He’s my friend.”
Callum doesn’t react to my words. I guess I expected to see relief in his features. Or maybe jealousy. He wears the same almost-scowl he always has on. No secret smiles or winks. I’m thrown for a loop, questioning everything that happened yesterday.
I didn’t imagine it.
